PORTLAND, Ore. –– Von Ebert Brewing, the award-winning and locally owned Portland-based brewing company, today will release Opulent Figurine, its first new draft-only beer since reopening for dine-in service.
Opulent Figurine is a foeder-fermented mixed culture beer with marionberries.
The base beer is a mix of Bohemian pilsner malt, malted spelt, and Mecca Grade Estate Malt’s raw white wheat. It was fermented and aged in a foeder before the marionberries were added. Once mature, the beer was keg conditioned.
“We really wanted to utilize our removable top foeders for fruit management with this beer,” said Sean Burke, head brewer, Von Ebert Glendoveer. “These have stainless steel lids that clamp down, but still allow us to manage the cap, which is the fruit that floats to the top during the initial stages of fermentation. We used a wine-making technique called ‘punch down’ that allowed us to push the fruit down into the liquid to get more out of it.”
Few fruits say ‘Oregon’ more than the marionberry, a type of blackberry that was bred at Oregon State University by crossbreeding the Chehalem and Olallie blackberry varieties. After researching local marionberry farmers, Von Ebert purchased berries from West Union Gardens in Hillsboro, Oregon, to use in the beer.
“We really wanted the base beer to shine without being dominated by the fruit, so we used a slightly lower fruiting rate than we typically would,” explained Burke. “Even with the lower fruiting rate, the final beer still shows the advantages of using the fresh, local fruit that we are so fortunate to be surrounded by in the Pacific Northwest.”
Opulent Figurine is now available on draft at both Von Ebert locations – Glendoveer and the Pearl.
Find Von Ebert on social media: @vebrewing and facebook.com/VonEbertBrewing.
About Von Ebert Brewing
Von Ebert Brewing sits at the crossroads where storied traditions meet bold new ideas in brewing. Independently owned and operated, Portland, OR, based Von Ebert produces award-winning beers in a variety of styles. In addition to modern IPAs and crisp lagers, the oak-aged, bottle-conditioned heritage beer program sets the brewery apart. All of the beers pair perfectly with the elevated American pub cuisine served at both brewpub locations. For more information, please visit www.vonebertbrewing.com.