We sold out of Nick Gislason’s debut release of Hanabi Lager Winter 2020 Edition quickly and expect to sell out even quicker with his Spring 2021 Edition as the word has quickly spread amongst beer lovers. For this bottling, Nick used Barke grain, which is a flavorful variety of springtime barley, grown in Bavaria, and used for brewing traditional styles of lager there. “The Spring 2021 Barke Vienna Lager was inspired by the wines of Meursault. In the way that Chardonnay from this area manages to deliver power and immediate pleasure, along with solid yet elegant structure, and long length, so is the potential of Barke to achieve this tricky balance of power and finesse. Pouring a rich golden color, with a light natural turbidity that we prefer to leave intact as a signature of these delicious grains, a persistent cream-colored head rides the beer until the glass is empty. Opening with highly aromatic sweet-straw, spearmint, baking spices, and warm cedar, overtones of fresh spring earth come up, bringing a sense of vitality and vibrancy. With a strong mid-palate and a powerful initial approach, the beer transitions into a very fresh, long finish,” – Nick Gislason. 

Thanks to his winemaking efforts at Screaming Eagle, I've become friends with Nick Gislason, their winemaker since 2008 and tasted his pilot batches of Pilsner when he graciously donated and poured a mini keg at our inaugural Inspire Napa Valley 2018. Now Nick, his wife and some winemaking colleagues are brewing seasonal lagers in their brewery workshop in south Napa. Inspired by old-world lager brewing techniques, and using heirloom barley varieties with great flavors, they are brewing lagers that are complex, yet still vibrant and refreshing. A custom shipper is included for safe shipping. For shipping purposes, it is reflected as 750ml bottles because of the weight of the special shipper. Shipping prices will be the equivalent of shipping 6 bottles of wine.