Getting medieval on a long-forgotten beer from times long gone
Stochasticity Project beers bravely explore lesser-trod territory. Imagine if you will emerging from the furthest depths of the dark, misty forest of time holding a chalice (perhaps one of catholically divine caliber) filled with an ale style dating back to medieval England. We find ourselves carried by the gait of hooves (which oddly sound like someone is clacking together two empty coconut halves) and happen upon a caste siege. Insults are being hurled from the walls above from …Frenchmen? Time to run away (after one last whack at the mighty stone castle walls with a broadsword) to discuss strategy just beyond the reach of catapulted bovines. Beer brewed with elderberries is freely shared. What strategies come from this? Trojan Rabbit! A brilliant ruse they’re sure to…catapult. Word to the wise, Sir Bedivere. Don’t strategize whilst drinking elderberry beer or the constables may show up at the end of your flick.

Beer Facts

Malt Varieties
2-Row Pale, Mild Ale, Amber, Pale Malt and Flaked Oats

Hop Varieties
English Goldings and Target

Special Ingredient
Elderberries

==Introduction==

Tribute to the old Monty Python and the Holy Grail in which one of the knights above the castle in the movie quoted “Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAy4zULKFDU). This beer, as stated in the description, is a medieval or ancient ale style brewed with elderberries. It is not often I get to try beers with elderberries specifically but I can only imagine they are close to the sweetness you may get from currants or black berries. Well, this being a Medieval ale, cheers to our own craft beer kingdoms my noble readers!

Aromas:
Caramel, toffee, vanilla, marshmallow, toasted barley, dark fruit raisins, figs, currants, Blackberries, elderberries, cherry notes, boysenberry preserves on toasted rye bread, pecan pie hints, Danish cream pastry, smoked peat hints, earthy and herbal hop notes.

Flavors:
Toffee, dulce de leche caramel, dark fruit currants, Blackberries, elderberries, cherry notes, tangy Concorde grape skins, floral notes like hibiscus, biscuit bread, butterscotch notes, smoked peat hints, earthy and herbal hop notes, vanilla hints, boysenberry preserves on toasted rye bread, pecan pie hints, Danish cream pastry, roasted barley and marshmallow.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with dark fruit sweetness from the berries with a slight tart note, caramel, vanilla, biscuit bread, earthy notes and herbal bitter dryness. No alcohol in the taste despite the 10.3% ABV. Bloody crimson clear color, smooth creamy, refreshing and silky mouthfeel with a moderate to sipping drinkability.

Overall:
A very good beer show casing some good malt backbone and some nice fruit and herbal like flavors. The complexity is bountiful but not over the top as other beers. Still, while not being cloying, this is a pretty damn good fruit dessert with a variety of bitter sweet moments to keep stuff interesting. If this is indeed a lost ancient recipe, they must have had it really good back then with this beer. Recommended and worth the try.

Anime Corner:
Original Artwork by Interitio was used in this pairing as I wanted to go with a somewhat medieaval look while maintaining the whole elderberries. While I could not get the whole father part it, you can infer from the art work that this is a medieval queen whose king’s influence on her resonates his power… and his scent of elderberries. Sorry it is a stretch but I really liked how the whole berries concept pairs with her dress.