Two Roads launches beer brewed with Sauvignon Blanc grapes

The hybrid drinks trend is gaining momentum with Connecticut craft brewer Two Roads announcing the launch of a gose-style beer brewed with Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

The beer forms part of the brewer’s Tanker Truck Sour Series, which sees beers ‘kettle-soured’ in a tanker truck at the brewery.

Described as “a blend of crisp, mineral, tropical fruit,” the beer has “gooseberry flavours you expect from Sauvignon Blanc wine, combined with the salty, refreshing tartness of a gose beer”.

Phil Markowski, Two Roads master brewer, commented: “We are always on the lookout for novel high-acid fruits that lend themselves to use in a gose, and Sauvignon Blanc grapes definitely fit the bill. I first experimented with brewing wine grapes back in 1996 so I am thrilled to be launching this wine grape-brewed beer some 22 years later”.

According to the brewery, the tanker is used to brew its sour beers to avoid bringing bacteria into the main brewery.

The new wine/beer hybrid is said to be food-friendly, pairing particularly well with cheese.

“The acidity of the beer stands up to mildly intense, creamy cheeses like Taleggio, Livarot or Reblochon beautifully,” added Markowski.

The limited edition 4.8% ABV Sauvignon Blanc Gose will be available in 16oz, 4-pack cans and on tap.

This is the second wine/beer hybrid to launch this month, as Chapel Down’s beer and cider arm, Curious Drinks, recently unveiled a range of small batch beers – the first a limited edition 4.9% ABV sour ale blended with leftover Chardonnay and Bacchus lees.

Other hybrids on the market include Fetzer Vineyards 1000 Stories (a Bourbon barrel-aged Zinfandel), François Lurton’s Sauvignon Blanc gin, Hawkes’ Graff (a beer/cider hybrid), Chapel Down’s Bacchus gin and Chardonnay vodka, Cerveza Mica’s beer made with Tempranillo grapes, and Foxhole gin (produced using the leftover grapes from Bolney wine estate).