By: Naomi Kerchinsky
Have you ever dreamed of a world with dragons? Well, this is your adventure. One that starts in a dark tavern. Where brewmasters train legendary dragons to breathe fire and flame into their next craft beer creations. When you order Dragonfire, Troubled Monk’s newest beer, you have visions of it being carried out on dragon’s wings. But when it arrives you realize it’s the dragon fruit puree in this beer that gives it its name, and there really are no dragons behind the making of this beautiful patio beer.
| Dragon Fruit Kettle Sour | |
|---|---|
| ABV | 5.1% |
| IBU | 19.5 |
| SRM | Red |
This Beer was Made for Summer
This beer pours a jaw-dropping fuchsia colour with a head of light pink foam. The smell is fresh and fruity with a background of graininess from the pilsner, wheat, and flaked oat malts. The subtle dragon fruit is a bit of a chameleon of flavours. Notes of citrus, strawberry, melon, kiwi, and cherry rise up and fade back into an underlying flavour that becomes simply “fruity.” This beer is lightly soured, and the tart and fruity combination makes it incredibly refreshing and easy drinking. Dragon fruit may be hard to describe but it sure is easy to enjoy.
Fun Fact: Dragonfire is also a Minecraft mod (short for modification) that is centered around an array of original dragons the player can hatch, tame, and train to listen to their commands.
What is a Dragon Fruit Kettle Sour?
Kettle souring is a brewing technique used to create quick-soured beers. This method is faster and easier than traditional souring methods, and only requires the beer to be soured in a kettle overnight.
Lactobacillus is the key to making a quick sour mash. We add tubs of Greek yogurt to the kettle to create a fast-tracked tartness. This doesn’t provide the same level of funkiness as traditional sour methods, but it does give a perfect base of tart, delicious, and refreshing flavors to springboard off of. AKA, insert dragon fruit. But what does dragon fruit taste like? It can be described as “tropical,” with a flavor similar to a cross between kiwi and watermelon or kiwi and pear.
Our newest beer has an eye-catching fushia color, like the dragon fruit. It’s a great conversation starter. Keep it simple and use these notes to explain how the dragon fruit gives a perfectly subtle fruitiness to this big flavourful beer. Or take the story to another world, one where dragons fly free and troubled monks offer tales.
Fire and Flame
Your quest begins, as all good ones do, in a tavern. A troubled monk offers you an odd pint and explains that their monastery can only brew more with the fire and flames of a mighty ancient dragon. You listen closely to the monk’s tale and realize this is just a metaphor for Troubled Monk using dragon fruit in their new beer.
