Jester King Brewery | Mashing In

Jester King Brewery Set to Release First Batch of SPON Muscat

Posted on March 21, 2019 by mashingin

Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has announced that it will officially release the 2018 vintage of SPON Muscat on Friday, March 22.

Arriving as the newest offering to come out Jester King’s SPON program, SPON Muscat is “a blend of 100% spontaneously fermented beer refermented with 2,000 pounds of Muscat grapes from Sulphur Bluff, Texas (2018 harvest).” The folks at the brewery report that the grapes reminded them “of honeysuckle and flowers, and refermented very nicely with SPON.” 2018 SPON Muscat (6.4% ABV) “was blended last September and packaged last December.” The 2018 “vintage” date indicates the year the beer was packaged.

2018 SPON Muscat will officially release in Jester King’s Tasting Room & Restaurant on March 22. This Limited Release offering will available by the glass and in 375ml bottles to go ($25 per bottle, limit of four bottles per customer per day). Outside of special events, 2018 SPON Muscat is not expected to see distribution. Prost!

Vital Information for 2018 SPON Muscat from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited; March 22, 2019
Style – American Wild Ale
ABV – 6.4%
Treatment – A blend of 100% spontaneously fermented beer refermented with 2,000 pounds of Muscat grapes from Sulphur Bluff, Texas
Fun Fact – On the SPON program – “Our SPON beers (short for ‘spontaneous’) are brewed with unfiltered well water, Texas malted barley, Texas raw wheat, and aged hops from our barn. The wort sits overnight in our coolship and collects wild yeast and bacteria from the air before spontaneously fermenting in oak barrels for typically one to three years. They are then conditioned in bottles and kegs through natural refermentation. As we state on our label, SPON is a unique reflection of the ecology of the Texas winter, the Texas Hill Country, and the people of Jester King.”
Availability – 375ml bottles ($25 each, limit of 4 per customer per day)
Distribution – None, brewery only

Jester King Brewery Set to Release Vague Recollection — 2018 Sangiovese & Tempranillo

Posted on January 16, 2019January 16, 2019 by mashingin

Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has officially announced that it will begin the limited release of Vague Recollection — 2018 Sangiovese & Tempranillo on Thursday, January 17.

Developed to be another of Jester King’s “spent” Fruit Beer projects, Vague Recollection — 2018 Sangiovese & Tempranillo started out with a base of the brewery’s Das Uberkind that was sent to ferment on stainless steel and then aged for “around one month” on the Sangiovese and Tempranillo grape pomace – “the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems left over after running the grapes through the crusher/de-stemmer” – used in Birra di Sangiovese and Cerveza de Tempranillo.” Vague Recollection was “packaged in October and conditioned for 3 months in its vessel.”

Vague Recollection — 2018 Sangiovese & Tempranillo will debut in Jester King’s Tasting Room and Restaurant at 4 p.m. on January 17 and is expected to enter “limited distribution” shortly after the on-site release. Packaged in 750ml bottles, this Limited Release will be available in select markets found within Jester King’s distribution footprint. Prost!

Vital Information for Vague Recollection — 2018 Sangiovese & Tempranillo from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited; January 17, 2019
Style – Farmhouse Ale
ABV – ???
Treatment – Fermented on stainless steel and aged on Sangiovese & Tempranillo grape pomace for a month
Fun Fact – Vague Recollection — 2018 Sangiovese & Tempranillo joins Detritivore (cherries), La Vie en Rose (raspberries), and Demitone (blueberries) in Jester King Brewery’s portfolio of “spent” fruit beers
Availability – 750ml bottles

Jester King Brewery Set to Release 2018 SPON Raspberry & Cherry

Posted on September 25, 2018September 25, 2018 by mashingin

Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of 2018 SPON Raspberry & Cherry at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 28.

Arriving as Jester King Brewery’s third-ever blend to come out of its SPON project, 2018 SPON Raspberry & Cherry (5.4% ABV) is a blend of 100% spontaneously fermented beer selected from “two puncheons of SPON from 2014, two puncheons of SPON from 2015, and one 225 liter barrel of SPON from 2016.” This blended beer was then “refermented . . . with 960 pounds of raspberries and 840 pounds of Balaton cherries” to create what Head Brewer Averie Swanson describes as a cherry character that is “more prominent compared to [the brewery’s] 2017 blend.”

