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Upland Brewing Co. Lead Sour Brewer Eli Trinkle Talks Twain
We spoke with Upland Brewing Co. Lead Sour Brewer Eli Trinkle about Twain.
BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This beer was developed by me.
BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
Beer naming has been increasingly difficult these days, however this was an easy one for us. Twain means two, as in two different types of barrels were used in the making of this beer. Mark Twain also liked brandy and, supposedly, apples too.
BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
I really enjoy the subtle brandy character we picked up from aging half of this beer in freshly emptied brandy barrels. The other half we aged in neutral wine barrels that we have been using for over a decade now. I am also a fan of how the apples further intensify the apple and pear character that is already pretty dominant in the base beer.
BC: Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Musgrave Cider just north of Bloomington has been supplying the brewers at Upland for years as a way to make hard cider for personal use. We have always wanted to create a beer by blending the two together but had never been able to make it happen. In a collaboration beer we were working on, we had the opportunity to use apple, quince and persimmon. When we picked up the cider for that beer, Eli decided to get enough fruit for a few more barrels for a potential project in the future. After about 6 months of additional aging, we decided it needed something else to set it apart from our base sour ale that we call Basis. Luckily we had purchased some brandy barrels earlier that year and the two complemented each other wonderfully. This beer is a great example of a situation where sometimes things just work out without a specific plan or end result in mind!
BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Apple and pear with notes of brandy; tart, dry finish.
BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
This beer pairs very well with a walnut, pear, goat cheese and arugula salad, then finish it with a little lemon vinaigrette and a dusting of parmesan.
