Belgian brewery De Brabandere has launched to the UK market its selection of blonde-based, high-fermented and oak-aged ales – each “with a distinctive sour taste”.
Petrus aged pale, Petrus oud bruin and Petrus aged red are the only Belgian sours to use blonde beer as a base and will be available exclusively through James Clay, the independent importer of specialist beers, the company announced.
330ml bottles and 30 litre kegs for the on-trade can also be ordered through premium drinks management agency Boutique Bar Brands.
Petrus aged pale is a 100% foeder beer, aged over 24 months in oak foeders, and forms the base of the Petrus oud bruin and the sweet and sour Petrus aged red. As a result, the three beers can be mixed to create original flavours, De Brabandere said. The Petrus aged pale – known as the “mother beer”, and the sourest of the three – has an ABV of 7.3%. Petrus oud bruin is lower at 5.5%, while Petrus aged red is higher at 8.5%.
The launch of the three beers will tap into growing demand for sour beers in the UK, which have been described as “the new IPA”.
Albert De Brabandere, the brewery’s retail manager and son of brewery owner Ignace, said: “For five generations, Brewery De Brabandere has never compromised on taste, quality or ingredients and the Petrus sour beers are no exception. We are excited to be working with Boutique Bar Brands to bring Petrus sours back to the home of beer hunter Michael Jackson, who encouraged us to take the Petrus aged pale from foeder to bottle. Their distinctive flavour has garnered a strong international following and we’re looking forward to hearing about the unique blends created by British beer lovers.”
Petrus aged pale, the brewery revealed, was never intended for bottling and traditionally was used as a blending beer to give a fresh, slightly sour flavour and aroma to other brews.
Petrus aged pale has a markedly dry taste with the freshness of sour apples, sherry and fruit aromas. The distinctive sour flavour is popular in Belgium and contrasts well with the sweetness of shellfish, oily fish and soft cheese, De Brabandere said.
Petrus oud bruin is a traditional Flemish red brown beer, typical of the Kortrijk and Roeselare region. Aged in oak foeders for two years, it is a blend of 33% Petrus aged pale and 67% young, brown beer, accounting for the deep, dark red colour. Refreshing and relatively light, Petrus oud bruin is predominantly sour, but has aromas of dried fruit, cherry and peach, with scents of malt, butter and caramel. It is popular as an aperitif or served with mild cheese and seafood.
Unlike a traditional kriek, Petrus aged red is not based on a spontaneously fermented lambic beer. The unique, dark fruit beer is an expertly crafted blend of 15% Petrus aged pale and 85% dubbel bruin with cherries matured for 24 months in oak foeders. The distinctive sour flavour of Petrus aged pale is sweetened by the mild, sweet, ruby-red cherries, resulting in a rich and fruity yet surprisingly refreshing, slightly sour beer that complements red meat, dark chocolate and blue cheese.
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