Today, Allagash Brewing Co. releases Sun Drift, a beer brewed with lemon zest, fermented with Brettanomyces yeast, and then blended with black tea. Sun Drift will be available in four-packs of 12 oz. bottles, and will begin shipping out to the brewery’s complete distribution footprint starting Monday, Feb. 4th.
“This beer’s flavor goes beyond the sum of its ingredients,” said Brewmaster Jason Perkins. Lemon zest imparts a slightly tart note that’s accompanied by a medley of funky tropical fruit flavors created by Brettanomyces yeast. After brewing, the beer is blended with Fair Trade Yunnan Black tea from Little Red Cup, of Brunswick, ME. The result evokes the refreshing combination of lemonade and tea, all cruising on a layer of fruit-filled aromatics.
“Whenever possible, we look for ingredients in Maine,” said Perkins. “That means getting grain from Maine farmers and tea from a local company like Little Red Cup.”
Family owned since 2009, Little Red Cup sells tea that is certified organic by the USDA, and by Fair Trade USA. The company partners directly with the worker-owned cooperatives that grow and process the tea to reduce the number of steps from field to cup.
“Allagash is dedicated to crafting the best Belgian-inspired beers in the world the same way Little Red Cup is committed to bringing top-quality Chinese teas to the U.S.,” said Little Red Cup co-owner Martin Connelly.
Sun Drift is made with local pale malt and local raw oats. It’s hopped with Cascade and Citra, then fermented on a combination of Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces Claussenii.
Bottles will be available in these fine states: CA, CT, DC, GA, IL (Chicagoland only), MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, VA, VT.
If you’re within Allagash’s area of distribution, you can keep your eye out for Sun Drift with the Allagash beer locator, or just stop by the brewery and grab some today.
Raymond
Terry Bunch