FERMENTATIONS
style: sour farmhouse ale
Saison is the blend of 2 bases, a saison fermented and aged in wood and a kettle sour that is naturally acidified thanks to the microflora residing on Italian organic barley malt, according to an ancient process. With organic hops var. Centennial in kettle and ancient Tuscan wheat var. Verna (company Bellavista Insuese)
materials: oak tonneaux az. biodynamic Tenuta La Novella (Chianti), oak barrique az. Ornellaia (Bolgheri)
alc. vol. 6.7 %
style: sour farmhouse ale - dry hopped (centennial)
Saison Dry Hopped Centennial is a special version of our 2019 Saison, with a dry hopping of Centennial organic hops. It is a delicate dry hopping, which accentuates the lemon and citrus notes of the base beer, giving it a great freshness.
materials: oak tonneaux az. biodynamic Tenuta La Novella (Chianti), oak barrique az. Ornellaia (Bolgheri)
alc. vol. 6.7 %
style: sour farmhouse ale - dry spiced (elderberry)
Saison Dry Spiced Sambuco is a special version of our Saison 2019, with a maceration of fresh wild elderflowers. This step accentuates the rustic and floral notes of the base beer, with an irresistible hint of brett.
materials: oak tonneaux az. biodynamic Tenuta La Novella (Chianti), oak barrique az. Ornellaia (Bolgheri)
alc. vol. 6.7 %
style: barrel aged sour tripel - with fruit (apricots)
Nikulas Riserva 2019 Apricots is based on Nikulas di Munkathvera Tripel, fermented in steel and aged in barrique for about 8 months, during which it develops a moderate acidity and perfect dryness, gaining 1 alcoholic degree. When in season, we proceed with the maceration of fresh apricots of 3 varieties (Pisana, Sanguigna, Venturina). The fermentation with the microflora residing on the fruit and the passage in wood give it rustic/farmhouse notes and hints of apricot, tangerine and brett.
materials: steel, oak barriques az. Ornellaia (Bolgheri)
alc. vol. 10.5%
style: barrel aged sour ale - with fruit (sour cherries)
Gambolungo 2019 is made with a natural kettle sour base, thanks to the microflora residing on organic barley malt, following an ancient process. The wort ferments in steel and ages in barrique. When it is in season, we proceed with the infusion of wild sour cherries of the ancient Tuscan variety Gambolungo, whole, fresh, with stone, in barrique. The result is a refermentation thanks to the microflora residing on the fruit. Beer with a delicate cherry and citrus flavor, rustic and woody notes, distinctly sour.
materials: oak barriques az. Ornellaia (Bolgheri)
alc. vol. 6.2%
style: perpetua barrel aged sour bruin - with fruit (damascene plums)
Detour Riserva 2019 Ramasin is the perpetua blend of several vintages of our Detour Bruin, aged and naturally acidified in barrique. About 2 months before packaging, according to the season, we proceed with the infusion of ramasin (damascene plums from Orto di Pianbosco) fresh, whole, with stone, into the barrel. A new fermentation begins, with the microflora of the fruit, thanks to which notes of plums emerge, obviously, as well as a slight citrus fruit.
materials: steel, oak barriques az. Ornellaia (Bolgheri) and az. Lamole (Chianti)
alc. vol. 7.2%
UNPITCHED SERIES
style: spontaneous fermentation with fruit microflora
Nonsidro 2019 is the complementary beer to our Cider 2018. When we empty the barrels where the cider spontaneously fermented, we fill them with a wort made from organic Italian barley malt, soft wheat of evolutionary population and bio surannee hops. The microflora left by the cider generates a spontaneous fermentation of the wort. Nonsidro is characterized by aromas and flavors of apple, cider, orange and wood, with a rustic but delicate finish.
materials: oak barriques from Lamole (Chianti) in which the 2018 cider was fermented
alc. vol. 6.7%
UNPITCHED SERIES
style: spontaneous fermentation in coolship, exposed to wild herbs
Primavera 2019 is the result of the spontaneous fermentation of 3 worts, made possible by the exposure in coolship and by the action of fresh spontaneous herbs (acacia, rosemary, broom, heather, laurel, elderflower), foraged in the woods on each brewing day. The wort is made from organic Italian barley malt, organic Tuscan wheat from evolutionary populations and organic surannee hops.
materials: oak barriques from Ornellaia (Bolgheri)
alc. vol. 7.5%
UNPITCHED SERIES
style: spontaneously fermented cider
Sidro 2019 is the result of the spontaneous fermentation of apple juice of 10 varieties from a short supply chain, partly from the Lari area and partly from Mugello. The apples were rinsed, shredded and pressed with a soft hydraulic press and left to ferment spontaneously, thanks to the microflora of the fruit, partly in barriques (which contained the Nonsidro 2019) and partly in a terracotta jar with skin contact. No other ingredients or additives, just apples.
materials: French oak barriques az. Ornellaia (Bolgheri), terracotta jar from Impruneta
alc. vol. 7.8%
HERBS / SPICES SERIES
style: sour aged farmhouse ale - dry spiced (juniper)
Vecchia Saison 2019 Ginepro is a cuvee reserva of our 2019 Saison (unblended), left in barrique for 9 months more, where it developed a natural acidification. A particular process, the "Bicchierino style govern", has given it aromas and flavors of grapefruit and lemon. A few weeks before bottling, we macerated local organic juniper berries.
materials: French oak barriques az. Ornellaia (Bolgheri)
alc. vol. 7.4%
DRY HOPPED SERIES
style: sour farmhouse ale - dry hopped (citra)
Saison '19 Dry Hopped Citra is a blend of various worts, made with the same grist, but each processed in a different way. The first wort is Blendone, a perpetual wort/monster that we keep at bay thanks to the Bicchierino style govern . The other two bases for the blend come from a saison with an evolutionary population of ancient grains, fermented in wood, and from a natural kettle sour, made with the Super Santos method and fermented in steel.
