Felons Brewing Co. has unveiled the latest addition to its barrel-aged beer project, The Last Orange, a fruited golden sour blend bursting with fresh orange zest.
Following the arrival of a fresh harvest of navel and blood oranges at the Felons brewery towards the end of last winter, the team were inspired to create a beer that evoked the sense of reaching for the last orange on a tree.
The resulting beer is a combination of two golden sours, one from 2021 and another more recent, infused with fresh orange zest and aged for 26 months in Salvonian and American oak barrels.
Felons Brewery Director, Tom Champion, says: “We hand-peeled loads of oranges, infused these into the blend and discovered the oil from the orange rind lent this beer a radical orange aroma while the oak lifted soft hay and an energising lemongrass character.”
Felons Senior Brewer, Jared Palu, added: “Barrel ageing is a process of precision, especially with citrus – The Last Orange required us to balance the perfect amount of contact time with citrus zest, boosted by fresh juice. It’s a beer of subtlety and intensity all at once, whilst still remaining fresh and fun on the palate.”
Available now for a limited time, the oak-fermented sour ale is packaged at 6.7 per cent ABV in 750ml corked bottles. Blended in August 2024, the beer is now ready to uncork and is best enjoyed with cheeseboards and fresh seafood.
Dean Romeo, Brand Director, commented: “A 26-month journey from barrel to glass, we’re proud to release this highly refreshing beer. A proper journey to glass, The Last Orange is a testament to our brewers’ skills, patience and creativity. We couldn’t be more thrilled to release our tenth barrel-aged, bottled release in Australia.”