Belgian Brewery De Brabandere challenges beer lovers to mix the bitter sours and create their own favourite blend. Watch the Petrus Sour Beers blending story on Brewery De Brabandere’s YouTube Channel.
Award-winning Petrus Sour Beers, a selection of blonde based, high fermented, oak aged ales with a distinctive sour taste from Belgian Brewery De Brabandere, has launched to the UK market. Petrus Aged Pale, known as the ‘Mother Beer’, Petrus Oud Bruin and Petrus Aged Red are the only Belgian sours to use blonde beer as a base and will be available exclusively through James Clay, the independent importer of specialist beers. 33 cl bottles and 30 lt kegs can be ordered through Boutique Bar Brands, London’s forward-thinking premium drinks’ management agency, who are handling the De Brabandere account.
Petrus Aged Pale is a 100% foeder beer, aged over 24 months in 220 HL oak foeders, and forms the base of the Flemish red brown Petrus Oud Bruin and the sweet and sour Petrus Aged Red. As a result, the three beers can be mixed to create original flavours. The De Brabandere’s are challenging beer lovers to play the brewmaster, by mixing the bitter sours to find their own favourite blend.
Budding brewers can experiment for themselves with the Petrus Sour Power Pack, containing three 33 cl Petrus Aged Pale, one 33 cl Petrus Oud Bruin, one 33 cl Petrus Aged Red and one 33 cl Petrus 50/50 (7.9% ABV), the brewmaster’s own favourite blend of 50% Petrus Aged Pale and 50% Petrus Aged Red. Priced £11.69 per pack.
Albert De Brabandere, Retail Manager and son of brewery owner Ignace, said, “For five generations, Brewery De Brabandere has never compromised on taste, quality or ingredients and the Petrus Sour Beers are no exception. We are excited to be working with Boutique Bar Brands to bring Petrus Sours back to the home of beer hunter Michael Jackson, who encouraged us to take the Petrus Aged Pale from foeder to bottle. Their distinctive flavour has garnered a strong international following and we’re looking forward to hearing about the unique blends created by British beer lovers.”
Petrus Aged Pale, the ‘Mother Beer’
7.3% ABV, 5/5 Petrus Sour Scale
24 x 33 cl: £48.93
1 x 30 lt: £161.00
A 100% foeder blonde beer, Petrus Aged Pale has won multiple gold medals in international beer competitions, including World’s Best Speciality Pale Ale and World’s Best Flavoured Wood Aged in the World Beer Awards. However, the De Brabandere family never intended for it to be bottled and traditionally it was used solely as a blending beer to give a fresh, slightly sour flavour and aroma. For this reason the blonde ale is known as the ‘Mother Beer’ and forms the base of the Flemish red brown Petrus Oud Bruin and the sweet and sour Petrus Aged Red.
It was by demand of internationally renowned beer expert Michael Jackson, who also named the beer, that Petrus Aged Pale became available in the late 1990s. During a visit to the brewery, he promised to buy an entire foeder, if the De Brabanderes agreed to release Petrus Aged Pale. Jackson was the first to market it in his beer clubs and later returned to claim 75 HL, the equivalent of 22,727 33cl bottles, of the ‘Mother Beer’.
Petrus Aged Pale has a markedly dry taste with the freshness of sour apples, sherry and fruit aromas. The distinctive sour flavour is popular in Belgium and contrasts well with the sweetness of shellfish, oily fish and soft cheese.
Petrus Oud Bruin
5.5% ABV, 3/5 Petrus Sour Scale
24 x 33 cl: £34.77
1 x 30 lt: £129.82
Petrus Oud Bruin is a traditional Flemish red brown beer, typical of the Kortrijk and Roeselare region. Aged in oak foeders for two years, it is a blend of 33% Petrus Aged Pale and 67% young, brown beer, accounting for the deep, dark red colour. Refreshing and relatively light, Petrus Oud Bruin is predominantly sour, but has aromas of dried fruit, cherry and peach, with scents of malt, butter and caramel. It is popular as an aperitif or served with mild cheese and seafood.
