Iced Modus, Wild Beer Co

Wild Beer Ice Modus, 13%

Wild Beer is celebrating its first five years of production with a new version of its very first brew, Modus Operandi. The brewery is based on a farm, Lower Westcombe, at Evercreech in Somerset and quickly created interest as a result of its founders’ belief in barrel-ageing and using wild yeasts in the atmosphere: its main wild yeast strain was captured in cider apples orchards at the farm and many of the beers have been aged in wine and spirit barrels.

The brewers have travelled extensively to see barrel-ageing in other countries, including sherry making in Spain and balsamic vinegar in Italy. Ice Modus is a barrel-aged ice beer that has been blended from more than one brew, frozen and aged in Pedro Ximenez sherry barrels.

The beer has a deep russet/brown colour and a massively complex aroma of oak, vine fruits, chocolate, freshly-peeled nuts, and a sour/acidic note. Tart fruit, dry chocolate, roasted grain and oak dominate the palate followed by a long finish that is sour, acidic and vinous with oak notes. It finally ends dry with a rich chocolate note.

As a result of the brewery’s success, a new plant will come on stream in 2019, made possible by crowdfunding.

Iced Modus costs £12.50 a bottle and comes in a special presentation pack. www.wildbeerco.com