Irrigation Ales Co-Owner and Co-Brewer Luke Mahin Talks Grape Expectations

We spoke with Irrigation Ales Co-Owner and Co-Brewer Luke Mahin about Grape Expectations.

Who was responsible for this beer’s recipe?
I created the recipe, with help from my wife/co-owner, Jennifer Mahin, and my father/co-brewer Bill Mahin. On trips back to Jennifer's home state of Pennsylvania, we discovered Dogfish Head's Sixty-One, an IPA made with syrah grapes, which sparked our love for beer/wine hybrids. My dad and I have homebrewed for over a decade with the Courtland Fermentation Club, often using grapes from fellow club member Dave DeJoia, a local winemaker with a small vineyard. In collaboration with him, we initially brewed a 9.2% Saison/wine hybrid for our brewery last fall. Our customers enjoyed it, so we decided to experiment with a new style using his grapes this year.

One night after closing the taproom, I mixed some dry red wine with a porter we had on tap, hoping it might inspire this year's version. The chocolate-covered raisin notes surprised me in how well they worked together. From there, we timed our brew day to match the Red Frontenac grape harvest, working alongside Dave. My dad and I brewed the beer, let it ferment, and then pitched in the freshly crushed grapes on the same day we picked them. After fermentation, we aged the beer in two thirty-gallon red wine oak barrels from Dave’s winery for six months.

What sets this beer apart from other examples within the style?
Many beers in this category use a sour, IPA or saison base, but we thought a barrel-aged imperial porter would be an intriguing twist. It’s different than others that we've brewed or drank and thought it was worth exploring.

What makes this beer truly World Class?
We focused on simplicity and local sourcing, using Kansas Malt Company’s base two-row malt, grapes from a vineyard just five miles from the brewery and DeJoia’s wine barrels for aging. We let the beer take its time, allowing it to mature until we knew it was ready. This was our first attempt at barrel-aging, so maybe there's a bit of beginner’s luck at play too!

What is your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, mouthfeel, etc.)?
I love how the beer and wine flavors unfold in layers. First, I get chocolate and roasted malt notes, then it shifts to tannins and a touch of peppery fruit. Each sip offers something different. 

How popular is this beer among your faithful fans?
Our locals love that it’s made with grapes from the DeJoias, and they appreciate seeing the barrels in the taproom. Even our typical light beer drinkers find it approachable and drinkable despite being a 10.5% ABV beer with a dry finish. Being in a town in rural Kansas with a population of only 294, many of them wouldn’t typically try a dark beer, but one sip at the taproom is usually enough to win them over. It’s fun to see our community embrace new styles like this. 

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