The Saison 2019 therefore has more depth and more levels of reading, a more rustic soul and a more controlled acidity, compared to the previous vintage. A gentle dry hopping with Citra adds notes of apricot, peach and mandarin. And despite the 7.6% alcohol, it flies away in no time.
materials: French oak barriques az. Ornellaia (Bolgheri) and steel
alc. vol. 7.6%
style: barrel aged sour ale - with fruit (sour cherries)
Gambolungo 2020 is blend of two worts, both made with raw materials from a short supply chain, organic barley malt and wheat from an evolutionary organic population. The first wort comes from a natural kettle sour, thanks to the microflora residing on the malt, following the Super Santos method . The second is Blendone, the must / perpetual monster trained by the Bicchierino style govern . The blend ferments in steel and ages in barrique. When it is in season, we proceed with themaceration of wild sour cherries of an ancient Tuscan variety, the Gambolungo, whole, fresh, with stone, in barrique. The sour cherries come from the Mastrociliegia company in Lari, and the variety in question would be practically extinct, without the keeping work conducted by our friend Leonardo. The macerated wild sour cherries enabled the reprise of the fermentation thanks to the microflora living on the skins. Gambolungo 2020 is more complex than the previous vintage, which makes the sour part less sharp and more rustic, to welcome and enhance the cherry flavors and the citrus rush.
materials: steel and oak barriques az. Ornellaia (Bolgheri)
alc. vol. 7.0%
PERPETUA SERIES
style: perpetua wild bruin with damsons
Detour Riserva Ramasin 2020 is the blend of several vintages of our Detour Bruin, aged and naturally acidified in barrique, through a perpetua (one-vessel solera). When the old beer is ready for packaging, it is removed from the barrel, and the same amount of new beer is added to the barrel. The perpetua is renewed, but always contains a small portion of each vintage that composes it (this perpetua started in 2016). About 2 months before packaging, according to the season, we proceed with the maceration of ramasin (damascene plums, Orto di Pianbosco) fresh, whole, with stone, into the barrel. A new fermentation starts, thanks to the microflora living on the skins.
A soft and intense aroma of plums appears immediately. The taste is accompanied by a citrus flavor that contributes to make Detour Riserva Ramasin 2020 a highly drinkable beer.
materials: fermentation in steel and aging in oak
alc. vol. 6.8%
PERPETUA SERIES
style: perpetua wild beer with damsons
Ramasin Giaun 2020 is the pale sister of our red perpetua, the Detour Riserva Ramasin. We macerated yellow damascene plums, of the ancient Coscia di Monaca variety in a pale beer that was hosted in barrels that previouly contained Detour Riserva. The primary fermentation took place in wood, with selected yeast, together with the wild microflora left by the Detour Riserva. A spontaneous acidification then took place, for about 1 year, which then continued with the spontaneous microflora of ramasin giaun, for about 2 months before bottling. The fruit, as always, were fresh, whole.
Aroma and taste are dominated by hints of yellow fruits, citrus (lime, cedar, tangerine) and plums. Acidity is deep and well stratified, thanks to the contribution of all the various matrices.
430 bottles, intended solely for sale to private individuals visiting the winery (max 2 bottles per person)
materials: fermented and aged in oak
alc. vol. 6.2%
PERPETUA SERIES
style: perpetua wild beer with zests
Before talking about how the Zesta 2020 was made, let's talk about its perfume, because it is the first thing that will strike you. Elegant, citrusy and balsamic, it recalls the moment when a glass of gin and tonic is brought to the nose for the first time, after a lemon zest has been squeezed. The citrus fruits we used for maceration were selected one by one and collected by us in the citrus orchard of Aldo in Massa, Tuscany, brought to the cellar and zested by hand. We used lemons, oranges, huge and colorful cedars and some pink grapefruit.
The blend is made of 55% Blendone, our perpetua work-horse, taken in the moment of its greatest maturity, and for the remaining 45% from a natural kettle sour, brewed with the supersantos method and without inoculation of lactic bacteria and aged for a few months in barrique. It was the blend itself that suggested us to try the maceration of the zest, because it was already showing good citrus flavors, with lemon and grapefruit in the foreground and a tense acidity. We shose a very short maceration time for the zest, just 6 days, to try to capture the maximum freshness of the citrus fruits.
The success of a beer depends a lot on the quality of the ingredients. For us, quality means ancient varieties, little or zero treatments, from a short local supply chain, maximum freshness. But it is almost impossible to find organic Tuscan citrus fruits with a short supply chain. Yet Tuscany has been a land of citrus fruits for centuries, as evidenced by the lemon groves still present in dozens of patrician villas. Today, however, cultivation is an almost exclusively amateur matter, and the most suitable area is certainly that of the hills behind the city of Massa. So, at the end of a good research, in November the name of Aldo finally came out. Retired from Massa and one of the most tireless supporters of the Castagnetola Cultural Group, Aldo is dedicating all his life to safeguarding the indigenous varieties of Massese citrus fruits, which proliferate in the narrow valley he doesn't care about obtaining a bountiful harvest, his goal is to safeguard the plants of the small family orchard. We picked the fruits one by one, without missing the most interesting ones, such as "scorzoni" lemons and wrinkled cedars.
