As a crocus emerges from the last of winter’s snow, ColdFire Brewing presents in its finery a trio of naturalistic ales to enjoy as we revel in the rest of spring’s bounty. These beers are available now at ColdFire’s taproom. The press release below gives you all the pertinent info, but I want to point out that ColdFire doesn’t often use puns. Immortal Conse-quince, shown below in full bloom, has a great name and even better description (emphasis on the particular gem is mine):

“A blend of foeder and Tempranillo barrel-aged beer, this saison-inspired ale was aged in oak with fresh quince, twice on harvest. While the quince is said to have started the Trojan War, a 2nd fermentation with quince seems to have given this beer a smoother finish.”

I can heartily agree, as I’m drinking it right now. My trained palate does not detect any hints of subterfuge in the form of suspiciously pronounced flavors (such as horse blanket; it’s been laundered recently). Perhaps as further homage to the legend, the beer has a dulcet wood tone laced with the perfume of quince – a ribald and sweetly musky fruit when fermented – that might, with the proper delivery of this bottle as a gift (as it was to me), get the recipient to tell you their most succulent secrets.

The other beers, on deck here at Beerstone HQ, are also fruited; The Sparrow and the Crow with Sauvignon Blanc clusters and juice, and Coccineus with Oregon-grown cherries. I’ll add to the latter’s description below that Coccineus shares a Latin root with cochineal, an insect that yields the red dye used in Campari, among other things. Fun fact!

The beers are available as your attention to this post fades, and will be delivered to ColdFire’s distribution footprint, up to Portland.

ColdFire Brewing Wild Beer Program  

 -New Release-

Wild Beer Program release containing 2 new beers and a re-release of a house favorite with extended conditioning. 

May 28, 2021

Eugene, Oregon (May 28, 2021) — We are pleased to announce the release of three new barrel-aged beers from our Wild Beer Program.

Coccineus

     Coccineus is Latin for the sensual, scarlet hue that served as the inspiration for this wild red ale. We evolved the recipe for our award-winning, open fermented Wild James ale by blending it with a small portion of mature oak-fermented sour blonde ale. Both ferments were aged on Rainier and bing cherries (grown locally in Hood River, Oregon) before bottle conditioning.  7.4% ABV; Total Oak Aging time: 2+ years

Immortal Consequince

     A blend of foeder and Tempranillo barrel-aged beer, this saison-inspired ale was aged in oak on fresh quince, and again in stainless steel upon the second harvest from the same quince tree the following season. Claimed to have been the impetus of the Trojan war in Greek mythology, the quince is an ancient fruit with complex flavor and a sordid history. A secondary fermentation in oak, in conjunction with a blend of our unique cultures, imbues this exquisite ale with notes of apricot,pear, papaya, lemon peel and soft malt . Bottle conditioned  6.8% ABV

The Sparrow and the Crow 

Smart and sacred, the sparrow and the crow are symbols we like to compare to our two favorite beverages.This foeder-fermented mixed-culture ale was refermented on Sauvignon Blanc clusters, and was then aged for a year in white wine barrels. The next season, we initiated an additional fermentation with first-press Sauvignon Blanc juice before bottle conditioning. This vinous ale lends delicate notes of soft peach, citrus peel, ripe honeydew, and finishes with a mild earthiness.  7.6% ABV; Total Oak Aging time: 2+ years

For more information about these beers or other ColdFire Brewing products, please contact ColdFire Sales at info@coldfirebrewing.com, or visit coldfirebrewing.com.