Petrus Aged Red
8.5% ABV, 2/5 Petrus Sour Scale
24 x 33 cl: £52.05
1 x 30 lt: £176.00
Unlike a traditional kriek, Petrus Aged Red is not based on a spontaneously-fermented lambic beer. This unique, dark fruit beer is an expertly crafted blend of 15% Petrus Aged Pale and 85% dubbel bruin with cherries matured for 24 months in oak foeders. The distinctive sour flavour of Petrus Aged Pale is sweetened by the mild, sweet, ruby-red cherries, resulting in a rich and fruity, yet surprisingly refreshing, slightly sour beer that compliments red meat, dark chocolate and blue cheese. All Petrus Sour Beers are best enjoyed in a tulip-shaped glass on a tall stem or large wine glass.
Since 1894, Petrus Sour Beers have been created using Saaz aroma hops, pale malt, water and house yeast, and aged for two years in 220 HL oak foeders. Over the past century, a unique, well-balanced ecosystem of wild yeast and bacteria has developed within the wooden walls. Unlike cask aging, the use of such large foeders limits exposure to the wood and subsequent oak flavour. Instead, the French oak acts a permeable wall for controlled oxidation and is the ideal breeding ground for the six micro-organisms to convert remaining sugars from the main fermentation into acid, higher alcohol content and esters. Over 24 months of aging, the microbiological flora in the wood reacts with the beer to produce its refreshing sour taste, complex fruity notes and distinctive aroma. Due to impeccable hygiene standards, the De Brabanderes are confident enough not to pasteurise any of their beers other than Petrus Sours. These are flash pasteurised, purely to ensure the intriguing, original flavour cannot be replicated.
For further information on Petrus Sour Beers, please visit www.petrussourbeer.com/en.
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Media Enquiries
For further information or to request samples and images, please contact Flick Hardingham on (+44) 07921 925 101 or flick@outofoffice.uk.com.
Trade Enquiries
To request samples or details on stocking Petrus Sour Beers in the UK, please contact Don Parkin at Boutique Bar Brands on (+44) 0207 717 5560 or don@boutiquebarbrands.com.
Notes to Editors
Brewery De Brabandere
The De Brabandere brewery has a rich history, but looks to the future with equal confidence. The dream that the founder Adolphe De Brabandere cherished at the end of the nineteenth century when he laid the foundations of his brewery in Bavikhove has become a reality in the successful company of today. With a rich assortment of beers that are enjoyed by connoisseurs far beyond their borders, brewing was, is and will continue to be an art at De Brabandere. Numerous characterful beers are made with traditional craftsmanship, authentic ingredients and passion. The creation of a unique taste sensation to share with friends drives De Brabandere day in and day out, with no compromises. http://www.brouwerijdebrabandere.be/en
Boutique Bar Brands
Boutique Bar Brands is London’s forward-thinking premium drinks’ management agency founded by Phil Harding and Don Parkin, with over 30 years combined experience in the industry. Boutique Bar Brands manages brands which are being introduced to the competitive UK drinks market, advises on the best distribution network and develops sales and marketing strategy. With experience working with high quality imported beers from the USA, France and Italy, Boutique Bar Brands counts Fuller’s Frontier, SAB Miller’s St Stefanus and more recently Island Record’s Session IPA amongst their clients. They are also the team who created Harry Brompton’s, the UK’s first alcoholic iced tea, now available internationally. www.boutiquebarbrands.com
James Clay
James Clay, founded in West Yorkshire, is the UK’s leading importer and distributor of specialist and craft beer. The internationally acclaimed business is within its third decade of trading and remains family owned. James Clay has built a reputation not only as a leading distributor, but also as a noted importer and brand manager, having UK responsibility for prominent breweries such as Brooklyn Brewery, Flying Dog Brewery, Erdinger Weißbrau and Anchor Brewing Co. www.jamesclay.co.uk