Belgians From the Beach

From Ben Love, Brewery Manager:

Pacific City, Oregon • 15 February 2007 — The Pelican Pub & Brewery is proud to introduce two new beers, Saison du Pélican and Grand Cru de Pélican:

Saison du Pélican - The “Saison” ales of Belgium inspire our special vintage ale, Saison du Pélican. “Saison” is the French word for season, because these ales were traditionally brewed in the winter for consumption later in the year. With a spicy, herbal aroma from special Belgian yeast and a snappy, refreshing finish, Saison du Pélican combines traditional flavors with excellent drinkability.

Grand Cru de Pélican - Grand Cru de Pélican is the result of inspiration, creativity and imagination. With a nod to the great brewing traditions of Belgium, we have been inspired to create this dark, sensuous brew. Grand Cru de Pélican entices with a rich, complex aroma, and satisfies with deep malty and caramel flavors. Spicy, aromatic flavors provide a harmonious counterpoint to the malty foundation of this robust beer. A snappy finish and medium-light body enhance the beer’s smooth drinkability.

"We've really had fun thinking out of the box in creating these beers. They are unlike anything we have brewed before,” said Headbrewer Darron Welch.

The brewers brought in a special Belgian yeast for the production of the beers. Each beer also utilizes unique ingredients. The Saison du Pelican includes spelt, an ancient grain, adding texture and dryness to the finish. The Grand Cru de Pélican includes 115 pounds of hand caramelized sugar. It took Brewery Manager Ben Love two days to carmelize the sugar, 15 pounds at a time. The complex caramel flavors in the beer prove that all the work was well worth it.

Once the initial fermentation finished, the brewers added more sugar and then hand-bottled and corked the beers. Inside the bottle, a second fermentation occurred, adding complexity and natural carbonation in the beers. These bottle conditioned beers are available in limited edition 750 mL bottles. The bottles will be available at the Pelican Pub & Brewery and at selected bottle shops in Oregon.

Both of the new Pelican beers are now available (while supplies last) at Belmont Station. A limited number of kegs may be available as well, call for pricing and details. For more information regarding these beer, including ingredient lists and batch specifications, feel free to check out the Pelican seasonal beer page.