Duet, the new sour beer from Damm and the Celler de Can Roca
This is the company's first foray into the sour style, with a sour beer made from malt and white Grenache grapes from the Terra Alta region
Duet is the new sour beer that Damm's master brewers have brewed together with the brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca from the legendary three-starred restaurant El Celler de Can Roca in Girona. A sour ale made from malt and white Garnacha grapes from the Terra Alta region, both of which are clear representatives of the crops and landscapes of our region and the culture of Mediterranean beverages.
The sour style is a very old, but relatively little-known style. It dates to the origin of beers, when bacteria and wild yeasts fermented spontaneously without any control of the temperature and fermentation process, providing sour and acidic notes to a highly aromatic beer. Since then, the sour style has evolved, and it is now possible to control fermentation processes that result in beers with a predominantly sour side. The new beer from Damm and the Roca brothers is brewed with barley malt must and white Grenache grape must. Lactic bacteria (Lactobacillus) are added to this mixture of musts to provide acidity. Yeast is then added to complete fermentation.
It is the result of two years of work and complicity in which Damm's master brewers have worked side by side with the Roca family to create a beer with an acidic touch, uniting unites two worlds: that of barley malt and that of grapes. Specifically, it is the white Grenache, "which brings luminosity, freshness, a landscape", explains Josep Roca. Some traditional sour-style beers are made with fruit -usually red fruit- to balance the sourness, but Damm and the Roca brothers have opted to use grapes from the Terra Alta region, giving it "a Mediterranean touch". "The grape brings complexity, verticality and freshness to Duet, as well as a silky texture", adds El Celler's sommelier.
The result is an acidic, balanced and very gastronomic beer suitable for pairing with fish, seafood and other seafood products. From today, Duet is available in Damm's online shop (shop.damm.com) and, in the next few days, it will be available in restaurants and retail outlets. Next week, Duet will be unveiled at the Damm stand at the Fórum Gastronòmic in Barcelona.
Tasting notes
Duet is a sour beer where malt and white Grenache converge, representing the crops and places of our territory and the culture of Mediterranean beverages. In its character we find the expression of lactic bacteria and Ale yeasts that give rise to a sour beer, balanced and full of nuances.
Deep golden in colour, it is a moderately carbonated beer ideal with fish, seafood and other seafood.
The nose is intense and exuberant. The nose is fresh, with aromas of stone fruit, citrus and a touch of tropical fruit.
The palate is complex and well-balanced. The grape's characteristic acidity brings tension, verticality and complexity, while the malt provides body, structure, density and smoothness that balance each sip and give it a pleasant persistence on the palate.
We recommend a serving temperature of between 8 and 10º in a narrow glass that allows the concentration of aromas.
Technical information:
Alcohol content: 5.5% vol.
Primitive dry extract: 13.1⁰P
Bitterness (IBU): 10
Colour (EBC): 9
Type of beer: Sour ale
Ingredients: Grape must, barley malt, hops, yeast and lactic acid bacteria
Recommended retail price: €2.10/33cl
Presentation: Bottle of 33 cl / Case of 6 units and box of 24 units
