Petrus Aged Pale

Description

The Beer

Petrus Aged Pale is the odd one out amongst foeder beers, which traditionally tend to take on a reddish or dark-brown colour in the glass. This beer, brewed using only pale malt, is generally considered one of the best wood-matured pale ales.

Petrus Aged Pale had a markedly sharp, bone-dry, freshly sour taste. It spends 18 to 24 months maturing in giant oak foeders (casks) before coming to market.

It is thanks to the efforts of the late British beer guru Michael Jackson that the beer that flows into your glass is still entirely pure and uncut. Jackson also named it, and was so keen on it that he sold it himself to American beer clubs.

The Petrus Aged Pale has become a reference beer for the sour ale style. It also serves as a mother beer for fresh, freshly sour and sweet and sour blended beers.

Since the 1970s the De Brabandere brewery has been specialising in foeder beers, and has gradually built its range.

As well as this beer, the Petrus family of foeder beers includes Petrus Blond, Petrus Dubbel Bruin, Petrus Gouden Tripel, Petrus Spéciale (amber), Petrus Oud Bruin and the Petrus Aged Red.

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Alcohol

7.3% ABV

Fermentation

A top-fermented beer matured in oak foeders.

Ingredients

Petrus Aged Pale is brewed with water, a house yeast, malt and Saaz aroma hops.

Colour & Transparency

Petrus Aged Pale takes on a clear, pale colour in the glass under a head of white froth.

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Serving Temperature

12 °C / 54 °F

Serving Glass

The Petrus beers are served in an elegant, tulip-shaped, branded glass on a tall stem, which allows the aromas to develop beautifully.

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Character, Tastes & Aromas

Petrus Aged Pale is very astringent and vinous. It is dry with the freshness of sour apples, a real brut de brut.

There are also sherry and fruit flavours. The classic sourness of the beer style comes through in the finish.

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Culinary

Petrus Aged Pale is a great pairing with shellfish and crustaceans, including the grey North Sea prawn, used in a tomaat-garnaal (tomatoes filled with prawns) or in prawn croquettes.

This bone-dry beer stands up well to a mousse of smoked trout with peppery anchovies. It is also recommended with a Belgian soft goat’s or sheep’s milk cheese.