2018 SPON Raspberry & Cherry will officially release in Jester King’s Tasting Room on September 28. This Limited Release offering will be available in 375ml bottles for the price of $25 per bottle and there will be a bottle limit of four (4) bottles per person per day. 2018 SPON Raspberry & Cherry “will only be available at [Jester King’s] tasting room and at special events.” Prost!

Vital Information for 2018 SPON Raspberry & Cherry from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited/SPON Project; September 28, 2018
Style – American Wild Ale
ABV – 5.4%
Treatment – A blend consisting of beer selected from two puncheons of SPON from 2014, two puncheons of SPON from 2015, and one 225 liter barrel of SPON from 2016 that was then refermented with 960 pounds of raspberries and 840 pounds of Balaton cherries
Fun Fact – On the SPON Project: “Our SPON beers are 100% spontaneously fermented. We combine Texas malted barley and raw wheat in a turbid mash, boil for four hours with aged hops from our barn, cool and inoculated the wort overnight in our coolship, and 100% spontaneously ferment in oak barrels (no yeast or bacteria added). After blending and fruit refermentation, we 100% naturally condition in bottles and kegs. Our SPON beers are inspired by the old world tradition of Lambic, but are an expression of our own time, place and people.”
Availability – 375ml bottles
Distribution – None/Brewery-only release

JK2018SponRCfrut — *2018 SPON Raspberry & Cherry’s refermentation with raspberries and cherries.*

Jester King Brewery Introduces Soul Conduit

Posted on August 24, 2018 by mashingin

Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has officially announced that it will release Soul Conduit, a gin barrel-aged Table Beer with dried makrut limes and thyme, at 4 p.m. on Friday, August 24.

Brewed for Portland, Oregon’s 7th annual Brews for New Avenues, Soul Conduit is basically what happens when you take Jester King’s Le Petit Prince Farmhouse Table Beer, put it into the “Old Tom gin barrels that previously held Jester King Viking Metal“, and then referment it with dried makrut limes and thyme. No one is going to describe this beer better than Averie Swanson – Head Brewer at Jester King, so here is what she had to say about this project:

“I originally wanted to put Le Petit Prince into the gin barrels that were emptied for last year’s Viking Metal, hoping the beer would pick up a bit of the smoke character left in the barrel, as a bit of an homage to Schlenkerla Helles.” As the beer matured, Averie observed that not only did the beer pickup smokiness, but botanical character as well. “Over time the beer picked up not just the smoke but also quite a bit of the gin botanicals and has an awesome smoky fullness, juniper gin notes and a crazy tonic-like bitterness. Thus, the G&Teeter was born!”

750ml bottles of Soul Conduit will officially release in the Tasting Room at Jester King Brewery on Friday, August 24. At this time, the brewery does not yet know if this Limited Release offering will see distribution. Prost!

Vital Information for Soul Conduit from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited; August 24, 2018
Style – Table Beer
ABV – 3.8%
Treatment – Aged in Old Tom gin barrels that previously held Jester King Viking Metal
Added Ingredients – Thyme and dried makrut limes from River’s End Nursery in Los Fresnos, Texas
Availability – 750ml bottles

Jester King Brewery Set to Release Blend 22 of Das Wunderkind! Saison

Posted on August 9, 2018 by mashingin

Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has officially announced that it will release its latest blend of Das Wunderkind! Blended Saison on Friday, August 10.

Back for its 22nd blend, Das Wunderkind! is “a blended saison which is made by blending old, barrel aged beer with young, dry hopped farmhouse ale.” To set this year’s blend apart from previous releases, the brewery “decided to dry hop with Simcoe hops.” Das Wunderkind! comes in at 4.5% ABV.

