Working in tandem for almost two years, the brewers from Samuel Adams and Weihenstephan are perfecting an innovative beer style that explores new brewing techniques within the boundaries of beer law. Their yet-to-be-named crisp, pale brew is slated to debut in the United States and Germany next spring in cork-finished bottles. This effervescent, Champagne-like beer will weigh in at more than 10 percent alcohol by volume, yet remain very dry and crisp, shattering the preconceived notions of what can be done following the Reinheitsgebot Law.
The Weihenstephan/Samuel Adams beer marries new thinking from the world of American “extreme beer” with tradition and respect for the Reinheitsgebot, a German beer purity law that dates back to 1516 and states that all beer must be brewed using only the four ingredients: malt, hops, water, and yeast. By tapping 1000 years of brewing knowledge and coupling it with American innovation, the brewers at Samuel Adams and Weihenstephan will brew a complex, higher alcohol beer of distinction with only the four classic ingredients. This new beer will be ready to share with beer aficionados throughout the world in the spring of 2010.
Just a complete guess, I am betting that since they are doing the cork thing and using wine/champagne comparisons, that they may use the same price range and go $10 - $20 a bottle for a 750ml.
I was watching something on the history channel about beer that had a Sam Adams segment where they were talking about some new beer they were making that was like 18%. It talked about how they had conditioned special yeast for years to get it to stay alive in that much alcohol. Sam Adams does some pretty cool stuff
Since the new brew is going to be at least based on the Rheinheitsgebot, I imagine it will be something like a Belgian Blond, but the alcohol will come from specially-bred yeast that survive in higher alcohol environments. Just a guess.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., October 9, 2009 Boulevard Brewing Company today announced that Jean-Marie Rock, brewmaster at Orval, the renowned Trappist brewery located in southern Belgium, will team up with Boulevard brewmaster Steven Pauwels to create a small production, limited release beer. The joint effort, a first for the Midwestern craft brewery, will take place during Rocks late October visit to Boulevards Kansas City facility.
The brewers, both native Belgians, will produce an Imperial Pilsner similar to a lager brewed by Rock at the start of his career. It will, according to Pauwels, be a tribute to Pilsner beers; full flavored and refreshing, brewed with 100% Pilsner malt and 100% Saaz hops, using time-honored techniques.
At a launch party at the Samuel Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain, Koch said like champagne it offers fresh fruit flavors including apricot and mango in the sparkling drink. Its meant to be served in a champagne flute to maximize those fine bubbles. It comes in a 750 ml bottle with a cork and foil top, just like champagne.
He said its like champagne, only improved with more body and mouth feel. He suggests you drink it like champagne. It offers a satisfying crisp acidity with a balanced malt body. It contains 10.3 percent alcohol by volume, twice the amount of an average beer.
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