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Seasonal harvests

APOTHECARY

The Apothecary is Fullsteam’s series of mad science — radical, farm-focused brewing not bound to tradition or to style. Quirky, experimental and (mostly) seasonal beers brewed with Southern harvests.

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 North Carolina basil. 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: JUNE through NOVEMBER.5.4% ABV.

SPRING india pale ale
It’s late in the spring, but we finally got around to brewing an IPA. Oh you people love IPAs! Our Spring IPA is brewed with citrusy American hops and 800 pounds of Florida kumquats. Available at Fullsteam and Triangle-area restaurants. We’ll bottle it next year.
Availability: JUNE. 7% 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

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 ”

  1. 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?

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Fullsteam Brewery « Carpe Durham Apr 6th, 2009 at 12:23 am

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    [...] Together, they poured their “Control” beer Rocket Science India Pale Ale and their “Experimental” beer, Sweet Potato [...]

  6. Tyler May 21st, 2009 at 10:16 pm

    Where can we get some?!?!?!

  7. Eric Aug 9th, 2009 at 6:23 pm

    Wow! I can’t wait for this place to open!

  8. 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!!!

  9. Sean Dec 8th, 2009 at 9:17 pm

    Thanks, Maeve. You’re marvelus for saying that! :)

  10. | 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 [...]

  11. 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.

  12. 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.

  13. 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!

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