From the Beer Writer: It’s a day Savagewood Brewing owner Darrel Brown will never forget. And given the large number of cocktails he consumed that’s both surprising and impressive. While on a booze cruise in Hawaii, he and some family members were introduced to (and immediately became enamored with) the native POG cocktail, a rum-based champagne punch made with passion fruit, orange and guava juices. Enough that they developed a drinking game; the type where far-too-common occurrences (a boat passing by, a plane flying overhead) prompted POG consumption. It was such a hit that, soon, other passengers joined in. Inspired by those groggy memories, Brown and Savagewood head brewer Zach Hayes have concocted a Berliner weisse fortified with passion fruit, blood orange and guava. Big on earthy, funky passion-fruit tartness, and kept out of enamel-stripping territory by the sweeter orange and guava, this bold and refreshing 4.2% alcohol-by-volume beer is perfectly suited for the luau it will debut at on Saturday, March 30 at Savagewood’s Scripps Ranch brewery. That event will feature tiki glasses, island-style barbecue fare and other tropical-inspired specialty beers.
From the Brewer: “Catamaran Booze Cruise is a POG Berliner weisse inspired by an actual catamaran booze cruise in Waikiki that may have had an ill-advised drinking game created to encourage maximum POG consumption. It’s a kettle sour using five different strains of lacto bacteria. Up front, you get orange and guava, and on the back you get passionfruit and malt. It’s very light and easy drinking. The fruit tames the tartness and adds a little body as well. This beer will be released at our luau this Saturday, plus, we will have a very limited amount of a special variant. We soaked some oak chips in SinShip Spirits rum and infused them into ten gallons of Catamaran Booze Cruise for delicious island vibes. The rum-oaked version will be served with a grenadine float for optimal luau enjoyment!”—Zach Hayes, Head Brewer, Savagewood Brewing