It’s New Year’s, and that means a few things. Parties, noisemakers, kissing a special someone at midnight, and of course imbibing are all standard fare on December 31st. For years Champagne has dominated this celebration with all of its pomp and circumstance, but no longer! Champagne will become the “old acquaintance” that shall be forgotten.
Not content with being considered a 2nd class citizen on this holiday, beer steps up to the mic to claim its spot on the tables and in the ice buckets of celebrators to be a part of ringing in the New Year.
The beer is DeuS Brut des Flandres, and this divine sparkling beverage is about to make you have a very Happy New Year!
Making the best of two methods, brewing and creating a sparkling wine, this drink based on barley is just the right thing to herald the New Year. In Belgium, the master brewer ferments the beer. After that, the brew is transported to France where it is transformed into a sparkling beverage using a centuries old technique.
“Turning” or remuage is a process where the bottle is positioned with the neck downwards. Over a period of weeks the bottle is turned slightly while at the same time putting the bottle at a slightly greater slope until eventually the bottle is totally vertical.
“Yeast Removal” or dégorgement, is a process in which the yeast is removed from the bottle by freezing the neck. The frozen “bung” of yeast is driven out by the pressure in the bottle.
The result of the blending of these two styles culminates in a truly amazing beer that has all of the subtlety and sophistication usually reserved for a more delicate beverage. The saying is usually “Champagne taste on a beer budget,” but DeuS has made it so one can have “beer on a Champagne budget.”
The flavor is lightly sweet with yeasty notes. The floral hops that are present counterbalance the sweet character nicely. The heavy fruit presence and carbonation mate with a malty backbone that hides the 11.5% ABV with almost Copperfieldian magic! This graceful beer is the perfect accoutrement for New Year’s imbibing!
An elegant beverage deserves elegant company. I mean, you never saw James Bond ordering Martinis and McNuggets right? So pairing food with this liquid awesome was quite simple.
Oysters on the half shell seemed equal to the task in matching the upper crust brilliance that is DeuS Brut des Flandres. Served on a bed of ice and spritzed with a dash of lemon, these appetizers of the sea were a fitting accompaniment to be sure.
So forget the “old acquaintance” this year and try this hybrid of sorts as you gather to ring in the next 365 days. Break out the Champagne flutes, but leave the Champagne in the fridge. Start the New Year right by making a new acquaintance in DeuS Brut des Flandres!
