We made a single infusion mash using floor malted ale malt, a little wheat, and a touch of black malt. The resulting wort underwent an extended boil with the largest addition of hops we've ever tried, all added at the beginning of the boil, to add the bitterness and polyphenols that protect the beer as it ages (Equal portions of the historic duo, Fuggle and Goldings). During the boil we added an equally large dose of invert sugar syrup to enhance the aromatics, further protect the beer during ageing, and give the beer the heady qualities we desired.
An ale yeast originating from Horndean (supposedly), was tasked with primary fermentation in our open coolship. The green beer was then filled into two old barrels with lees from spontaneous fermentation, where it was spiked with yet more invert sugar to referment. The next year, the beer was dry-hopped with more Fuggle and Goldings, before a further extended refermentation in the bottle.
Background:
These two new beers have been made in partnership with Henry Kirk of Sunken Knave. Our Jonny met Henry an alarmingly long time ago while studying brewing. Henry is a fountain of knowledge on traditional British brewing, having spent time at two grandees of the industry in Harvey's of Lewes and Fuller's of Chiswick, before spearheading the resurrection of Gale's Prize Old Ale while at Brighton's Dark Star. He now run's his own brewery, Sunken Knave, in Worthing, specialising in historical British styles.
While studying brewing, Jonny worked with Fuller's, assisted by their lab, legendary brewing director John Keeling, and godfather of London brewing Derek Prentice on a project analysing the changes in their bottle conditioned Vintage ale as it aged over many years.
Taking these combined learnings, we have made some beer using old techniques and traditional ingredients that look back to the rich British history of strong porters, hoppy pale ales, and dark old ales, that made use of ale yeast followed by slow maturation in wood with the so-called British yeast: Brettanomyces (along with it's other friends from our spontaneous fermentations). The finished beers are fantastically complex and should be joy to age.