Test Batch #1 of Lyric Ale, September 2011
A note from the brewmaster
3 years ago, I didn’t really care for many IPAs. I thought that that the wonderful aromatics of many hops could be more enjoyable without a bunch of clashing caramel or toasted malt in the way (sorry to all the East Coast IPA fans out there). To that end, I brewed a saison that was heavily hopped with Nelson Sauvin and Galaxy hops. I called it Global Pale Ale, for the European yeast, American malt, and South Pacific hops. It was unlike any beer I had ever had, and in many ways was the unofficial beginning of Orpheus Brewing. That was also the last beer I brewed with malt extract, so I had to significantly alter my recipe after the first batch to make the transition to all grain. I brewed 35 batches in the last 3 years, but was never able to quite match that first batch.
The name has changed a few times, from Global Pale Ale to Eurydice to Argo and finally to Lyric Ale. The recipe has also changed significantly. When I first made the beer, Nelson Sauvin was relatively obscure, but has since become one of the most sought after hops in the craft brewing world. By the time I got to start contracting hops last summer, Nelson was contracted through about 2020! That meant a change was necessary, so I looked to Germany, where a number of interesting, new hops were just coming out. One in particular, Hallertau Blanc, caught my attention. The descriptors and oils had a striking similarity to Nelson, so I went all in, contracting more of it than any other hop over the next couple years, just hoping that it would be good. Galaxy also became quite popular, but we were able to contract a decent amount. I was still worried about getting enough though, so I added Azacca to the blend. The beer that was about 60% Nelson and 40% Galaxy when I brewed it at home is now 50% Hallertau Blanc, 25% Galaxy, and 25% Azacca…but the batch we’re releasing next week is the first batch that actually tastes like Batch #1! It’s a combination of peach and citrus flavor that I was chasing for 3 years.
Needless to say, we’re excited about this. We got Peter Ferrari to do some awesome art for it, and Lyric Ale will be joining Atalanta in our year round offerings. See the art and read more about the beer here.
If you’re interested in trying Hallertau Blanc by itself, our Hop Experiment #1 featuring 100% Hallertau Blanc is also coming out next week!
-Jason Pellett