Schlafly Beer (St. Louis, Missouri) has officially announced that Gin Barrel Sour Gruit will release in late August as the newest offering to come out of the brewery’s “From the Ibex Cellar” series.

Crafted to be an “innovative take on an ancient brewing process,” Gin Barrel Sour Gruit begins life as a Gruit-style Ale that replaces hops with “a combination of juniper, marigolds, chamomile, and lemon and orange peel.” Once the brewing process is completed, the beer is then sent to age “in gin barrels for nearly four months – infusing spice and warm notes of vanilla, caramel, oak and smoke into the brew.”  Coming in at 6.5% ABV, the completed Gin Barrel Sour Gruit promises to enchant its drinker with “a taste of tart, spice and an assertive arrangement of botanicals.”

“Our brewing team takes the unique flavor profile a step further by aging the gruit. This is the first time that we’ve experimented with aging in gin barrels, and the complementary botanical notes in the spirit of gin make for a perfect vessel to age the beer with a similar flavor profile.”

 

– Stephen Hale, Founding Brewer at Schlafly Beer

Gin Barrel Sour Gruit is available now at Schlafly’s brewpubs (Schlafly Tap Room and Schlafly Bottleworks) and limited distribution will follow shortly after the on-site release.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles at select craft beer-focused retailers, bars and restaurants located in Missouri, Tennessee and throughout the rest of Schlafly’s distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for Gin Barrel Sour Gruit from Schlafly Beer

Release – Limited/From the Ibex Cellar Series; launching late August 2019
Style – Gruit
ABV – 6.5%
Featured Ingredients – Juniper, marigolds, chamomile, and lemon & orange peel
Treatment – Aged for nearly four months in gin barrels
Fun Fact – On the “From the Ibex Cellar” series: “Launched in 2016, . . . this year’s series includes: Local Oak Ale, Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, Imperial Coffee Stout, Barrel-Aged Saison, and one final release this winter. Each carefully crafted brew has a unique character from the techniques, ingredients, and aging process it takes for creation. Like the others in this series, the glass bottle features an embossed majestic symbol of the Ibex and the packaging mimics the striking architecture of the Schlafly Tap Room’s building from the pitches and peaks to the arches that hold up the cellar below.”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles (suggested retail price of $17.99)
Beer Finder – http://www.schlafly.com/beer-finder/