Cervoise d’Emily
Spada Farmhouse Brewery, Snohomish
Style: Barrel-aged sour
Stats: 6.8 percent ABV
Available: On tap at Trail’s End Taphouse, Josh’s Taps and Caps, Fred’s Rivertown Alehouse, Ridgecrest Public House, Pete’s Wine &Liquor and Buckley’s in Belltown.
My thoughts: Family is a big deal to John Spada, owner and head brewer of Spada Farmhouse Brewery. He lives and brews on his family’s 40-acre farm and he’s soon opening a new taproom in a barn on his sister’s property just down the street. During a recent interview his niece and nephew, Jack and Lola, played nearby, and much of the design and layout of the new taproom was conceived by his mother, Melissa, and sister, Sarah.
So it should come as no surprise that Spada is starting a new series of sour beers he’s calling Family Oak. Each beer is an homage to a family member, who gets to pick the barrel, base beer and their favorite fruit to create a unique brew.
“It’s a way to say thank you and reward those who have helped me so much,” Spada said.
The first in the series is this beer, which was brewed for Spada’s fiance, Emily Schiessl. Shiessl chose sweet cherries to add to Spada’s house sour yeast blend, aged in red wine barrels from Delille Winery in Woodinville. Spada said Shiessl chose cherries because it’s one of her favorite fruits and she felt the sweeter nature of the fruit would balance the tartness of the beer.
The beer spent eight months in the barrel before fruit was added and then aged another month with the fruit, said Spada, who will officially open the brewery’s taproom on July 22. The taproom is at 7610 Spada Road, Snohomish.
Each of the names of the beers in the series begins with “Cervoise de,” which translated from French reads “The ale of.”
Spada and Schiessl plan to marry next July. Of course, it’ll be on the family farm.
From the brewery: Cervoise d’Emily is oak barrel fermented with our house sour yeast blend, and then aged while the acidity matures. When the beer reaches maturity, sweet cherries are added. The fruit blends with the acidic beer to create a balance of sweet cherry flavor and tart base beer.
More new releases
Summer Romance, Scuttlebutt Brewing: Unofficially the brewery’s 21st anniversary beer, it drinks like a tropical IPA, but finishes soft like a lager. On tap at the taproom and brewery.
Monkey Fist Maibock, Sound to Summit Brewing: Smooth drinking and light in color, this German-style lager has a malty backbone, low bitterness and a substantial ABV. On tap at the brewery.
’Nilla Skol Cream Ale, Lake Stevens Brewing: A cream ale soaked in Mexican vanilla beans. On tap at the brewery.
Towards the Light, Skookum Brewery: Brewed with 40 percent oats in the grain bill and Vic Secret, Simcoe and Citra hops, this IPA has a floral aroma and velvety mouthfeel. On tap at the brewery.
House Ale Batch #22, Foggy Noggin Brewing: Fermented in Hungarian oak barrels with perpetual yeast, this annual release is delicate while being complex. On tap at the brewery.
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