Imagine. Inside King Midas’ tomb a vat was found and inside that vat was alcohol residue. From that single vat, scientists recreate an ancient recipe. And from that ancient recipe emerges a beer-wine hybrid that is quickly becoming one of the hottest trends in craft beer.
It’s pretty wild that scientists were able to recreate recipes from eons ago. What’s even wilder, though, is that beer and grapes combine to make bright, refreshing, and bubbly beers that are so desired that they are becoming a crafting trend in our day and age. Who would ever have thought it possible?
While the Ancient Egyptians likely concocted the beverage because of the tools and ingredients available to them at the time, modern crafters are excited about the complexity of the resulting beverage. Hops, barley, and grapes, though, have never been the best of friends. At best they were fine just keeping to themselves, but at worst they have been each other’s arch enemy. Brewers are working hard to overcome this virulent rivalry and to bridge the gap for wine and beer loyalists alike. The newest genre of what has become known as a “hybrid” (although brewers sort of resent that term) is rapidly taking a strong grip on the industry.
And so one must ask themselves if this new concoction really is a beer, or is it really a wine? And herein lies the conundrum because really, it is not just wine mixed with beer, but rather mixing the methods in which beer and wine are made. The simple answer is “neither,” but the longer and probably truer answer is that it is oh-so-much-more. The resulting beverage is truly the best of both worlds, as complex as the best of wines but as crisp and refreshing as a cold beer on a hot day. The hybrids, for lack of a better word, are fruity and oaky, sweet or dry as the grapes dictate, and beyond bitter hoppiness or smooth maltiness.
Brewing up this tasty beer is a chore, though, especially because brewers are in general used to working with dried hops and grains that don’t spoil. Grapes are another story, as they need to be used soon after harvesting to avoid rotting before putting them to use. The result seems to be well worth the effort, and craft brewers continue to experiment with barrel-aging techniques, with using wine yeast strains in the fermentation process, and even with brewing with the entire wine must (freshly pressed grape juice that includes the skin, the seeds, and the stems.)
To taste for yourself what the craze is all about, maybe start with the Noble Rot by Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales out of Milton, Delaware. The Noble Rot is brewed with Viognier must, a Pinot Gris must, and pilsner and wheat malts, and then fermented with a Belgian yeast strain. The beer is an almost-equal partnership between grapes and grains, and the result is an exceptionally bubbly, golden beverage with a rich grape aroma. Its flavor is initially sweet but it finishes a bit spicy, making it an optimal choice for a warm summer night. For a sweeter take, try their Midas Touch, brewed with white Muscat grapes, barley, wildflower honey, and saffron. Or if you prefer a hoppier IPA, Dogfish Head makes Sixty-One, a hoppy IPA brewed with California Syrah grape must.
No matter which you decide to try, or if you venture out and find others that are equally as tempting, you will find yourself pleasantly surprised by the refreshingly complex flavors of this new genre of beers.
