St Edward 2024: Montepulciano

St Edward is an ale made with red wine grapes. It is named for Topher and Bernadette's second son.

St Edward: Montepulciano was made by blending barrel aged amber mixed culture fermentation ale with 489kg of Montepulciano from Grove Estate in Young, NSW. After a four month maceration and refermentation of fruit and beer, it was bottled and allowed to naturally carbonate and mature for 9 months before release.

Tasting notes: Lovely, deep and bright ruby colour in the glass. Certainly more fruit-driven with a lighter Amber backbone. Initial aromas are chocolate and cherry with with mince pie fruit-spice at the back. The palate is bright and full. For a nearly 7% abv beer this feels vibrant and fresh... lots of lambrusco vibes with reminders of old St Thomas blends from back when it was an Amber base. Less bretty-farming-wine memories than the 2023 and instead a finer, more harmonised fruit and spice flavour throughout.

360 bottles available online.