Schell’s Revives German Starkbier With Dawn of Aurora

NEW ULM, MN (Dec. 19, 2014) – August Schell Brewing Company this week announced the release of Dawn of Aurora, the latest addition to its Noble Star Collection of specialty Berliner Weisse style sour beers. Dawn of Aurora is a recreation of a long-forgotten Berliner Weisse style of “Starkbier,” a traditional German “strong beer.”

German starkbiers were typically brewed to a much higher strength than a standard Berliner Weisse, then aged for an extended time to allow the flavors to mature. In this tradition, Dawn of Aurora was brewed with an intense decoction mash schedule and fermented with an authentic mixed culture of yeast, bacteria, and brettanomyces. The beer then underwent a long, slow secondary fermentation in Schell’s 1936 cypress wood lagering tank to allow the vibrant fruity flavors and bold acidity to further develop.

Jace Marti, Schell’s brew master and sixth generation member of the Schell’s family, notes: “With this latest addition to the Noble Star series, we wanted to explore yet another historical variation of the Berliner Weisse style. The starkbier is a stronger version, often referred to as a Champagner Weisse.”

“We also experimented with a new yeast. Dawn of Aurora features a new strain of fruity and tropical Brettanomyces that we acquired from a long-closed Weisse brewery in Germany. We thought Dawn of Aurora would be a great beer to feature the new yeast and are excited about the results.”

Unfiltered, Dawn of Aurora has been hand-filled and bottle-conditioned to allow the flavors to continue to develop and evolve in the bottle. At eight percent ABV and only five IBUs, it features very complex, prominent fruity notes of pineapple, apricot and pear with an intense, yet refreshing acidity and a sparkling carbonation. It is most appropriately served chilled, in champagne flute or a pokal glass.