Jester king brewing

[TobyG]

Deer Park.

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[moti_mo]

All their beers except the 9%+ have souring bactrria listed on the site

So, then yeah, I'm with Ted. Why put bacteria in there if the beer's not going to be sour? I was thoroughly annoyed with Mad Meg. Brought it to a New Year's Eve shindig wanting to share a sour that none of us had tried for the special occasion, and the general reaction was 'meh'.

 

[nestler]

So, then yeah, I'm with Ted. Why put bacteria in there if the beer's not going to be sour? I was thoroughly annoyed with Mad Meg. Brought it to a New Year's Eve shindig wanting to share a sour that none of us had tried for the special occasion, and the general reaction was 'meh'.

I don't think that Wytchmaker or Mad Meg were ever made with souring bacteria or Brett. They may change this in the future (and confuse people in the process when their site only discusses the upcoming recipes as opposed to the recipe found in what is already on shelves).

Originally they used English ale yeast in almost all of their beers (Black Metal, Wytchmaker, Commercial Suicide). Then years ago they relabeled all of these beers with the word "farmhouse" at which point I think they switched them all to (cultured) Saison yeast; not wild yeast or bacteria. Around that time they also started making many sours (Boxer's Revenge, Das Wunderkind) that do and have always used souring bacteria. Their recent blog posts reveal that they intend to go farther, using their own wild yeast in all of their beer; not just the sour ones.

Note that most of their sour beers are only sold at their brewery now. The ones mentioned in this thread (Noble king, Mad Meg, Wytchmaker) are not their sours and don't (to my knowledge) have anything in them other than Saison yeast today.

 

[skitter]

Their website says otherwise

 

[swem]

I only have experience with wytchmaker and mad meg, but they aren't trying to be true sour beers. Both are fermented with a saison strain, a Wild yeast that jeff then cultured, and Brett. Just because something has brett, doesn't mean it's a sour.

 

[skitter]

Good, I'm mpre comfortable trying them once I find one if its not a sour

 

[FarmerTed]

I only have experience with wytchmaker and mad meg, but they aren't trying to be true sour beers. Both are fermented with a saison strain, a Wild yeast that jeff then cultured, and Brett. Just because something has brett, doesn't mean it's a sour.

And apparently, just because the label also says it has souring bacteria, it's not supposed to be sour either.

 

[moti_mo]

Just because something has brett, doesn't mean it's a sour.

Yes, very familiar with brett and souring bacteria, and that brett doesn't make a beer sour. What we're referring to is the fact that the descriptions on the bottle (and the website) for Wytchmaker and for Mad Meg say that they "contain souring bacteria".

And that if you're someone who is familiar with the different influences of wild yeast and bacteria in the flavor profile of a beer, when you read "contains souring bacteria" on a label, you're likely going to expect at least some sour flavor components in said beer.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

I love Jester's beers. I moved from the Texas Hill Country to Southern Colorado a couple years ago and I bring back as much JK and Real Ale as I can whenever I go home. Just had El Cedro for the first time over the holidays and that is an incredible beer. Weasel Rodeo is one of my all time favorites.
I think they are moving to brewing everything with their "house" culture now, that's why new bottles and site say souring bacteria. But the levels are probably very low and souring effects will be time dependent.

 

[FarmerTed]

I think they are moving to brewing everything with their "house" culture now, that's why new bottles and site say souring bacteria. But the levels are probably very low and souring effects will be time dependent.

I could buy that. Maybe they figure that there's a chance that souring bacteria will work its way into any of their beers, and they just want to put on the label that it's there, so if a soured bottle shows up here or there, it won't seem like they effed up. Lord knows there are plenty of brueries out there that sell $20-30 beers that are unintentionally soured, and if you work with brett and bacteria a lot, it's likely to be a constant problem.

 

[skitter]

Deer Park.

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Ouch, yeahs that's 60 Minutes plus, unless I'm in La Porte for some reason

 

[TobyG]

Ouch, yeahs that's 60 Minutes plus, unless I'm in La Porte for some reason

Yeah, made the drive before when I had a training and was then going see a show in the Woodlands the weekend after. Was glad training let out early and I didn't have to make it in rush hour traffic.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

I just finished my bottle of Mad Meg and I really enjoyed it, especially with a fine Gurkha cigar. Yep. I'm drinking and smoking at 2 in the afternoon because funerals fu@#ing suck...

My bottle is dated March 2013 and does not list brett or souring bacteria on the bottle (neither does my June 2013 Wytchmaker). Pale and turbid, rocky, thick, white meringue head. Earthy and spicy. Subtle funk played well with Noble hop bitterness, flavors, & aroma. Very dry for such a big beer and no overt booziness, well hidden alcohol strength. Hay, spice, lemon, biscuity malt flavor. A beautiful Saison/ provision ale. Wish I could get these here in BFE Colorado! Still haven't met a Jester King beer I didn't like

 

[Vellum]

Was out there last weekend and enjoyed noble king, wytchmaker, and vie en rose. All delicious. Will probably be out again this next weekend.

 

[skitter]

I want to find a bottle of Farmhouse Ale, but at $12 a bottle I highly doubt the wife will let me