Zesta 2020 is a very fresh beer. You would give it 3 or 4 percent alcohol, instead of 7. Lemon yellow color and a slightly hazy appearance. We have already said about the perfume. As soon as it arrives in the mouth, a spread of citrus flavors opens up: from lime to sparkling candies, cedar, grapefruit. All accompanied by an acidity that is very reminiscent of that of the starting fruits. There are no invasive off flavors, although the acidification of the blend was completely spontaneous. And so the glass flies away in an instant. It is a beer to drink in the good season and with the desire for open air.
alc. vol. 6.9%
QUELLE CHE NON - SERIES
style: wild beer spontaneously cofermented with grapes
Nonsangio 2020 was born from the collaboration with Tenuta La Novella, a biodynamic winery in Chianti Classico. The challenge we set ourselves with Simone and Lorenzo was to make Sangiovese, the sovereign vine of this territory, to express itself in all the freshness that a high-altitude vineyard can give. We therefore decided to take a risk, betting on spontaneous cofermentation, without the use of yeasts, brett or added bacteria, but taking advantage of the rich microflora residing on biodynamic grapes, aided by some corsair cases of wild grapes that we found around the estate, to ferment a brewed beer wort the same day of the harvest. We also chose a early harvest, about 10 days before the complete ripeness, and a short skin contact, for a coppery color, between rosé and orange.
Fortunately, the bet was successful. The beer is really fresh and delicate, with fruits in the foreground (raspberries, watermelon, melon, apple) and a very balanced acidity, accompanied by elegant wild notes. Simone and Lorenzo were satisfied, for having rediscovered the character of their Sangiovese Rosè wine. On our hand, we find the balance and ease of drinking, which is what we care about most in our beers. In addition, the spontaneous cofermentation has given us a drink that not only encompasses the distinctive traits of both beer and wine, but which is perhaps also something different, a "third" stuff. And so we are happy that this is the first beer in the series that we have dubbed Quelle Che Non (Those that are not).
1500 bottles and a handful of kegs.
alc. vol. 8.3%
MOMMY'S BOY - SERIES
style: wild spontaneous beer from cider mother
Nonsidro '20 is a beer, made of organic Italian barley malt, wheat from organic evolutionary populations and organic surannee hops, in spontaneous fermentation thanks to the microflora left in the barrel by our 2019 Cider. It has spent 7 months of fermentation and aging in barrique of ex-wine French oak - from Bolgheri (Ornellaia) and Chianti Classico (Lamole) - followed by 8 months of bottle conditioning and aging. The 2019 Cider was obtained from to the spontaneous fermentation of apples from 10 ancient Tuscan varieties.
Nonsidro '20 is an explosion of taste, because it is alive and bursting with vitality, with a range of complex acidity, ranging from lactic to delicate acetic, to accompany the flavors of citrus and ripe apples. The alcohol content, which is lower than our habits, only 6.3% vol., together with a good roundness, make it an agile and very enjoyable drink.
Nonsidro '20 is part of our Mommy's Boy Series line, the line for mother's sweethearts, the one that contains the beers that are born from a mother microflora, propagated by a previous spontaneous fermentation.
800 bottles of 0.375 L
alc. vol . 6.3%
HERBS / SPICES - SERIES
style: unhopped wild herbal sour
Achillea '20 is properly a non-hopped beer, or better still a barley wine in its origianl sense. In the nineteenth century it should have been called barley wine, also given the important alcohol content (10% vol.). Instead of hops, we used fresh yarrow flowers, collected on the Apennine mountains and added both at the end of boiling and at the beginning of fermentation, straight to the barrique. Compared to the nineteenth-century, unfortunately, the current Italian law provides that a beer is a beer only if it contains hops. So in order not to fall into penalties (and to regularly pay the beloved excise duties on beer) we have also added 1 single hop pellet.
We made a stronger wort than usual, using organic barley malt from a short supply chain, wheat from organic evolutionary populations and saison yeast. The wort spended 5 months of fermentation and maturation in French oak barrels. During this period the spontaneous microflora brought by the yarrow, also benefiting from the absence of hops, that is the number one enemy, gave life to a nice acidification, also contributing to consuming the residual complex sugars. After, another 7 months of bottle conditioning and aging.
The nose reveals a complex of great aromatic intensity, with the strong mark of yarrow, as well as in the mouth: herbaceous, woody, sandalwood, orange aromas. The taste is dominated by the grapefruit, accompanied by a deep sourness, that is softened by the alcohol content and a round mouthfeel. Despite this pleasantness, our Achillea is a drink for trained palates and for those that are willing to be surprised by sensations that they never experienced before.
Available in a few bottles, we have decided to reserve it for direct sale to individuals, visiting the winery, or here on our online shop.
450 bottles of 0.375 L
alc. vol . 10%
KOELSCHIP SERIES
style: wild koelschip beer with grapes
We waited patiently for almost 1 year before releasing this 19 Con Canaiolo Nero. And it was worth it, because today the beer is very balanced and elegant, despite its 9.5 degrees. It is a beer obtained by spontaneous fermentation by the microflora that lives in the air around the Cellar, invited to conquer the wort overnight through the exposure in the coolship (koelschip in Dutch), that is, in an open vessel at open air. Once cooled, the next day we rack the wort to barrels, where fermentation and maturation take place.
Indeed, this was the first coolship of our short experience: when, in March 2019, the smell of the beginning of fermentation began to spread through the cellar, the songs of jubilation started. Because no one knew what it would happen and there was no guarantee of a successful fermentation. Theorically, Val d'Elsa is not Payottenland, a Belgian land where spontaneously fermented beers find a perfect microflora of yeasts and bacteria. Maybe it has been due to the Via Francigena, maybe to the good air, maybe to the good luck: this first lucky attempt was the first of a long series of spontaneous coolship fermentations made here at Cantina Errante.
After 18 months of barrel aging, we added the freshest biodynamic grapes in maceration, of Canaiolo Nero variety, harvested on the hills of Cerreto Guidi by Alessandro, winemaker of Podere Fornace Prima. Canaiolo Nero is a native Tuscan vine, which has always been a faithful companion of Sangiovese in the blend of Chianti. Alessandro has a wonderful hand on the field, managing to make his plants grow it he best way. As usual, happy plants make good fruits.