Das Wunderkind! – Batch 22 will officially debut in Jester King’s Tasting Room at 4 p.m. on August 10 and will enter distribution shortly after that date. Once it is sent out into the wild, you can expect to find this Limited Release available in 750ml bottles at select craft beer retailers and bars located in Florida, Texas and throughout the rest of Jester King’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Das Wunderkind! – Blend 22 from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited; August 10, 2018
Style – Saison
ABV – 4.5%
Treatment – A blend of “old, barrel aged beer with young, dry hopped farmhouse ale”
Featured Hops – Simcoe
Fun Fact – The story behind the name: “There are many among us who, in spite of their best efforts, just never quite fit in. It’s only a rare few, however, who, very early in life, develop the self-assurance and presence of mind to be neither conformists nor rebels, instead carving their own paths and following their own dreams, regardless of what anyone else might happen to think. Take flight, mein Wunderkind; don’t ever let gravity hold you back!”
Availability – 750ml bottles
Bottle Count – “around 5,400 bottles available”

Jester King Brewery Schedules Release of 2018 Atrial Rubicite

Posted on July 5, 2018 by mashingin

On Friday, July 6 at 4 p.m., Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) will host a special bottle release for Blend No. 8 of its highly sought-after Atrial Rubicite, a barrel-aged sour beer refermented with raspberries.

To create the 2018 blend of Atrial Rubicite, the crew at Jester King “racked 22 oak barrels of mature beer (about 1,320 gallons) onto 5,760 pounds of raspberries (4.4 pounds per gallon) in early April.” After a six-week period of fruit refermentation, the beer was then packaged “and allowed it to naturally referment in bottles and kegs.”

Blend No. 8 of Atrial Rubicite will officially go on sale in Jester King’s Tasting Room at 4 p.m. on July 6. Jester King has “about 6,500 bottles” of Atrial Rubicite available, and guests can purchase these 500ml bottles for $20 each (there will be a bottle limit of SIX (6) PER CUSTOMER PER DAY). The brewery has also packaged “about 100 magnums this year, which [they] plan to do a lottery for some time in the next few weeks. Aside from special events, 2018 Atrial Rubicite will only be available at Jester King.” Prost!

Vital Information for 2018 Atrial Rubicite (Blend No. 8) from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited; July 6, 2018
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 5.5%
Treatment – Mature beer refermented for about six weeks on 5,760 pounds of raspberries
Availability – 500ml bottles ($20 each)
Bottle Limit – Six (6) bottles per customer per day
Distribution – None, brewery-only release

Jester King Brewery Releases Latest Batch of Commerical Suicide

Posted on June 22, 2018 by mashingin

Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has officially announced that it will release Batch 12 of Commercial Suicide Farmhouse Mild Ale on Friday, June 22.

Brewed to represent and respect “the English tradition of low-alcohol, supremely drinkable ales with moderate bitterness, toasty/biscuity malt flavors, and interesting yeast character”, Commercial Suicide has officially returned and the folks at Jester King feel that Batch 12 just might be the closest they have come to nailing their take on the Mild Ale style. They pulled this off by raising the bitterness level over 20 – 35 IBUS, which in turn keeps the tart and funky notes at bay for the time being (the wild yeast characteristics will present themselves if the beer is not consumed fresh). These subtle changes yield a 3.3% ABV Commercial Suicide that “[presents] fresher and more in line with traditional English Mild.”

Batch 12 of Commercial Suicide will officially release in Jester King’s Tasting Room on June 22 and the brewery does “anticipate limited distribution of this beer” to follow shortly thereafter. If this Limited Release finds its way into full distribution, you can expect to find it available in 750ml bottles at select craft beer retailers and bars located in Florida, Texas and throughout the rest of Jester King’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Commercial Suicide Farmhouse Mild from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited, late June 2018
Style – English Mild Ale
ABV – 3.3%
IBUs – “20 – 35 IBUs”
Availability – 750ml bottles

Jester King Brewery to Release 10th Blend of Boxer’s Revenge

Posted on May 24, 2018 by mashingin

Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Boxer’s Revenge – Blend 10 on Friday, May 25.

