Flipping the usual collaborative process for Rocky Ridge, the team at Blasta invited the Busselton brewers north to create a little beer magic in Burswood. Adding to the intrigue, the duo used an exotic Marañón Canyon wild cacao yeast to kick off fermentation before finishing with a comparatively straightforward Belgian saison yeast. The backstory of the former yeast from White Labs is quite incredible; it’s derived from the Northern Peruvian white cacao bean, until recently thought to be extinct, and a very long way from sitting inside stainless steel ten minutes from Perth’s CBD.
Not content with this level of fascinating fermentation, the collaborators added 35 kilograms of blackberries, which have stained Incan a dark peach colour and offer the slightest of berry aromas that lifts against the saison yeast’s black pepper and clove. These continue on the tongue where the spice becomes more pronounced alongside banana characters as the beer shifts more into full saison mode before resolving dry and with a lingering, tight bitterness.
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