A long time ago (well, 2004) in a Pizza Port not so far away (Solana Beach, CA), Tomme Arthur and New Belgium’s Peter Bouckaert brewed an all Brettanomyces beer they called Mo’ Betta Bretta.
In April of this year Peter flew from Colorado and the two joined forces once again — this time at The Lost Abbey — to do a refresh of that beer. Below is a video of what happened that day. The beer was released at the brewery on June 9th and should be hitting shelves near you the week of the June 18th.
Port Brewing / The Lost Abbey queues up four releases for June and July
San Marcos, Calif. – Get ready for the wild and barreled this summer because Port Brewing / The Lost Abbey will be issuing four beers in the next couple of months ; two aged for a year in used bourbon barrels, and two fermented with the wild yeast, Brettanomyces. The releases are as follows:
Mo’ Betta Bretta
An all Brettanomyces beer, Mo’s Betta is a collaboration beer between The Lost Abbey’s Tome Arthur and New Belgium’s Peter Bouckaert. The pair originally brewed this beer in 2004 while Tomme was head brewer for the Solana Beach location of our sister operation, Pizza Port. This is the first time the two have produced the beer since. Earlier this year they also collaborated on a Brett version of New Belgium’s Lips of Faith. A large enough batch of this beer was produced to send it into the full Port/Los Abbey distribution network in both bottle and draft formats. Expected release is the week of June 11, 2012.
The Angel’s Share – Bourbon Barrel-aged
The sixth annual release of our famed barrel-aged barleywine, The Angel’s Share spends a full year resting in used bourbon barrels before release. Limited quantities of this beer will reach our full distribution network in both bottle and draft formats. Expected release is the week of June 18, 2012.
Santa’s Little Helper – Bourbon Barrel-aged
The 2012 release of our Santa’s Little Helper aged in used bourbon barrels for a year. We always release this one in conjunction with our annual Christmas in July celebration and fundraiser. Very limited quantities of this will reach our distribution network in both bottle and draft formats. Expected release is July 14, 2012.
Ten Commandments
The 2012 vintage of our strong farmhouse ale brewed with raisins and rosemary and topped off with a little Brettanomyces at bottling. Delicious when released, by the time autumn, cooler weather and the holidays roll around, the Brett dries the initial sweetness and turns this beer from great to spectacular. This beer will reach our full distribution network in both bottle and draft formats, and should be available on shelves for several months. Expected release is the week of July 22, 2012.
Please note release dates are estimates and subject to change based on the whims of the barrels and brett. Arrival in our distribution network on the East Coast is generally two weeks after the initial release date (to allow for shipping).
It’s been a big past couple of weeks in the Media for our Tomme Arthur and The Lost Abbey brands. In case you missed them, here’s a quick round-up of the stories: Red Poppy in Mutineer Magazine Beer Spotlight: The Lost Abbey Red Poppy Mutineer Magazine
From the article:
From years of trying Abbey style ales Co-owner of Pizza Port Vince Marsaglia developed a love for them and was set on creating some of his own, but he needed a brewer who could bring his vision to life. When brewer Tomme Arthur was brought on-board in 1997 The Lost Abbey was born. Red Poppy is one of their Non-Denominational Ales…
Lost Abbey Avant Garde, Beer America TV, Ep. 51 Beer America TV
Video Summary:
The Lost Abbey checks in with a remarkable beer that is a step above crowd. Tomme Arthur and the Port Brewing Company continue to produce excellent beers, and the Avant Garde is no exception!
Lost Abbey in Chow Magazine Your Beer Smells Like a Goat Chow.com
From the article:
Novice brewers generally learn how to avoid making beer that tastes like old, dirty socks. In the University of California–Davis brewing science program, students are taught to guard against contamination by Brettanomyces, or Brett for short, a wild yeast often found in the air that’s nearly impossible to get rid of once it invades your equipment…
American craft brewers inspired by Belgian-style sour beers Chicago Tribune
From the article:
Most of the time, commercial brewing is an exacting and predictable science. When Greg Hall, brewmaster at Goose Island Brewing Co., decides what day to brew Honkers Ale, the brewery’s malty English bitter, he also can determine the exact dates he’ll filter and bottle the finished product.
