BentSpoke Brewing’s latest Bending Spokes release is a Flanders Red, Flemm. First brewed by Richard over 15 years ago, Flemm is one of the original barrel aged sour recipes in Australia. On a trip to Belgium and a guided tour of the famous Rodenbach brewery, co-founders of BentSpoke Richard and Tracy fell in love with barrel aged beers. A local farmer sitting at the bar of a brasserie close by, guided their beer choices and made sure they felt welcome. You guessed it; the farmers name was Flemm!
The beer itself is aged in oak for 12 months and blended with an aged, unoaked version and a younger unoaked version to balance the acid and add vibrance to the beer. A complex and “isolating” beer it has flavours of toffee malt, plum and raisin fruity esters with lacto and acetic acids as well as the sweaty horse blanket wild yeast character., creating the burgundy of beer.
The beer is best enjoyed in a tulip glass with some Passendale cow’s milk cheese.
“I love brewing these style of beers and I’m excited to put them in cans for the first time with Flemm. The wild yeast creates some funky characters with a touch of sweaty horse blanket and zoo like aromas. I cannot wait for people to taste what has been years in the barrelling..” Richard Watkins Co-founder and Head Brewer.