Holy pineapples! That right there is Jonathan Wakefield, of Miami’s J. Wakefield Brewing, slicing up some pineapples for a collaboration beer we’re doing here at New Belgium in our pilot brewery. The beer? Grilled Pineapple Berliner Weisse.
Although it’s a rainy day in Fort Collins, the pilot brewery’s nothing short of tropical: Humidity, pineapples, drinking beers in the early afternoon. It’s downright paradise. And Wakefield’s pretty accustomed to paradise: His tropical Florida Weisses (Berliners brewed with exotic fruit—check out this pink beer) are nothing short of amazing. So, we invited him out our way to hang out and brew a sessionable Berliner spiked with pineapples we cut, grilled and pureed right here at the brewery.
“The thought of putting grilled pineapple in a Berliner is a crazy idea, but one I think will be very well received,” said Wakefield. “Berliner Weisse is a great platform for fruit and this version will be a perfect beer for the summertime.”
The result will be the first release in our Beers with Vrienden collab series, and built to be a sweet-tart Berliner that clocks in at 3.8% ABV and bursts with breezy, tropical notes. Look for it on tap at select accounts in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale area the second week of June (as well as the New Belgium LC), followed by a second collab beer when New Belgium heads to Wakefield’s home turf to brew another fruit-spiked concoction.
Until then, check out these shots from today’s brew (and pineapple slicing) session:
See, it's pretty steamy in the pilot brewery.
Jonathan Wakefield eyes the wort.
Pilot Brewer Cody Reif and Wakefield, probably making pineapple jokes.
Pineapples are chopped, grilled and pureed before going into the brew.
Specialty brand manager and wood cellar blender Lauren Salazar lends a hand.
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