Wildflower St Abigail 2024: White Peach is a golden barrel aged ale wholly fermented by a diversity of yeasts and bacteria collected from native flowers in NSW refermented with white peaches. It is named for Emily and Chris’ second daughter. Saint Abigail was a medieval healer and beekeeper from County Clare, Ireland.
Topher's production notes
In 2024, St Abigail was made by blending barrel aged golden mixed culture fermentation ale with 454kg of fresh, hand picked, whole, tree ripened white peaches from Thornbrook Orchard in Orange, NSW. After a five month maceration and refermentation of fruit and beer, it was bottled and allowed to naturally carbonate and mature before release.
In 2023, we did not publicly release this beer so it is really nice to have it back. This year was just that slightly warmer harvest than in years previous which really suits the sugar development in stone fruits, especially these white peaches. The past few wet years (21,22 and 23) have produced fruit that carries more weight but also less flavour, which we see in our beers. These were ready to eat upon arrival, however, with great flavour... while I dont have a crystal ball, this forthcoming summer looks to be a good one for fruit so far.
The base beer is brewed entirely with certified organic cereals from Chris and Sam Greenwood's farm in Coleambally NSW. Organic raw red wheat with organic Schooner barley malted to a pale roast by Voyager Craft Malt. It is made with filtered Sydney water and Motueka (NZ) hops. Finally, it was fermented with our house culture of microflora wholly foraged from native flowers in NSW. It was bottled in June 2024 and naturally conditioned through refermentation for 8 weeks until release. At bottling it was 5.8% ABV and 10.0°P.
The label artwork was done by Abigail's auntie, Bernadette.
Tasting notes
This beer smells like summer in your local fruit & veg shop. All bright, ripe white peach which leans into a vanillin, musk stick, jasmine flower character. It's so clean on the palate, all sweet fruit with a lively acidity. Finishes with a dance of minerality across the back palate which will keep you coming back for more.
Like all our beers, St Abigail 2024: Apricot is best enjoyed when decanted off a settled natural yeast sediment at cellar temperatures (10-12°C).
Enjoy.
