BALTIMORE – The ‘Black Apple,’ a rare find on the apple orchard typically only in a remote area of Tibet, will be making its way into Baltimore-based DuClaw Brewing Company’s limited release beer: ‘Sour Me Black Apple.” The tart and sweet ale, which features real Black Apples custom sourced and pureed, will release alongside ‘Hoodwink’ faux-Brett IPA and ‘The PastryArchy Mexican Hot Chocolate’, all hitting shelves in January.
“Black apples are incredibly uncommon in nature, and can take months to age, so we knew the testing period would be a challenge. But as we considered their knockout taste and rich purple hue, we had to go for it,” said DuClaw Director of Brewery Operations Chris Wood.
The brewery located and sourced the special apples from a purveyor in Arkansas, the only other place known to grow the rare fruit.
“To elevate the tart flavors, we added fresh orange peel, cloves and cinnamon spices, and were ecstatic to discover that we had just made a worthy competitor for classic apple pie,” said Wood.
The following beers will release in 16oz 4-packs, hitting shelves in DuClaw’s footprint by end of January:
- Sour Me Black Apple sour ale (5.5% ABV): The perfect balance of sweet and tart, this medium-bodied ale is as crisp as fresh pie, bursting with flavors of black apple puree, orange peel, allspice, cloves and cinnamon.
- The PastryArchy Mexican Hot Chocolate brown ale (7% ABV): A cozy celebration of an original cold-weather treat, this medium-bodied malty ale carefully packs in hints of warm cinnamon spices, cocoa nibs, and cocoa powder. Fireplace not included, but encouraged.
- Hoodwink ‘faux-Brett’ IPA (6.5% ABV): With just the right amount of funk and fruit esters, this faux-Brett IPA is a great twist that does the trick. A light and hoppy complex masterpiece, this brew delivers mango and pineapple flavors, balanced nicely by notes of coconut and vanilla, and complimented by a bourbon-aged aroma.
About DuClaw Brewing Company
Baltimore-based and fearlessly innovating in craft beer since 1996: Craft Be Cherished. Rules Be Damned. DuClaw beer is available in 19 U.S. states and DC, as well as in Canada and France. www.duclaw.com.