Wildflower x Brash Higgins Zibeerbo '22 will be available online and for tasting and take-away/collection at our cellar door from 12pm (AEST) on Thursday 6 April 2023.
We actually didn't release this beer last year... funny that, there wasn't a 2020 either. So it's been over two years since the last look at this. We made the 2021 beer though... I have two pallets of bottles full of the stuff ageing here at the brewery. It just didnt make the cut. This has happened with skins beers a few times now... they find a way to inch up the acid bit after bit until they just aren't acceptable to my palate. So while the '21 will likely never see the light of day and I have a big task on my hand of cracking every bottle and washing the glass for use in another bottling... this '22 is great.
One of the things about maceration time is that it's not a one-size-fits all it turns out. Some beers, say those on aged fruit, really benefit from extended macerations... like 4+ months. From what I've done, I reckon these post-ferment skins beers are best off with a lighter touch.
For the '22 we left the beer on skins for just one month. I'd usually leave it longer hoping to extract as much as possible flavour out of every last grape skin but this year I tried out going shorter and pulling the volume of beer to skins in and letting the concentration of skins do the work.
Seeing how it turned out, I reckon we'll keep on with this approach if we get a chance to make this beer again. The acid line is still higher than, say, a Gold blend, but that's to be expected I think from these skins beers... however it's in check... the brightness and apparent sweetness of the Muscat of Alexandria needs some acid to get reigned in.
Brad and I have made 5 (now released 4) vintages of Zibeerbo. It's so cool to have that kind of tenure of a collaboration. I feel very lucky to make this one after our chance meeting at Rootstock 2015, just before we opened Wildflower. I've just always found his wine Zibibbo to be so hoppy, it wanted beer.
Oh! and a new label from Bernadette... I reckon it fits the beer a whole lot better than the previous ones. These labels were actually printed for the 2021 release (which never eventuated b/c of high acid and that) so instead of throwing them out and printing a whole new set, I've done a sneaky thing and over-printed new dates onto them. If you know me, you know I hate throwing things out, so please forgive my extreme thrift in this one. It's what inside that counts.
Luke's tasting notes - Huge aromas, candied citrus, apricots and melon dominate the nose. There’s spice, orange peel and a nutty savoury element alongside a funky edge. Broader and fuller than previous blends. There’s a soft gentle acidity that runs the palate. The fruit expression is stonefruit and skinsy spice but still has amazing length and finishes with a vinous citrus acidity.
Like all our beers, Zibeerbo '22 is best enjoyed when decanted off a settled natural yeast sediment at cellar temperatures (10-12°C).
Enjoy.
