Brevis and Bretthead is the latest from Monday Night Brewing’s Garage. A double dry-hopped imperial India Pale Ale, this beer was fermented with brettanomyces and lactobacillus brevis. Hence the name.
We asked Tim McDonnell, Garage barrel program manager, about this beer and why it’s so unique.
Q: Brevis and Bretthead. Funny name, but a serious beer. How was this one developed?
We wanted to brew something that really showcased the fruity/citrus side of hops, without getting too much sour and bitter clashing on the tongue. After discussing some different hop blends, we chose Mosaic for it’s blueberry aromas, Idaho 7 for peachiness, and El Dorado because it adds a great lemon candy flavor and aroma. However, these hop express themselves in very interesting ways in a sour beer. Adding brettanomyces just adds another layer to the fruity character and transforms the hop compounds into something next level.
Q: Why make a sour out of a double IPA?
Why not??? Seriously though, people are doing all sorts of wacky stuff with IPAs these days. I love sours and IPAs as much as the next guy, so why not! Maybe all of these hybrid IPAs you see out there aren’t all great but it’s a lot of fun to experiment and often times you can stumble on some really amazing results.
Q: How’s it tasting?
Brevis & Bretthead is a lot of fun to drink. It’s a symphony on your tongue of sour, bitter, sweet, and dank that somehow hits all the right notes. It’s like a peach and grapefruit cocktail more than it is a beer!
Q: You’ve been working at the Garage for a few months now. What’s been the best thing about brewing here?
Having such a talented team to work with has been amazing. I have had a lot of freedom to experiment right away, which has been great. It’s a lot of work, but no day is the same, and I am never bored!
Q: What’s coming next out of the Garage?
We have a Pilsner (Shwaka Kellerpils) fermenting in our Foeder that will be ready soon!
Brevis & Bretthead makes its debut at Monday Night Garage on Saturday, April 13. You’ll be able to find it in bottles and on draft throughout our distribution footprint (Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee).