DURANGO, Colo. — Firkin Fridays continues at Steamworks Brewing Co. on Friday, May 2, 2014, with the introduction of a taste-tempting brew: “Wild Cherry.” The firkin cask will be tapped at 3 p.m.
“The base for this beer is the unique beer style Berliner Weisse, which is a very light wheat ale,” said Steamworks Brew Master and Certified Cicerone┬« Ken Martin, explaining that the style features a “mouthfeel” that is light-bodied with a dry finish and no sensation of alcohol. “There’s also traditionally very high carbonation, and a clean lactic sourness dominates the flavor of a Berliner Weisse.”
Steamworks’ Berliner Weisse topped the German-Style Sour Ale category at the 2012 World Beer Cup, earning the brew a gold award in the international judging. Considered a “sessionable” beer because of its lower ABV (alcohol by volume) of 3 to 4 percent, the style features a low hop profile.
“As a sour beer, the traditional Berliner Weisse is typically served with a shot of flavored syrup, such as fruit syrups, so it made perfect sense for us to go ‘wild’ with cherries in our firkin this month,” said Steamworks Brewer and Certified Cicerone┬« Spencer Roper, referencing the refermentation of the beer with tart cherries in the firkin.
A firkin is an old English unit of volume, typically a wooden cask equal to approximately one-quarter of a regular barrel, or nine gallons. Firkin beer is unpasteurized, unfiltered and naturally carbonated, or conditioned, it its cask. It is served at approximately 55 degrees – cool but not cold, and because it contains no preservatives, it’s designed to be consumed after tapping. Steamworks initiated its Firkin Fridays to introduce unusual, specialty craft beers to patrons, and augment its regular, award-winning offerings.
Steamworks Brewing Co., open 11 a.m. to closing seven days a week, is located at 801 E. Second. Ave., Durango (970.259.9200). For further information, visit www.steamworksbrewing.com.