強くあれ (Be Strong)

While it does not happen often, the temptation to try to replicate the classic styles of Belgium instead of combining their nuances with new world flavours does strike us from time to time. This is just such a brew, and while it may not trump the classic versions of the style, a rich malt and yeast character create a wonderfully complex flavour experience. Behind these rich flavours is a nice crisp and clean finish that hides a deceptively high ABV. A long maturation period has smoothed out all of these flavours and made it a perfect companion for long, cold winter nights!

Naming: Inspiration for the names we give our products comes in many forms, and for this beer it actually came from necessity in the brewhouse. The white board we use to monitor the condition and status of the beer in each tank is only so big, and on brew day one of our brewers only managed to fit "Be. Strong" as an abbreviation for "Belgian Dark Strong Ale" in the limited space available. As we used the board each day, the abbreviation quickly became a source of inspiration and motivation, especially on those really long, hard days, reminding us to never give up, keep moving forward, and to Be Strong!

Style: Belgian Dark Strong Ale

Malt Bill:

Pale Ale, Pilsner, Munich, Biscuit, Crystal T50, Medium Crystal, DRC

Hops:

Bittering: Merkur

Flavour/Aroma: Triskel

Yeast: Belgian Ardennes

ABV: 8.5%

IBU: 22

Gas Volumes: 2.4