Dead Frog Releases Weeping Reaper Blood Orange Helles Bock
With the death of summer comes the celebration of autumn and the harvest, a traditional time to gather resources for the dormant winter months. It’s also when the spirit world becomes more active. On All Hallows’ Eve, ghosts disguised as beggars may come knocking at your door asking for food or money. Turn them away and you risk being cursed or haunted. A jack-o’-lantern placed at your door or in a window will ward off evil spirits. If you dress up as a ghoul, you may trick the Grim Reaper into thinking you are not of the living and avoid his harvesting your soul.
Our Weeping Reaper Blood Orange Helles Bock is a strong ale designed for the transition from summer to winter—stronger for the cooler nights, yet lighter bodied and more carbonated than a hefty winter warmer. A clean-tasting, malt-forward lager with orange notes, the Weeping Reaper is a fresh seasonal alternative for those not enamoured with the orange autumn gourd.
Description
A warm golden lager with a splash of citrus and slight caress of fruity hop flavour and aroma. Premium European malts and hops result in a brew that’s light in colour but not in body, with a perfectly balanced finish.
Steve’s Inspiration
Rather than create yet another pumpkin beer, I wanted to develop a brew that was appropriate for the fall but with wider appeal. In Germany, Bockbier is a popular strong lager brewed for cooler times of the year. These can range from light-coloured Maibocks to dark, very strong Doppelbocks and Eisbocks. Since the weather here is not yet that cold, I thought a lighter-coloured Helles Bock would be more suitable, even though it is traditionally released in May. These are not widely brewed in Canada or the US, so I decided to brew up a North American version. And to have a little fun with it, being close to Halloween, I added some blood orange which is in season during fall/winter.
Specs
Ingredients: water, malted barley, hops, yeast, blood orange
Malts: Pilsner, Vienna, Munich
Hops: Northern Brewer, Hallertau
IBU: 26
ABV: 7%
Suggested serving temperature: 12-14°C
Recommended glass: Becher, dimpled mug, Pilsner glass
Suggested food pairing: Duck à l’orange, lechon, marmalade-glazed ham, caramel flan