The grapes, which gave birth to a new fermentation, with its load of sugars and microorganisms, gave the beer a beautiful cherry color and a range of fruity flavors. Cherries, blackberries, gooseberries, pomegranate, tangerine, along with rustic and wild notes.
The level of acidity is just what is enough to balance the alcohol content and make drinking enjoyable.
We advise you to drink it calmly, leaving the oxygen the time to bring out all the nuances.
1200 bottles of 0.375 L
alc. vol . 9.5%
QUELLE CHE NON - SERIES
style: spontaneous cofermentation of pears, apples and grains
Nonpedro '20 is a spontaneous cofermentation of apples, pears and grains. We harvested the apples and pears in August 2020 and processed them fresh as soon as we returned to the brewery. They are of ancient Tuscan varieties, from free trees, in mixed cultivation, cared for by our friend Ernesto. Decana del Comizio variety pears, Renetta Bianca apples and Deliziosa apples. Organic grains from short supply chain: light barley malt and wheat from evolutionary populations. And surannee hops as always.
Nonpedro 2020 is the progenitor of the Quelle Che Non series. It was then followed by the Nonsangio 2020, which we actually released earlier, but it was produced in October 2020. We call them Quelle Che Non, because it is easy to say what they are not, but it is not easy to say what they actually are. In the case of Nonpedro 2020: it's not a cider, it's not a perry ...
Quelle Che Non, Ernesto would say, are our most Neo-Situationist productions: you look around and invent a beer with what is available at the moment. But at least one natural source of spontaneous microflora is required.
Actually, the inspiration for the Nonpedro came to our brewer Tommaso from a millenary tradition, which was maintained by our ancestors until a few centuries ago. It is the practice of creating fermented beverages by mixing several matrices together, being simultaneously available in nature, at a given time of the year, in a given area. Apples and cereals, honey and grapes, wild herbs and fruit, in infinite combinations. Then the industrial revolution, in addition to giving us steel and diseases, also uprooted our ancestors from their villages, dispersing these beautiful traditions and the wisdom that had created them and forcing us to drink only single-ingredient drinks. And forcing us at Cantina Errante to reinvent them all ;)
Nonpedro 2020 spent 4 months in barriques and tonneaux, fermenting and acidifying thanks to the microflora present on the fruit skin. It is very elegant on the palate, also thanks to the high alcohol content (10% vol) and a good body. The notes of white-fleshed fruits are well present, together with those of citrus fruits (lime, orange, mandarin) and fresh herbs. And we are very happy that the hints of citrus, especially orange, which we distinctly felt during the fermentation, are still there.
As often happens with spontaneous fermentations, it has a balanced acidity, neither more nor less than what there should be. It is the nature that determines the right acidity, as well as the right level of rusticity. The classic funky scents are obviously there, but they don't override the other components, and the result is a balanced and pleasant drink.
It comes out after 10 months of bottle aging, but it might be worth forgetting it in your cellar and giving it another couple of years.
1000 bottles of 0.375 L
alc. 10% vol.
HERBS AND SPICES - SERIES
style: sour aged dark farmhouse ale with tobacco leaves
Saison Scura Kentucky 2019 is a farmhouse ale aged 2 years in oak barrels and with a short maceration of whole leaves of Tuscan tobacco, that were aged and fermented.
Our love for Saison has always been very strong and we have always enjoyed exploring the countless detours this brewing tradition can take. Saison with roasted and toasted malts are however very rare, and it is a pity, because they can give great satisfaction. Our Saison Scura dates back to the first steps of Cantina Errante, at the beginning of 2019, when we found ourselves with a couple of free barriques and a just brewed Durovernum Black Saison wort available. And we couldn't resist the temptation ...
Brewing a 8.5% vol black saison is already a good gamble by itself. Thinking of acidifying it and elevating it in ex-wine barrels for 2 years is even more so. Because the wood can only make it even drier, even more alcoholic, even more angry. Nowadays, on the other hand, dark beers with a high alcohol content are often very full-bodied, bold, almost chewable, with additions of non-fermentable sugars and perhaps passed in ex whiskey or rum barrels. A whole different story. And in fact, after 2 years ours was always indomitable, with dominant citrus scents and a dryness that did not forgive anything.
Suddenly, the epiphany: tobacco! There is a great tradition linked to Kentucky tobacco in Tuscany, that of the famous lumpy, very dark and grumpy cigars. Putting together similar with simila has always been one of our mantras, and so we thought that these two characters so gruff and angular could get along well. We found a fantastic farm in Val Tiberina, which takes care of the entire supply chain, from the tobacco fields to the packaging of cigars, passing through fermentation and maturation. Yes, because Tuscan Kentucky tobacco undergoes 2 fermentations and a maturation that lasts for years, before it can be used. Together we chose the most suitable variety and leaves and, once back in the cellar, we added them straight to the barrique, for a short maceration.
Tobacco has not only given its typical scents to our Saison. The interaction between the two matrices led the beer to acquire body, roundness and pleasantness. There are intense aromas of tobacco, clay, dried fruit, herbs, cocoa beans, red fruits. The mouthfeel is dry but enveloping, long and with a balanced acidity. The alcoholic note is not detectable, because it is diluted by acidity and dryness.
The Saison Scura Kentucky 2019 will take you to unexplored territories, which at times approach the most ancient Belgium and at times veer towards the Tuscan taverns of the past: playing cards, hats pressed on the forehead, hard life and an inevitable blasphemy .
900 bottles of 0.375 L
alc. 9.6% vol.
UNPITCHED SERIES
style: spontaneously fermented cider aged in oak
Cider 2020 is the result of a collaboration we are very proud of, the one with Ernesto, a great master of pruning and grafting, as well as a custodian farmer dedicated to the recovery and preservation of ancient fruits.
