Sei Montagne
Ca' del Brado

JANUARY 2025.
37.5 cl bottle - Vintage 2022 (€11.50 price from three years ago).
On the label: "Lot: 22001. Best before: 01/2032".
It's a Wild Ale with primary fermentation through the inoculation of Brettanomyces Lambicus and aged between 5 and 7 months in barrels with a microbial environment from their brewing cellar and subsequent cold infusion of Pu'er tea (or Pu Erh).
This ancient type of Chinese Tea undergoes a microbial fermentation that gives it a full flavor and a forest floor aroma. It comes from a particular variety of Camellia originating from wild plants and can be fermented in two ways: slowly, aged for several years - called SHOU (classified, some say wrongly, as a subcategory of Black Tea - Drinks change, but the issues remain the same. And I continue to repeat that the rigid pigeonholing of everything in a "PRECISE and PERFECT" category is a modern example of the Tower of Babel -) ; or quickly - called SHENG, subjecting the leaves to heat and humidity conditions for several weeks (considered - and sold - by many as Green Tea).
As time passes, the Raw Pu Erh begins to develop more evolved and refined characteristics, expanding that aromatic range that goes from earthy to woody, with a warming tone and an even more decisive undergrowth aftertaste, with a soft and sweet finish that makes it very valuable.

Kept at cellar temperature (never above 16 °C) and in the dark.
Placed in the fridge for 10 minutes, perhaps a little more, before opening it.
As soon as it is uncorked, the nose announces acidity (wet, woody, wet grass).
When poured, it opens up and lighter and more perfumed spicy notes emerge with floral and herbaceous nuances.
Orange color, zero foam.
Flat and smooth body. Very mineral drinking.
Bretta acid (mouldy and wet notes) immediately upon entry into the mouth: the acid arrives almost immediately, sour but not too astringent, after which the taste develops on the palate, after swallowing.
Taste with many variations of spices, apricot (I detect it clearly), lemon zest, notes of sweet and lemony ripe fruit.
Finish with a slightly dried tongue and beer that develops in the aftertaste: yes, even black tea because there is a slightly herbaceous spice tending towards sweet, certainly not hops.
On the finish also a light note of mould to close the fruity/spicy range that develops after swallowing the beer.
Very particular.

Ca’ del Brado “Sei Montagne”
,25l / €6 @ Archea Brewery, Firenze, IT on 25 Nov 2019

“Sei Montagne”, or 6 mountains, is fermented with Brettanomyces Lambicus and aged for 5 to 7 months in oak barrels that contain other microflora. It then has Pu’ er tea from China added. Pu’er is an expensive, complex tea that’s created using a second fermentation that gives it earthy, tannic, gently acidic, and mineralized notes.

It’s a hazy golden-amber in color with orange highlights beneath a short head of bright white. It displays very good head retention and lacing. The aroma displays the Brettanomyces, the oak, some fruitiness, and a little bit of an herbal and/or tea-like note. The flavor isn’t too sour, but clearly tart. The malt is clear and there’s just a bit of Brett character and subtle fruitiness backed by some herbal and lightly spicy notes. The bitterness is low yet it remains balanced, and the finish lingers shortly with acidic fruitiness and a kiss of soft herbs. In the mouth it’s light-medium in body and gently crisp with a very fine-bubbled, seemingly natural carbonation and light touch of acidity. Overall it’s not as complex as you might imagine it to be given the way that it’s fermented but there is something really special about it that just doesn’t come out strong enough to put into words. Well worth trying!
Review #6,813