Seasonal harvests

APOTHECARY

The Apothecary is Fullsteam’s series of mad science — radical, farm-focused brewing not bound to tradition or to style. Beers brewed by the season using local harvests.

We used to call this series “plow-to-pint,” but we use a lot of local ingredients across the board — even in our Workers’ Compensation line of everyday, year-round beers. Apothecary is our (mostly) seasonal line of quirky and experimental beers.

HOGWASH hickory-smoked brown porter

Bacon beer! We house-smoke malted barley over hickory wood, imparting a sweet, subtle smoke to our hickory-smoked brown porter. Depending on your comfort level with smoked beers, you may find Hogwash subtle or overwhelming. Try it with North Carolina barbecue for some smoke-on-smoke action, or go for the Trifecta of Awesome: bacon, beer, and chocolate!

Availability: YEAR-ROUND, mostly. 5.5% ABV

SUMMER BASIL farmhouse ale

Liquid Summer. A farmhouse ale brewed with Saison yeast and basil from Elysian Farm (Cedar Grove, N.C.). We add six pounds of whole-leaf basil per batch, yet the beer retains a subtle basil aroma and taste that favors nuance over obvious. The beer pours with a creamy, white head and finishes with notes of lemon, pepper, and (prepare yourself for precious food terminology) Bouquet Garni. A lawnmower beer…if you mowed over your herb garden.

Summer Basil was the very first batch we brewed on our commercial brewing system, and we offer it only when local basil is in-season.

Availability: MAY through NOVEMBER.5.4% ABV.

Future harvests…

Scuppernong sparkling ale
A highly-carbonated, cloudy white beer with a surprisingly dry hint of scuppernong grapes. Perfect for a late afternoon. A local wheat and scuppernong blend that is 100% naturally fermented. Premiered at 2008 Southern Foodways Alliance Sympoium in Oxford, Mississippi. 5.0% ABV

Kudzu Jesus
A Fullsteam radical ag experiment — a beer made from kudzu! We’re scheming on this one. Stay tuned.

Otto the Heretic
A Fullsteam experiment honoring Otto Lilenthal. Still in labworks. “Opfer mussen gebracht werden.”

300 Mile
A Fullsteam truly local experiment — a beer made exclusively from ingredients 300 miles or less from Durham, North Carolina. Still in labworks, and more of an aspiration than an immediate reality. Our dream is to have Fullsteam Southern Lager evolve into a 300 Mile beer.

Deus Ex Machina!
A “local ag” homebrew collaboration. At the tavern, our plan is to have a dedicated tap to collaboration ales between Fullsteam and the area’s amazing homebrewers. Details soon!

Adventured out? Try the Workers’ Compensation Series.

16 Responses to “ Seasonal harvests ”

Daniel B Jan 2nd, 2009 at 7:00 pm

I have been WAITING for a “Hickory Chicory Bock!” I don’t know what it would taste like but it would be fun to order… Like Schlenkerla but bocky-er and chicory-y-er?
Sean Jan 2nd, 2009 at 7:10 pm

Daniel, that is creative, totally corny, and completely Southern ag.

An absolute trifecta. A+. Let’s see if we can do it.
Andrew S Feb 3rd, 2009 at 11:32 am

Holy crap, I’m not sure how I just now discovered this brewery but I am VERY interested to see what comes of it. It sounds very promising. I now have a new aspiration for one of my beers to make it to the “Deus Ex Machina!” tap! I will start furiously working on something right away.
Fullsteam Brewery « Carpe Durham Apr 6th, 2009 at 12:23 am

[...] list of their beers (”Control” and “Experiment“) makes me hope they find that building ASAP. I also really appreciate their try-everything [...]
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[...] Together, they poured their “Control” beer Rocket Science India Pale Ale and their “Experimental” beer, Sweet Potato [...]
Tyler May 21st, 2009 at 10:16 pm

Where can we get some?!?!?!
Eric Aug 9th, 2009 at 6:23 pm

Wow! I can’t wait for this place to open!
Maeve Dec 8th, 2009 at 9:15 pm

I stumbled upon the Breakfast with Pandora blog by accident in trying to find a beer pairing for a dessert. After seeing your site and all that you are doing, I can’t wait to make a trip up and see you guys!!!
Sean Dec 8th, 2009 at 9:17 pm

Thanks, Maeve. You’re marvelus for saying that!
| Fullsteam Dec 16th, 2009 at 2:02 am

[...] scuppernong grapes, sweet potatoes, hickory-smoked malt, kudzu, and rhubarb. Read more about Southern-style beer, check out some pictures of the brewery build-out, see what others are saying about us…or [...]
daniel williams Jan 12th, 2010 at 5:02 pm

Glad that durham is a homebrewing haven. Glad that there are experimenters out there. Glad that I live in durham only 20 minutes from my new hopefully favorite bar.
DrChimRichalds Apr 27th, 2010 at 6:50 pm

Can’t wait to try some of these. I never mean to say your beer was gross, just those ingredients.
Sean Apr 27th, 2010 at 7:17 pm

Thanks tons, DrChim — and thanks for being a good sport. It’s actually fun serving our plow-to-pint beers to skeptics, because they tend to defy expectations.

The sweet potato beer is subtle and slightly hoppy, not a cloying mess of spices. Scuppernong Sparkling Ale sounds sweet and thick, but the beer finishes dry and is bubbly, much like champagne.

For sure, people tend to find several favorites and a few “not for me’s.” But that’s part of the adventure.

Hope to see you around the tavern sometime! Thank you for posting!
Can we haz taps handle idea?? | Fullsteam May 18th, 2010 at 12:58 am

[...] Plow to Pint [...]
Report back from Farm to Fork 2010: You missed out. « Victus Populi May 23rd, 2010 at 11:10 pm

[...] beer sweetened with a mulberry syrup that was the perfect digestif for this little piggy. Click here for a list of other Plow to Pint beers that didn’t make it to what has been, so far, my [...]
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[...] now is Chief Executive Optimist of Fullsteam, a “plow to pint” brewery launching in Durham, North Carolina. Fullsteam started test batching [...]

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