Ernesto is a fruit enthusiast in general, but apples are probably his favorite fruit. It keeps dozens of ancient Tuscan varieties, bred in free trees and mixed culture.
This point is important, because there is a big difference between producing fruit from trees in tight espalier rows or from free trees. The latter are guaranteed the right living space, the necessary interaction with the soil, nutrients, animals and microorganisms, and are inserted in mixed crops together with other fruit trees. All this guarantees complexity, resistance and resilience to the system in its biodiversity, allowing treatments to be reduced to zero. And this can only please us because we need that the microorganisms that live on the skins are many and in good healthy conditions, to make the cider ferment spontaneously.
The varieties that Ernesto's orchard gave us for this 2020 Cider are Florinda, Rotella, Francesca, Granaiola, Diacciata, Bella del Belagotti and Limoncella. We limited ourselves to collecting them, rinsing them, grinding them and extracting the juice with a soft press. It's always nice to write the ingredient list of our ciders: apples. Stop.
The juice was then transferred to barrique, where it fermented spontaneously and matured for a few months. A further bottle conditioning of 12 months was then necessary to achieve the right elegance.
On the nose, hints of apple, orange, sandalwood, rhubarb, pomegranate, Ginevrine (grandmother's candy buttons). The mouthfeel is intense, vinous, persistent, pleasantly acid and without funky deviations.
500 bottles of 0.375 L
alc. 7.4% vol.
QUELLE CHE NON - SERIES
style: spontaneous cofermentation of fruits and grains
Visciole 2021 exemplifies perfectly our research around beer. It replaces our Gambolungo beer of which 2 vintages have been released and which has been one of our most popular productions. Why change then?
The primary fermentation of Gambolungo was carried out with selected yeasts grown in laboratories, while the subsequent acidification, as for all our beers, was left to the free action of populations of spontaneous microorganisms.
But a 100% spontaneous fermentation is another story. It carries more risks, of course, but in return gives more complexity, more vitality and ultimately more beauty. We believe that making a real craft drink means abandoning completely industrial ingredients, allowing free expression to the interactions between environmental conditions, raw materials and territory. In short, life is made tough for a good purpose.
Thus we tried the path of a spontaneous cofermentation, as already done for Nonpedro and Nonsangio, in which the microflora for fermentation is brought by fruits. It's a very risky process, because nothing is known about that microflora, whether it is actually healthy and of what types of microorganisms it is composed. Thus special fruits are needed, without chemical treatments and extremely fresh. In addition to good luck, of course. The visciole are semi-wild, sour, bitter cherries. They grow on small trees and need an hour of picking just to fill a single crate. Ernesto helped us collect a batch from his personal plantation, and these are quite special.
Once back in the cellar, we destemmed them one by one and pressed them with our feet, as it is done with grapes, and after a short maceration we added them to the beer wort.
Good luck assisted us: the fermentation began quickly and was very vigorous right from the start, leaving room for a nice pellicle. It is worth remembering that there was a chance that it would not start at all, that it could fail halfway, or that it might bring out a terrible taste.
We are very happy to have chosen the riskiest path, which was revealled to be the right one. Visciole 2021 is a genuine expression of the fruit. It is of a bright ruby color, it has an intense, fruity, citrusy nose, while the mouth is enlivened by a clean and non-aggressive acidity. The beer matrix is fused with the fruit matrix, and it is no longer possible to distinguish one from the other. This is what happens with cofermentations: you get something that is different than the sum of the individual components.
1000 bottles of 0.375 L
alc. vol. 6.8%
COOLSHIP SERIES
style: spontaneous fermentation from coolship with exposure to wild herbs
Before talking about Primavera 2020 (primavera means Spring), we must think back to Spring 2020. Yes, that Spring, the season that so many of us spent locked down at home, while the outside ecosystems were silently coming back to life and trees were filling with flowers, all without sparing any thoughts for humans . For us it was an opportunity to take more or less clandestine walks in a natural environment that seemed more beautiful and purer than ever, inexorable and majestic. When it was finally possible to brew again, those brews tasted like a return to simple, good things of old.
Primavera 2020 is the result of a spontaneous fermentation through the exposure of the wort in an open tank (coolship) outside the Cellar and by the interaction of the wort with freshly foraged spontaneous herbs (lemon balm, rosemary, heather, bay leaf, wild mint). In this case we say interaction with herbs and not infusion or maceration because the herbs do not come into direct contact with the wort, but are suspended on a net above the coolship. The raw ingredients for the wort are Italian organic barley malt, organic Tuscan wheat from evolutionary populations and organic aged surannee hops.
Followed by 15 months of fermentation and maturation in oak barrels.
It is a beer of great freshness and with many facets. The correspondence between aromas and flavors is such that all the complexity is already evident on the nose, subsequently making its way into the mouth. You can have fun distinguishing the aromas generated by populations of spontaneous microorganisms from those released by the herbs, which, even without coming into contact with the wort, still managed to leave their mark.
Of that long Spring 2020 we would like this Primavera 2020 to recall only the most beautiful things, such as the sense of freedom of a simple walk around the neighbourhood and the sense of wonder that came from doing it with eyes more open than usual.
1300 bottles of 0.375 L
alc. vol. 6.5%
PERPETUA SERIES
style: perpetua from spontaneous fermentation in coolship with sour cherries
Ka con Visciole 2021 was born from a lucky coincidence. In the days when we were harvesting fruits for Visciole 2021, we ended up with more fruits than we needed. It practically never happens, because these ancient fruits are always very few. And at the same time we found ourselves having to renew Ka and therefore to have an extra availability of already fermented beer. And so Ka con Visciole was born.
