Darling Elderberries 2024
Barrel Heart Brewing & Blending

So precious, so sweet, hidden away, tucked under branch folds and nets, from crows we hide these darling elderberries

Process & tasting notes:

Darling Elderberries is an aged saison on Ontario-grown elderberries, with a bone-dry, wine-like character similar to a sparkling pétillant naturel.

The beer is a composed blend of four barrels of saison, using beers made with spelt and buckwheat, coriander seed and grains of paradise, spontaneous fermentation and barrel-fermentation.

Like all our fruited saison, we wait until fruit is as ripe as possible before harvesting and adding it to our beer.

Sadly, in 2021, the crows had other plans for our harvest and picked the rows of elderberries clean.

The following year, we helped our farmer, Blackberry Bob, to net the elderberry trees to protect them from the birds, but the crows desire for the fruit overcame our meagre defenses.

However, last year we were successful, the birds found sustenance elsewhere during the harvest, and we gratefully received the bounty of darling elderberries we had so patiently waited for.

Elderberries cannot be consumed in their raw form and must be cooked or fermented before they are safe to eat. The cooking process volatilizes the more delicate aromatics of the elderberry, in the same way that grape jam and wine will present the same grapes differently. The flavour of fermented elderberries is deeply nuanced, wine-like and interesting.

Darling Elderberries is a lusciously deep and ruby red colour, with aromas of Swedish berries, dukkha spice and savoury barbeque. The breadth of flavours working so harmoniously together is both surprising and welcome. The barrels complement the fruit with floral and citrus notes, supported by oaky vanilla and our essential Brettanomyces house character.

Enjoy Darling Elderberries in the company of friends and family, and far away from crows.

Serving suggestions: Serve into a white wine glass.

(From the brewery's website--William Wood)