The Barrel Shepherd Luftkuss

A farmhouse ale matured in oak barrels and then rested on a heavy dose of fresh strawberries. Jammy strawberry on the nose and juicy fruit in the mouth, with subtle oak, vanilla and a soft earthy funk behind it. Lightly tart and dry at the end, closer to refreshing than sour.

The strawberries go in after the barrel, not before, and there is a lot of fruit in there. What comes out is juicy rather than sweet. Medium acidity and a dry finish pull the fruit sugar straight back, so the tartness reads as a snap rather than a pucker.

The Bobberts buy fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers from growers in their own region. Much of it is undersized commercial fruit or production by product headed for landfill. Their barrel room holds more than a hundred repurposed French oak vats. Batches are small and no two seasons give the same beer.

Oak time is what fills it out, in gentle vanilla, a little soft spice and that earthy note underneath. Drink it cold on a hot afternoon. It is a big bottle, so share it.