San Francisco – Craft beer has entered the mainstream in the US. To differentiate itself, the Almanac Beer Co brewery offers flavours inspired by local farm produce.
In its Farm To Bottle series, the brewery uses seasonal flavours for its limited-edition draught beers, such as pumpkin and barley for autumn, and strawberries and nectarines for summer. The company’s inspiration comes from local wine traditions – fitting since it is based in northern California – with the focus on achieving a balance of aromas and ageing beers in wine barrels to develop the flavours.
‘For each harvest we partner with a different northern Californian farm to supply the fruit used for our next brew,’ say founders Jesse Friedman and Damian Fagan. ‘Every beer is a collaboration between us and the local terroir. Each release is a unique seasonal product, brewed and bottled only once, designed to age gracefully for years.’
Craft breweries have to work harder to differentiate themselves in an increasingly oversaturated market. Find out more in our Men’s Beer Market report.