But before talking about this beer we must introduce Ka, because Ka con Visciole 2021 is the first release of a new research path undertaken at the end of 2020. Ka, for the ancient Egyptians was the spirit of the Eternal Wandering. It was that part of the soul that keeps memories and experiences and that is handed down from parent to child. There was therefore no more suitable name to baptize our perpetua. Ka for us is the story of our spontaneous fermentations, because we renew it with additions of wort coming from each coolships throughtout the year.
Ka ferments quickly, is able to work at very high temperatures and in many ways can remind of kveik. Rather, we imagine that these Scandinavian mother yeasts were born in the same way as our Ka and that they were renewed and kept alive thanks to the relentless use by the families of the village. In this sense the kveik represented the spirit of the place because it infused the air, the worts and the souls of the inhabitants.
Our Ka has a unique organoleptic profile. It is a sort of sour farmhouse, but it looks more complex. It is citrous, exotic and pleasantly acidic. We are testing it in different beers and styles and it is proving to be a great aid for blends as well. Ka has in fact taken the place of Blendone, the friendly must-monster who lived in our Cellar for a couple of years and which we used in the blend, among others, of Gambolungo 2020 and Saison Citra 2020. Unfortunately for him, however , Blendone was paying for the original sin of having started from a fermentation with selected yeasts and this is the reason why one day we set it free.
Ka con Visciole 2021 can be compared to Visciole 2021. They are made with the same fruit and the same cereals, but the different processes make them different beers.
For Ka con Visciole 2021 we decided to try packaging in 3-liter bag in box only, without refermentation. It is therefore a still beer (but this doesn't mean that it is not evolving) and should be served not too cold to appreciate all its nuances.
100 3 L bag in box
alc. vol. 7.5%
PERPETUA SERIES
style: perpetua wild bruin with damsons
Detour Riserva Ramasin 2021 is the blend of several vintages of our Detour Bruin, aged and naturally acidified in barrique, through a perpetua (one-vessel solera). When the old beer is ready for packaging, it is removed from the barrel, and the same amount of new beer is added to the barrel. The perpetua is renewed, but always contains a small portion of each vintage that composes it (this perpetua started in 2016). About 2 months before packaging, according to the season, we proceed with the maceration of ramasin (damascene plums, Orto di Pianbosco) fresh, whole, with stone, into the barrel. A new fermentation starts, thanks to the microflora living on the skins.
A soft and intense aroma of plums appears immediately. The taste is accompanied by a citrus flavor that contributes to make Detour Riserva Ramasin 2021 a highly drinkable beer.
The 2021 vintage will also be the last of this perpetua, which has enjoyed widespread appreciation, throughout its 4 vintages. If everything goes as planned, just as Gambolungo has given way to Visciole, so the Detour Riserva will leave room for a 100% spontaneous perpetua bruin, starting from coolship. This new perpetua started in late 2020 and has already been renewed a couple of times. We can't wait for summer 2022 to add ramasin plums to it.
materials: fermentation in steel and aging in French oak barrels
2500 bottles of 0.375 L
alc. vol. 8.4%
COOLSHIP SERIES
style: spontaneous coolship blended beer
Spontanea Blend 2021 is the result of the collaboration with Stefano Amerighi, biodynamic winemaker in Cortona, volcanic and inexhaustible experimenter, great teacher for many other winemakers around the world and for us a fundamental reference, who contributed to the birth and philosophy of Cantina Errante.
The collaboration with Stefano began in 2017, with the first mini coolship experiments in the vineyards of Poggiobello di Farneta, thanks to Paolo Braconi, mutual friend and great homebrewer. During the harvest period, the air of those hills is full of life. Its presence is perceiveable. We thought that it was absolutely necessary to try if that spontaneous microflora could also ferment a beer wort.
Thus in September 2018 a tradition was born. Every year, since then, we place our coolship with the beer wort, during the most intense days of the harvest, right in front of the entrance to Stefano Amerighi's cellar.
Sometimes, the next morning the must is already in activity. From the coolship we fill some French oak barriques that hosted Stefano's wines and we stock them in Stefano's old cellar.
It is therefore not a grape ale (or IGA), as one might expect at first glance from this collaboration, because there is no contribution of grapes or derivatives. There is, however, a friendly sharing of microflora.
In August 2021 we chose the best barrels of the 3 available vintages, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and we created what we thought was the most interesting blend. We were looking for a fresh, sharp, citrusy and herbaceous taste, in which the brett played an important role, but without overpowering the other components.
raw materials: organic Tuscan barley malt, organic Tuscan soft wheat from evolutionary populations, surannee hops
production method: turbid mash + coolship
fermentation and maturation: ex Stefano Amerighi French oak barriques
NO GRAPES WERE HARMED IN THE BREWING OF THIS BEER
2000 bottles of 0.375 L
alc. vol. 6%
COOLSHIP SERIES
style: spontaneous coolship beer with grapes
raw materials: organic Tuscan barley malt, organic Tuscan soft wheat from evolutionary populations, surannee hops, biodynamic sangiovese grapes
production method: turbid mash + coolship
fermentation and maturation: 18 months in oak barrique
alc. vol. 7,5%
PERPETUAL SERIES
style: perpetual from spontaneous fermentation in coolship with citrus peels
Ka Zeste 2021 is the result of our development work starting withZesta 2020. Even the latter was born from a perpetua (the nice Blendone), but a perpetua started with a first must fermented with selected yeasts. We have therefore developed a new perpetual, later called KA, maintained with contributions of coolship musts. The card of theKa with Visciole 2021contains an in-depth study on KA.
In the Ka Zeste 2021 blend there is also a 20% spontaneous coolship beer, brewed in 2018, coming from Stefano Amerighi's cellar. We added it to give depth to the base beer.
