OVERWORKS SPONTANEITY

BrewDog OverWorks is our temple to the arts of alternative fermentation. It exists to push the boundaries of what brewing can be. The work of Richard Kilcullen and his team have led here, to a very special release – the pinnacle of that art.

Of all the styles, none are as fascinating and unique as the spontaneously-fermented sours of Belgium. This is our homage to those incredible beers.

Introducing OverWorks Spontaneity. The product of two years’ work is out now.

You can buy OverWorks Spontaneity online here.

Richard and his amazing crew take inspiration from all quarters and focus each beer around the influence of wood. But for this release, they harnessed a power far more evocative; the night flight of wild yeasts. As the name suggests, OverWorks Spontaneity is BrewDog’s first fully spontaneously-fermented sour.

It all begins with a Turbid mash, a complex and traditional mash regime used for centuries in the Senne Valley for making Spontaneous beers. It is hopped with seven-year aged Bobek hops and boiled for three hours. The boiling wort is transferred to our 50 hectolitre koelship overnight where it collects native micro flora (that means the yeast in the atmosphere works its magic and the wort goes through a primary fermentation).

While traditional spontaneous beers are fermented and aged in oak, we decided to ferment and age in a clay Amphora from Italy, one of the most ancient fermentation vessels known to man. This imparts a unique dry mineralogy unlike the tannins produced from wood. The OverWorks crew then referment the beer with white currants, and bottle without filtration.

The result defies expectation. OverWorks Spontaneity is a 6.0% ABV Scottish sour leading with a refreshingly sharp vinous note from the white currants, playing into the influence of the tannins. The dry, almost sharply puckering sourness comes into play on the finish, ending on a bright acidity and long, tart aftertaste. This is a beer of balance, born of history.

You can buy OverWorks Spontaneity online here. The aim of BrewDog OverWorks is to showcase how time spent in oak can truly change a beer for the better. With its latest release, we are also showcasing how the elements of nature combine to begin a journey like no other.