De Proef

The sixth edition of the De Proef Brewmaster’s Collaboration Series is our first blended beer. Legendary brewer, Alan Sprints of Hair of the Dog joins Dirk Naudts at De Proef to create this unique bottle conditioned beer. Flanders Fred is a blend of Flanders-sourced lambic with a collaboratively-brewed version of the famous Hair of the Dog Fred. The result is a deep golden ale topped with a creamy off white head. The nose is complex with notes of lemon, pine, tropical fruits and spice. The palate is rich and layered with toffee, apricot and almond, balanced by some green apple, a hoppy bitterness and barnyard funk. Please enjoy Flanders Fred with food and friends. This beer should pair very well with many cheeses, roasted vegetables and grilled meats. We believe this bottle will continue to evolve beautifully over the next few years, adding a subtle blending of the flavors.

Belgian Golden with 2 strains of brett – one from each of the brewers.

Legend of the cow smuggler.

Left Hand Brewing Co.’s founder Eric Wallace has spent much of his life traveling and living in Europe. His appreciation for the finely crafted beers of Belgium and Europe inspired him to build Left Hand Brewing Co. in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in 1993. Twenty one years later, we are excited to collaborate on a unique blend of their infamous Wake Up Dead Imperial Stout and De Proef’s Zoetzuur. The resulting beer is nearly black in color with the roasted malts contributing complex flavors of licorice and blackstrap molasses balanced by herbal hop notes. The heavy foundation of the Wake Up Dead is enlivened by Zoetzuur’s tart cherry flavor and acidity from its mixed yeast fermentation. We hope you enjoy this ninth edition in our collaboration series from the beautiful Old World city of Ghent. Enjoy this now or cellar and relish on a cool, wet day. Cheers!