Join Club

Your Beermonger: The Small Operation and Big Sour Ales of Alvinne

Your Beermonger logo

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

I occasionally find myself becoming fascinated with a brewery. Sometimes, it happens very quickly — I fell in love with the beers of Maine Brewing Company almost immediately. Other times, though, I find a brewery that sneaks up on me as I try more of their offerings and become more familiar with their style. Such was the case with Picobrouwerij Alvinne.

I started bringing in some of the beers of Alvinne last year, and they’ve become staples of my Sour Ale collection at Arrowine. In ten short years, Alvinne has become a worldwide phenomenon with the most modest of facilities — with the average batch of beer at Alvinne being good for only about 65 cases of beer, the ‘Picobrouwerij’ title (“small brewery”) Alvinne self-applies isn’t just a joke — it’s the truth.

How small is Alvinne? This is their website.

Alvinne’s uses wine and spirits barrels along with their distinctive Morpheus yeast, a blend of their own proprietary strain and Lactobacillus cultivated in Auvergne, France. (Side note: Auvergne is home to some of our favorite cheeses at Arrowine, including Bleu d’Auvergne, Fourme d’Ambert, and Cantal.) The Morpheus yeast makes for a Sour Ale that has plenty of acidity but also complex, fruity notes. Here is a rundown of some of the Alvinne beers I’ve been able to try over the past year, most of which are available right now.

Cuvee d’Erpigny: A version of Alvinne’s Quadrupel aged in barrels from Monbazillac, a region of France that produces Sauternes-like sweet white wines. The already sweet, rich Quad is pushed to the brink by the heavy influence of the wine barrel. There’s a lot of interesting fruit and brown sugar notes in Cuvee d’Erpigny, so don’t let its sweetness distract you. Most Quadrupels are very big but approachable on their own or with the right cheeses or meals; Cuvee d’Erpigny is for dessert only.

Cuvee De Mortagne: Another Quad variant, Cuvee De Mortagne is aged not in dessert wine barrels, but barrels from Pomerol, a region within Bordeaux’s right bank. While not as sweet as Cuvee d’Erpigny, Mortagne is sweet, with earthy malts and subtle vinous cherry flavors.

Cuvee Freddy: You might remember Cuvee Freddy from my last column, when I threw it into our staff beer and cheese pairing as a wild card. A blend of Stout and Flanders Red Ale aged in barrels for 8-12 months, Cuvee Freddy shows off Alvinne’s Morpheus yeast along with its playful, innovative approach to blending and brewing. The malts from the Stout cut the intensity of the acid a bit, and contribute roasty flavors that traditional Sours just don’t have.

Cuvee Freddy Zymatore: The Zymatore project is an effort of Alvinne’s importer, B. United, featuring unique combinations of brews and barrels. The Cuvee Freddy Zymatore sees the beer spending time in Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Gin, and Whiskey barrels. The result is full of sour cherry, chocolate, and vinous notes with a boozy edge riding along with the base beer’s acidity. Very rare, but available now.

Wild West: This is the most recent Alvinne to arrive in Virginia. A blond Sour, Wild West is fermented at a very high 99-degrees. The high-temperature fermentation is so that the Lactobacillus in the Morpheus yeast will lose its mind and bloom like crazy, bringing an intensity of tropical fruit notes to the final beer unseen in most Sour Ales. Following fermentation Wild West is aged in Bordeaux wine barrels to smooth some of its rougher edges and contribute more complexity of flavor.

I’m hoping more of Alvinne’s beers will become available to us soon, but for now that’s it. Until next time.

Cheers!

Nick Anderson maintains a blog at www.beermonger.net, and can be found on Twitter at @The_Beermonger. Sign up for Arrowine’s money saving email offers and free wine and beer tastings at www.arrowine.com/mailing-list-signup.aspx. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Community discussion guidelines: Our sponsored columns are written by members of the local business community. While we encourage a robust and open discussion, we ask that all reviews of the businesses — good or bad — be directed to another venue, like Yelp. The comments section is intended for a conversation about the topic of the article.

Recent Stories

Good Monday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar. 🕗 News recap The following articles were published earlier today…

An 18-year-old Arlington woman is facing a litany of charges after an reported bike theft led to violence. The incident happened Sunday evening near the intersection of S. Walter Reed…

What do I do if school doesn’t fit my kid? That’s the question that so many of the parents and families ask when they’re looking at small independent schools like…

There is a new play area for kids inside Ballston Quarter with plenty of pint-sized attractions. Located on the first floor of the mall, near the about-to-close Macy’s, Junior Playland…

Well-Paid Maids recently unveiled a new scheduling system.

That means it’s easier than ever to book your professional home cleaning with the only certified living-wage home cleaning service in the D.C. area.

Here’s what to expect when you book your cleaning:

  1. Select your location.

  2. Choose your service (i.e. 1 BD/1BA). (This is also where you’ll see the rate.)

  3. Pick your cleaner. (If you don’t have a preference, opt for “any available.”)

  4. Schedule a date and time. You can also set up recurring cleanings and get a discount!

  5. Enter your information and reserve.

Read More

Submit your own Announcement here.

Are you facing life’s challenges, feeling overwhelmed, or seeking personal growth? Embrace the path to emotional well-being with our expert psychotherapy services!

Why Choose Us?

Our team of compassionate and experienced psychotherapists is here to guide you on your journey to inner peace, self-discovery, and positive change. We provide a safe and supportive environment where you can explore your thoughts and feelings without judgment.

What We Offer:
✔️ Individual Therapy
✔️ Couples Counseling
✔️ Anxiety & Stress Management
✔️ Depression Treatment
✔️ Trauma Healing
✔️ Self-Esteem Building
✔️ Life Transitions Support
✔️ And Much More!

Read More

Submit your own Announcement here.

Portofino Italian Wine Dinner, April 6, 6:30pm

Four course Italian dinner, paired with 2 wines each. The wines will be served “blind” and notes on each wine will be discussed. The event is coordinated with Elite Wine Importers and The Portofino Restaurant. The dinner is on Saturday,

×

Subscribe to our mailing list