August Schell Brewing Company Introduces Fourth Edition of Handcrafted Berliner Weisse Collection

NEW ULM, MN. (August 22, 2014)—August Schell Brewing (Schell’s) is releasing the fourth edition of its Noble Star Collection of specialty Berliner Weisses, Black Forest Cherry, which begins rolling out to select Minnesota retailers this week, and is available for tasting at the Minnesota Craft Brewers’ Guild in the Agriculture Building at the State Fair.

In the spirit of the Noble Star series, Black Forest Cherry is an experimental play on the traditional Berliner Weisse, which nearly went extinct after two World Wars and decades of Communist rule. Today, Berlin locals often add raspberry or woodruff syrup to their Weisse, but in the past, connoisseurs would add Kümmel or cherry liquor.

Inspired by this European custom, Schell’s combined a malty Berliner Weisse base with 5,000 pounds of red tart cherries to make a one-of-a-kind sour beer. Unlike generic sour beers, however, the base of Black Forest Cherry was aged for nearly a year in Schell’s rare 1936 cypress wooden lagering tanks, originally built to meet rising demand after Prohibition. Schell’s then added the cherries for further fermentation in the historic barrels. The result is a vibrant and authentic Berliner Weisse: dry, complex, highly carbonated, and delightfully fruity.

“This series is so fun for us because while it’s backed in tradition, the brews are absolutely not traditional,” said Jace Marti, Schell’s brew master and sixth generation member of the Schell’s family. “We suggest pairing Black Forest Cherry with rich meats or a sweet dessert to contrast the sourness.”

Sour beers are one of the oldest brews in the world, but they’re just starting to become fashionable in the States. With little or no hops and a wide range of fruity aromas, sour beer can taste closer to wine than beer. They’re made with microbe cultures that convert sugars into acids, which give the brew its zing.

Black Forest Cherry is unfiltered, hand-filled and bottle-conditioned to allow its flavors to continue to develop and evolve in the 750ml champagne bottle. Learn more at www.schellsbrewery.com.

About August Schell Brewing Company

August Schell Brewing Company (Schell’s) specializes in craft beer and boasts a proud heritage of 154 years of continuous family ownership. Schell’s is the second oldest family-owned brewery in the United States, founded in 1860 in New Ulm, MN. It became the oldest and largest brewery in Minnesota when the company acquired Grain Belt Beer in 2002. From traditional German brews to innovative spins, the Schell’s brewing process begins and ends with German Craft beer. For information, go to www.schellsbrewery.com.

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