Driven by Antarctic bellowing across the Southern Ocean, winter in the small town of Denmark on WA’s Southern Coast casts an almost mystic cloak on the region’s already stunning landscape; this is time for reflection and alchemy.
A few minutes out of town, Boston’s head brewer Tyson Addy has quietly used this yearly ebb to create a sizeable barrel program, the first significant release of which seems perfectly designed for gathering around a log fire and telling long stories.
The porter base spent 15 months in ex-shiraz wine barrels with a secondary fermentation undertaken with a cocktail of Brettanomyces, lactobacillus and pediococcus, before being spiked by organic Manjimup cherries three months before bottling. Although still evolving, in its youthful packaged state, Brett and chocolate aromas lead the way, joining a mature cherry character in the glass. The fruit expression is restrained yet complex with touches of leather, subtle fruit tartness, dusty chocolate and Brett dryness. It’s an intriguing and elegant mix, a teaser for future Boston barrel-aged releases that are currently hibernating in oak.
Guy Southern
Published October 16, 2019 2019-10-16 00:00:00
