Jester King El Cedro

April 18th, 2013 by Scott in Other Beer Reviews

Here’s another one of Jester King’s unique brews; El Cedro is described by Jester King as a hoppy cedar-aged ale with Brettanomyces. As far as I know, this is the first time Brettanomyces have been specifically mentioned on here so let’s dive in a little bit.

Commonly referred to as Brett, Brettanomyces are a genus of yeast. In many beer styles, Brett is considered to be a contaminent as it is a wild yeast that can ruin a batch. However, some Belgian and Belgian-style ales specifically use Brett for the flavors it produces. Brett is more commonly used in wine, and some wine-like characteristics can be found in beers fermented using Brett. Sour beers are especially known for using Brett among other wild yeasts.

El Cedro, however, isn’t a beer that pushes sourness. Instead, it’s full of American hops and aged with Spanish cedar. Brett is used as the yeast along with Jester King’s farmhouse yeast. This particular bottle was from batch #1 and it was bottled in January 2013.

This beer is light orange in color with a very large foamy white head; it rose up to the top of the glass and sat there for quite a while. Scents of cedar, citrus, floral, spice, and the funk of the yeast. Cedar, bitterness, and funky Brett tastes fill the palate. Finishes dry and woody. Carbonation not as noticeable as the large head suggests.

El Cedro is an unusual but very good offering from Jester King. It’s seasonal and may be difficult to find, but give it a try if you run across it!