First beer from Fair Isle Brewing hits the streets

Not long ago I told you about Fair Isle Brewing, a new brewery planning to open in Seattle with a focus on farmhouse-style ales. In their words, “An urban version of a farmhouse brewery.” Now you can get a sneak preview of the kinds of beers they plan to produce in Seattle by tasting a beer they recently made with Jester King Brewery in Austin, Texas.

I know it sounds a bit confusing, but Fair Isle Brewing has a relationship with Jester King Brewing (read our previous story) and together they have already created a beer: Fair Voyage Farmhouse Ale, which is brewed using fireweed. The beer debuted recently in Seattle and I was suitably impressed when I tasted it last weekend at the KEXP Farmhouse Fest.

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The fireweed used in Fair Voyage was foraged in Washington and lends the beer a noticeably herbal, spicy, almost savory character. The beer is 100 percent naturally re-fermented in bottles and kegs, unfiltered and unpasteurized. At the time of bottling it was 4.9 percent alcohol by volume, 1.002 specific gravity, and 28 IBU. It is mildly sour, with a pH level of 3.8.

Fair Isle Brewing is still in the process of finalizing a location, but plans to open in Seattle’s north end. Lucky for them, they can already share their vision thanks to the good folks at Jester King. Of course, for many people in Seattle this is collaborative relationship provides a first opportunity to drink anything coming out of Jester King Brewery, which is widely recognized as one of America’s great farmhouse breweries. (At Farmhouse Fest I also got to taste some beers from Jester King and it’s good stuff, as advertised.)

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