Citrus fruits also this year are the product of the citrus grove of Aldo, custodian farmer of the Castagnetola di Massa Cultural Group. Very fresh lemons, oranges, grapefruits and cedars, just picked and peeled by hand. Once again thanks to Aldo for his priceless work to safeguard native species .
The aromatic profile is obviously dominated by citrus fruits, accompanied by some funky notes. The good acidity is already perceived on the nose and induces salivation. In the mouth the beer opens rich, savory and very refreshing, with a nice persistence.
1500 bottles of 0.375
alc. vol. 6.1%
PERPETUAL SERIES
style: perpetual from spontaneous fermentation in coolship with juniper berries
For Ka Ginepro 2021we took a cue from the lucky oneOld Saison Ginepro 2019, working on a different and 100% spontaneous base beer, our KA 20 | 21. The card of theKa with Visciole 2021contains an in-depth study on KA.
In the Ka Ginepro 2021 blend there is also a 20% spontaneous beer brewed in 2018, coming from Stefano Amerighi's cellar. We added it to give depth to the base beer.
Juniper berries were harvested in 2021 in the Apennines. Different year from 2019, and in fact these berries are less balsamic and more spicy. To get a good balance, we added the skins of some pink Tuscan grapefruits. All in maceration for almost 1 month.
The spicy notes of juniper are well present, together with the freshness of the grapefruit and the base beer: rustic, citrusy and with a round acidity. Ka Ginepro 2021 is a satisfying farmhouse beer with a long-lived drink.
1000 bottles of 0.375
alc. vol. 6%
SAISON DE COUPAGE 2021
style: blended rustic beer
More than a style, Biere de Coupage is a set of interpretations based on the same principle: combining a young beer with an aged beer. We chose to assemble a spontaneous fermentation beer from coolship, produced in the winter of 2021-2021, a saison fermented and aged in barrique for 6 months and a Ka 21 | 21 barrel of 15 months, of which 6 passed in barrique. All beers share the same grain grist, although the production processes are different from one beer to another.
After blending we lightly dry hopped with one classic European variety, Saaz, one classic New Zealand variety, the Green Bullet, and one North American variety, Simcoe.
Saison de Coupage 2021 is a fresh and flickering farmhouse, with a strong carbonation that fills the mouth. The imprints of the 3 hops follow one another in a row, to complete the rustic character of the base beer. Although with many facets it is particularly balanced and in the mouth the fruity (cherry, peach, orange), balsamic (mint), herbaceous (musk) and funky (stable, wood, brett) notes blend well.
blend: spontaneous coolship beer 20|21, Ka 20|21, barrel aged saison 21
ingredients: organic barley malt, organic soft wheat from evolutionary populations, surannee hops in cones, hop pellets for dry hopping (saaz, green bullet, simcoe varieties)
fermentation and aging: stainless steel and 220 liters oak barrels
1500 bottles of 0.375
alc. vol. 7.6%
QUELLE CHE NON - SERIE
style: wild beer spontaneously cofermented with grapes
Nontrebbio 2021 is a new chapter in our line of research on cofermentations, and in particular on cereal-grape interactions. It was born from the collaboration with the Casale farm in Certaldo, whose macerated Trebbiano is always an indisputable point of reference. The work in the vineyard of Antonio and his son Stefano, according to the principles of organic agriculture and following biodynamic practices, has allowed us to bet on the spontaneous fermentation of the beer must by the microflora residing on the grape skins.
We prepared the wort on the same day as the grape harvest. The grapes brought here to the Cantina were stomped by feet and destemmed by hand, before being added to the grain wort.
Maceration was prolonged, as befits a vine that expresses its best when the must is left in contact with the skins for a long time.
After 2 months the wort was racked to small barrels, for a subsequent maturation of 6 months.
The beer is pretty refreshing and balanced between the grain component and the fruit component, with a flickering acidity, accompanied by a sustained carbonation. It can recall a Trebbiano refermented with an ancestal method. In the mouth the notes of citrus and grapes emerge, in addition to the hints of yeast anc the inevitable funky hints by brett and other wild microorganisms.
ingredients: organic barley malt, organic soft wheat from evolutionary populations, surannee hops in cones
fermentation and aging: steel and oak barrels 220 liters
2000 bottles and some kegs.
alc. vol.7%
PERPETUA - SERIES
style: fresh hops perpetua spontaneous beer
Fresh Ka 2022 investigates the very particular dynamics that occur between dry hopping hops and spontaneously fermented beers. The intensity and persistence are in fact very different from those beers that are fermented by industrial brewer's yeasts. Compared to our previous experiences (Saison dh Centennial 2018, Saison dh Citra 2019 and Saison de Coupage 2021), we chose a 100% spontaneous fermentation beer as the base. It is a small barrel of our Ka 20 | 21 , perpetua from coolships, fermented in steel and subsequently aged in barrique for about 12 months.
For the dry hopping we selected two varieties of Italian hops in barely dried cones (fresh hops), Willamette and Cascade. These are cones collected, dried and macerated in a total time of about 48 hours. The amount of hops was unusual by our standards, settling at 12 g / L for a time of about 36 hours with hopcannon.
On the nose, Fresh Ka is certainly very interesting and rich in nuances, but in the mouth it is a real trip. It remains very high in the palate and is projected directly into the back of the skull, with a kaleidoscope of sensations and images. It evolves rapidly in the glass, between spicy (cardamom), citrus (orange), herbaceous (helichrysum, yarrow) notes, letting also Ka 20 | 21 emerge with all its baggage of hay, apricot, phenols, wood and barnyard.
Probably the most intense sensory experience among our fermentations.
ingredients: organic barley malt, organic soft wheat from evolutionary populations, surannee hops in cones, fresh hops in cones of the Willamette and Cascade varieties
fermentation and aging: steel and oak barrel 220 liters
11 kegs
alc. vol. 6.3%
NONPEDRO 2021
hybrids series
style: spontaneous co-fermentation of pears, apples and grains
Nonpedro 2021 is a spontaneous co-fermentation of apples, pears and grains.
