‘Borinage’ is the historical name for a region of Belgium in the Hainaut province, in the south west of the country. It extends from the town of Mons to the French border, and was the coal mining region in the 1800’s.
With this collaborative beer, Alvinne and their colleagues from Cervesa Guineu in Spain pay tribute to the miners of this region which is held to be the birthplace of the almost forgotten – but currently trending – beer style of Grisette.
It was intended to be a refreshing beer for the miners, so 25-30% malted wheat and spelt is used, along with Hallertau Magnum hops for bittering and Mount Hood for aroma. And of course their mixed fermentation Morpheus yeast, which is typical of the yeast at the time.
The result is a straw coloured beer, with a slightly cloudy body. Crisp grainy malt, a little barnyard funk and a sustained level of hop bitterness. The Morpheus yeast contributes a tartness as well, and the beer is bone dry with a high carbonation.
A Grisette brewed with green grapes and then dry-hopped with Huell Melon and Mandarina
An intriguing dark ale, brewed with spices (ginger, coriander & cardamom)
A Berliner Weisse with 20% rye and 30% wheat malt, aged in oak for 8 months before the addition of raspberries for a further 4 months
A big Belgian Quad aged in red wine barrels, then transferred to Sauternes white wine barrels for a further year
Cuvee D'Erpigny is back in 2016 with the Pays D'Erpigny aged in French Sauternes barrels
Cuvee Freddy is Alvinne's take on a Belgian Our Bruin, the Framboos has 20kg fresh raspberries added per 100 litres of beer, than aged in red wine barrels for several months
An interesting beer from Alvinne, and one of Belgium's most bitter beers at 115 IBU
A Berliner Weisse brewed with 20% rye and 30% wheat
A second version of this beer, with a dominant display from the Morpheus yeast supported by Cascade and Chinook hops
A big Imperial Stout, dark fruit, chocolate and a hint of sourness
A Farmhouse Tripel is one of the new offerings from Alvinne, but it isn't exactly traditional
Alvinne's saison is light, crisp, quite funky with a hint of sour thanks to blending a little of the Omega blond sour beer
A little sweet, a little sour, lots of body and complexity
A blonde Sour/American Wild Ale - a great balance of bitter, sweet and sour
A cross between a barley wine and an ABT, with the added complexity of Alvinne's Morpheus yeast
This amber sour is one of the base beers Alvinne use to create many of their barrel-aged creations
A dark sour beer of 10.0%. Part of the renowned Alvinne Morpheus Sour Collection
A old style brown ale aged in an oak Foeder where it gains the lactic acidity
A rich and boozy quadrupel, featuring Alvinne's Morpheus house yeast