First brewed back in September 2010, Boxer’s Revenge is a bit of a legend because it was the first beer ever brewed at Jester King. Now on its 10th blend, Boxer’s Revenge is a Sour Strong Ale that has been “fermented with native Hill Country yeast and bacteria and then barrel-aged about a year.” Blended on April 12th, 2018 and bottled on April 17th and 18th, 2018; this blend of Boxer’s Revenge (9.7% ABV) supplies its drinker with a beautifully complex experience that “has a softer acidity than prior batches” – just like this year’s recently released blends of RU55 and Funk Metal.

Boxer’s Revenge – Blend 10 will debut in Jester King’s tasting room at 4 p.m. on May 25 and the brewery does “anticipate some distribution of this beer.” If this Limited Release offering enters full distribution, you can expect to find it available in 750ml bottles at select craft beer establishments located in Florida, Texas and throughout the rest of Jester King’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Boxer’s Revenge – Blend 10 from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited; May 25, 2018
Style – American Strong Ale/American Sour Ale
ABV – 9.7%
IBUs – 17
Treatment – “Fermented with native Hill Country yeast and bacteria and then barrel-aged about a year.”
Availability – 750ml bottles

Jester King Brewery Releases Latest Batch of Provenance Lemon & Lime

Posted on April 6, 2018April 6, 2018 by mashingin

Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has officially announced that it will begin the release of Provenance Lemon & Lime – Batch 5 on Friday, April 6.

Originally brewed on January 31 and February 1 of 2018, this batch of Provenance Lemon & Lime boasts a recipe that includes the use of “150 pounds of Texas Valley lemons from Hernandez Farms in Weslaco, TX and 150 pounds of limes from G and S Groves in McAllen, TX.” Both the zest and juice of these lemons and limes were “added during primary fermentation and allowed to ferment in . . . stainless steel tanks with [Jester King’s] mixed culture of yeast and bacteria.” Sitting at just 5.6% ABV and utterly saturated with “the vibrant flavors of the lemon and lime”, Provenance Lemon & Lime is now ready to serve as “an uplifting beer perfect for summertime.”

Batch 5 of Provenance Lemon & Lime will initially release in Jester King’s Tasting Room on April 6, and the brewery does “anticipate distribution of this beer” to follow shortly thereafter. If this Limited Release offering enters full distribution, you can expect to find it available in 750ml bottles at select craft beer establishments located in Florida, Texas and throughout the rest of Jester King’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Provenance Lemon & Lime from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited, Batch 5 releases April 6, 2018
Style – Farmhouse Ale
ABV – 5.6%
IBUs – 34.5
Ingredients – “Texas Hill Country Well Water, Malted Barley, Malted Wheat, Lemon, Lime, Hops, Mixed Culture of Brewers Yeast and Native Yeast and Bacteria”
Availability – 750ml bottles

Jester King Brewery Announces the Return of Noble King

Posted on March 5, 2018March 5, 2018 by mashingin

Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has officially released the latest batch of one of its oldest beers, Noble King Hoppy Farmhouse Ale.

Drawing inspiration from the hoppy pale beers from small European breweries such as Brasserie Thiriez, Brouwerij De Ranke, and Brasserie de la Senne, the brewers at Jester King have established their long-standing Noble King Hoppy Farmhouse Ale by exploring brewing techniques that stray a bit from those employed in their more funky and/or acidic offerings. Instead of brewing a beer with a small amount of hops and then aging it for months or years in oak barrels, they brew this Farmhouse Ale with a hefty amount of Noble hop varietals and ferment it in stainless steel for weeks. This approach keeps “the acidity . . . at bay” and results in a 5.8% ABV Noble King that is “dry [and] bitter, with some interesting yeast complexity.”

Noble King is available now in Jester King’s Tasting Room, and the brewery does “anticipate distribution of this beer.” If this Limited Release offering enters full distribution, you can expect to find it available in 750ml bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Florida, Texas and throughout the rest of Jester King’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Noble King Hoppy Farmhouse Ale from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited, March 2018
Style – Farmhouse Ale
ABV – 5.8%
IBUs – 41
Ingredients – Texas Hill Country Well Water, Texas Malted Barley & Wheat from Blacklands Malt, Hops, Mixed Culture of Brewers Yeast and Native Yeast and Bacteria
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft