The summer installment of our 2019 Secret Barrel Society releases include the return of Black Raspberry and Trio as well as the debut of Brewer’s Reserve Flayrah! SBS members get first dibs before these bottles go on sale to the general public. Sign up for your FREE membership here! Learn everything about these awesome brews below and pick them up at any Upland location May 25th!
Flayrah
The 2nd release from our clean barrel-aging program, the Brewer’s Reserve, is a Scottish-Style Wee Heavy. Flayrah’s rich and malty profile begins with Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt and includes notes of toffee, caramel, raisin, and fig. 7 months of aging in freshly used Rabbit Hole Distillery bourbon barrels creates aromas of vanilla & oak. A pleasant bitterness from Columbus and Goldings hops make a warming finish to an intensely strong and sweet barrel-aged ale. The name of the beer references this ‘rabbit’ connection because Flayrah means “particularly good food” in the Lapine language of Richard Adams’ classic novel Watership Down.
Trio
Our first venture into blending only ingredients sourced from local farms created a deliciously unique profile. We sourced Strawberries from Heartland Family Farm, Blackberries from Wild Blackberry Farm, and Honey from Hunter’s Honey Farm. The result is a well-balanced blend of the three ingredients complemented our base beer, Basis. 6 month old Basis was transferred to wine barrels for an additional 3 months of aging on blackberries and strawberries. Honey was later added at the end of re-fermentation for a nuanced flavor contribution. Pouring a reddish hue, Trio finishes dry and tart with an intense berry fruit flavor.
Black Raspberry
Neither a blackberry nor a raspberry, black raspberries are a unique species of the same family. They’re less tart, less sweet, and more fruity with a distinct flavor that works excellently with Basis. After aging our base sour ale for a year in oak foeders, black raspberries were then added for an additional 3 months. Because of this aging, we’re able to pull rich characteristics from the fruit. A beautiful ruby color with pink hues, Black Raspberry is a tart and dry sour ale that’s puckering with intense black raspberry aromas and flavors.
