Honor
American Brewing Co., Edmonds
Style: Saison aged in red wine barrels
Stats: 6 percent ABV, 20 IBU
Available: In bottles at the brewery and select bottleshops and on tap at the brewery
My thoughts: American Brewing head brewer Adam Frantz wanted to brew a beer to honor the sacrifice made by his father and all the veterans and active-duty military men and women. After tasting this creation, I can safely say job well done.
Honor, a Belgian saison aged in red wine barrels, is a gorgeous creation. Honor is light, effervescent and slightly spicy. Thanks to the aging, it has a depth most saisons don’t. The hints of red wine and bread give it a rounded character. The seven months it spent in barrels that once housed Cabernet was time well spent.
Not only is the beer enjoyable to drink but you can feel good about drinking it. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the beer, which was released on Armed Forces Day and just before Memorial Day, will go to support Fisher House of Seattle, which provides a home away from home for veterans and active duty military families seeking treatment at the VA of Puget Sound.
Frantz said he wants to brew a version of the beer each year around Memorial Day. Also he’s planning to release Valor, American’s Caboose Oatmeal Stout aged in bourbon barrels, on Veterans Day in November, with proceeds also going to Fisher House.
That is a cause I can raise a glass to! This Memorial Day, cheers to Adam’s dad and all the heroes who have made our country what it is today.
From the brewery: This is our Belgian Saison fermented with our farmhouse yeast blend and aged in red wine barrels for seven months. Spicy, phenolic and fruity esters from our farmhouse yeast meld with the delicate character of the French oak barrels and assertive red wine character of the barrels’ previous inhabitant. Flavors of clove, lemon, red wine, and toasted baguette abound.
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