Our first collaboration was with Le Trou De Diable, a micro-brewery based in Québec, Canada, with a quite staggering international reputation and collection of awards.

As with all good collaborations, our aim was to do something different. Something that combines the strengths and provenance of our two breweries. Hoping to seek out where the magic happens, where 1 + 1 = 3.

Given the relevance to Triple Point of the number 3, we decided to attempt a beer triptych, inspired by works of art designed to be appreciated in 3 parts.

Brew day - 3rd April 2019

Both Head Brewers are fans of pilsner beers, so we decided to brew a pilsner, but differently and in three parts. We had been using oats in our ales but not yet in lagers, so we decided to use a high proportion of oats in the mix. Le Trou Du Diable are masters of barrel ageing, an art that we are keen to develop, so this would form part of the plan. We were keen to introduce some elements, flavours or ingredients from each of the collaborators Nations. As we'd decided to brew a German style Pilsner, in England, with Quebecoise (French Canadians) we decided to incorporate some French hops and what could be more Canadian than Maple Syrup? We managed to get hold of four French Oak barrels that had, for 4 years, been used to mature Sauvignon Blanc. Once the dry-hopped oat pilsner had been matured in our Sheffield stainless steel vessels for 100 days, it was split into 3 parts.

The first, T1, was put into conventional kegs and some reserved for bottling. The second, T2, was used to fill two of the oak barrels, with the addition of a generous serving of Canadian maple syrup and champagne yeast. The remainder of the beer was decanted into the other 2 oak barrels with the addition of Gold Medal winning sour beer, L’Ours.

This sour culture from Le Trou Du Diable has had previous contributions from Cantillon and Hill Farmstead. We are enormously grateful for the donation of “bugs” with such high pedigree, to our fledgling barrel ageing programme!

The “Triptych” handwriting on the bottles belongs to Andrè, Luc & Micho.

TRIPTYCH #1 - OAT PILSNER - abv 4.6% - The original oat pilsner. We use floor-malted barley, golden naked oats and French hops. Dry-hopped with Strisselspalt hops for a refined, floral and grassy aroma. One super smooth Pilsner.

TRIPTYCH #2 - BARREL AGED BRUT OAT PILSNER - abv 5.5% - the original oat pilsner aged in Sauvignon Blanc barrels for over 100 days, with added Champagne yeast and maple syrup.

TRIPTYCH #3 - BARREL AGED OAT PILSNER SAISON BLEND - abv 5.7% - the original oat pilsner aged in Sauvignon Blanc barrels for over 100 days, with added L’Ours (Le Trou du Diable sour saison) and maple syrup.

Santé