Skål for Sigmund
Some of you beer aficionados may have heard of this crazy little thing called Kveik; a powerhouse farmhouse culture that shook the world of microbiology the hardest its been shooketh since Emil Christian Hansen isolated the first pure brewer’s yeast strain in the late 19th century. Never has a yeast left brewers so dumbfounded as one that ferments in less than three days, at temps up to 40 degrees hotter than average ale fermentations, and smells like…. Oranges? Who knew something like this was hiding in fjords of western Norway? Thanks to a man on a mission, the dedication of a few Farmhouse brewers keeping their tradition alive (and, of course, professional yeast labs), multiple strains of Kveik yeast are available to brewers around the world!
The commercial Voss Kveik strain carried by most labs now came from a single home brewer’s dried out yeast culture stored in an old sour cream tub. Thanks to Sigmund Gjernes from Voss, Norway, we’re able to explore a whole new world of flavor, so raise a glass with us and say: Skål for Sigmund! No two farmhouse ales are exactly alike—especially when produced commercially—but we tried our best to brew up a semi-authentic version of his Norsk Vossaøl for you to enjoy from the comfort of our Minnesota taproom. This labor of love yields a deep, hazy orange brew giving off notes of juniper berries and orange marmalade with enough body to support the complex yeast profile that comes along with a 105 degree fermentation. Don’t be fooled by the ease at which she sips, though. A three hour boil made sure this baby came in at 8.9% ABV, which means it should be savored, not slammed.