It spent 6 months in barrique and tonneaux, fermenting and acidifying thanks solely to the microflora present on the fruit skin. It is very elegant on the palate, partly due to the high alcohol content (10% vol) and good body. Notes of white pulp fruit are well present, along with citrus (lime, orange, tangerine) and fresh herbs. And we are very pleased that the hints of citrus, particularly orange, that we distinctly felt during fermentation are still there.
As is often the case with spontaneous fermentations, it has a balanced acidity, no more and no less than there needs to be. It is nature that determines the right acidity, as well as the right level of rusticity. The classic funky hints of course are there, but they do not overpower the other components, and the result is a balanced and pleasant drink.
It is released after 10 months of bottle ageing, but it might be worth forgetting about it in the cellar and giving it another couple of years.
ingredients: organic barley malt, organic soft wheat from evolutionary populations, surannee hops in cones, pears, apples
fermentation and aging: steel, 220 and 500 liters oak barrels,
1200 bottles 0,375 L, 20 kegs 16L
alc. 10,2 % vol.
KA SALINE 2022
perpetua series
style: perpetua spontaneous gose w/herbs
Ka Saline 2022 is our first spontaneous gose. Gose style would require adding lactic acid bacteria and salt to a pale beer. Obviously we did not add the lactic acid bacteria. Our Ka found it spontaneously overnight in coolship and during its elevation in perpetua. The salt, which is actually rock salt, came from the Volterra Salt Pans, historic salt mines in our area.
The herbs that we steeped, after two years of fermentation and perpetual renewal, also came from the valley of the Volterra Salt Pans. This beer, therefore, is undoubtedly an expression of that territory: it is Mediterranean, sapid, herbaceous and fresh.
The herbs are citron thyme and lemon balm, each with its own distinctive aromas, but both with notes of lemon, lemongrass and Mediterranean bush. We picked them fresh and steeped them for a few days. The salt, on the other hand, came later, added at bottling.
We are releasing this beer after an additional year of bottle maturation, so the gestation took a total of more than 3 years since the perpetua began. This time gave the beer elegance and firmness, with the rustic farmhouse notes from the base beer blending well with the herbaceous notes. The salt gives fullness and appeasement to the draught, which is refreshed on the finish by the acidity of the spontaneous fermentation.
Ingredients: organic barley malt, organic soft wheat from evolutionary populations, surannee hops in cones, cedar thyme, lemon balm, rock salt from the Volterra Salt Pans
fermentation and aging: steel and oak barrels
24 kegs 16 litres and 700 bottles 375 mL
alc. vol. 6,5 %
NONSANGIO 2021
hybrids series
style: spontaneous co-fermentation of grain and grapes
Nonsangio 2021 is the result of a collaboration with Tenuta La Novella, a biodynamic winery in Chianti Classico. This is the second vintage, after 2020, but there are some important differences in process and result.
The challenge we set ourselves with Simone and Lorenzo was to make Sangiovese, the sovereign grape variety of our territory, express itself in all the freshness that a high altitude vineyard can give. So we decided to take a risk, betting on a spontaneous co-fermentation, without the use of yeast, brett or added bacteria, but taking advantage of the rich microflora that resides on the biodynamic grapes, aided by a few corsair crates of wild grapes that we found around the estate, to ferment a wort brewed the same day as the harvest. Almost no contact with the skins, which yielded little or no color to the wort. And this is the main difference from the 2020 vintage.
Fermentation took about 2 months in steel and 4 in barrique, followed by 12 months of refermentation and maturation in the bottle The beer is distinctly fresh and delicate, with fruit in the foreground (wild strawberry, raspberry and melon) and a very balanced acidity. Compared to the 2020 vintage, the wild notes are more elegant and the draught rounder. Spontaneous co-fermentation gave us a drink that not only holds together the hallmarks of both beer and wine, but is perhaps also something different, a "third" stuff. We are in the midst of hybrid territory, with no reference points, all to be discovered.
Ingredients: organic barley malt, organic soft wheat from evolutionary populations, surannee hops in cones, biodynamical sangiovese grapes.
fermentation and aging: steel and oak barrels
35 16-liter barrels and 1200 375 mL bottles
alc. vol. 7.5 %
KA VINACCE 2022
perpetua series
style: spontaneous perpetua with fresh pomace
The idea behind Ka Vinacce is the same one that led us, in 2022, to make some beers with fruit from other processes. In this case we took the grapes, which had been in maceration for a few weeks in a couple of other projects, and added them to macerate in Ka, our perpetua. So we're not talking about dry pomace from a press, the ones from which, to be clear, once distilled you get grappa, but bunches with lots of stems, at the end of maceration.
Which grapes? Sangiovese from biodynamic farming, Chianti Classico area, by Fattoria le Masse and Trebbiano from organic farming, Certaldo area, by Casale. Once there was a tradition in Tuscany, now almost extinct, of making light, ready-to-drink wines by blending red and white grapes. With this Ka Vinacce we were looking for the same freshness and immediacy of those wines.
The maceration of the grapes in Ka lasted for a few weeks, then we racked, kegged and re-fermented in kegs.
Ka Vinacce 2022 has a deep pink color. On the nose and in the mouth it is reminiscent of a red currant and red orange juice: same aromas and flavors and a distinct lactic acidity. It is a fresh, airy beer that awakens your taste buds. The draught is very agile and the alcohol backbone is well masked.
Ingredients: organic barley malt, organic soft wheat from evolutionary populations, surannee hops in cones, biodynamically farmed sangiovese grapes, organically farmed trebbiano grapes
fermentation and aging: steel
20 16-liter kegs
alc. vol. 8.2 %