Top 100 Beers of 2021

#7

97
Sirène
Arches Brewing

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Head Brewer Justin Ramirez Talks Sirène

Who was responsible for this beer’s recipe?
I came up with this one.

What sets this beer apart from other examples within the style?
While researching the style, I saw that a lot of brewers were using corn in their grist. This seemed to be reflective of the benchmark for the style, Meteor Pils. I wanted to create a recipe that used only ingredients from the region of Alsace, but sourcing corn proved to be a challenge, so I went with all Pilsen malt from Franco-Belges. Rather than using the more traditional hops, I opted for some modern flair, using equal parts Elixir and Mistral hops for bittering, whirlpool, and dry hop additions.

What is your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, mouthfeel, etc.)?
For me, it’s a tie between the aroma and the finish. The hop character really stands out on this beer. It’s a little woody with crisp fruit notes and in some ways reminds me of nice wine. The finish is dry and crisp and leaves you wanting another sip.

Where does this beer’s name come from?
The name Sirène is French for mermaid. I thought the mythology and lore of mermaids and sirens was a perfect match for a beer that invites you to take another sip – as well as a nod to its French ingredients.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
I don’t really want to have to pick just one beer for any island, but if I had to, Sirène would be a top contender!

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Clean, crisp fruit profile with cedar notes.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Sirène is a part of a larger experiment I was doing with reimagining the idea of the pilsner with ingredients from other regions. I wanted to use these to explore some of the new hop varieties being developed around the world. Sirène highlights hops from the Alsace region of France and the flavor profile lends itself to the kind of wine produced there.

Judge’s Second Opinion

New takes on classic styles are hard to find. New takes that are done well, that is. It’s common to see a classic style done up with super-charged hopping rates, barrel-aging, or additions of coffee or fruit. In fact, the BJCP has entire styles devoted to the alteration of other styles (e.g., Specialty IPA, Mixed-Style Beer, etc.). Those variations can certainly be imaginative. But do they result in beers you’d come back to again and again? Often, they serve the purpose of being a “special release” for loyal customers or those who just want a bottle of something different.

It’s much harder to brew a classic style and make it your own without changing it fundamentally. No whiskey barrels. No punching it up. No “doubling” or “imperializing” it but instead staying true to the style’s history and central character.

Enter Sirène by Arches Brewing. Sirène is an international pale lager in BJCP terms but marketed as a French-style pilsner. These two labels are not at all contradictions; “French-style” is simply a more specific kind of “international.” Same goes for “pilsner,” which is a more specific type of “pale lager.” But what business does a Georgia-based brewery have making a French-style pilsner? Apparently, plenty. Their portfolio is chock-full of old-world and geographically specific beers, not to mention Japanese-, Czech- and Italian-style pilsners. Safe to say these folks know and care about their pilsners.

Here’s where the contradiction lies: Sirène represents restraint on one hand and innovation on the other. The IPL style allows for a range of characteristics, centering on its balance and thirst-quenching qualities. Any macro brewer can churn out a pale, all-malt lager in a green bottle and technically satisfy the style requirements. Designing a beer to attain the most flavorful, well-balanced combination of the style’s permissible characteristics, however, is an entirely different achievement. As I wrote in my original review, Sirène is made up of IPL’s familiar malt and hop flavors, but comes together in a way that is far more satisfying than the style description could ever articulate.

In a world in which the extreme increasingly wins our attention, isn’t the subtle brilliance of Sirène what we need? – Jim Koebel