Siren Maiden 2016

Maiden is all about our first voyage, it was the first batch of beer brewed in our brewery and has been the first brew of each calendar year since then. Our goal is to create something that with each vintage evokes the same spirit of adventure, sense of the unknown and enjoyment of the journey.

We take a carefully crafted American Hoppy Barley Wine and then age it in various barrels for the year, with the goal of bringing them together in a harmonious blend prior to bottling. This journey means that each individual barrel will impart different characteristics on the beer, sometimes from the quality and type of wood used, but more potent the liquid stored in it previously.

Maiden releases are always regarded for their depth of flavour and complexity of barrel notes. This year’s blend consists of 20% Fresh Maiden, 10% Armagnac, 10% Banyuls, 20% Heaven Hill, 30% Red Wine and 10% Rum (in ex-Jack Daniels barrels). This year’s beer pours a deep ruby colour and has a vinous aroma with hints of caramel and liquorice. It’s a rich experience when drinking, with toffee, fig roll sweetness, red berries and a well-rounded oak character bringing everything together.

We love it! As always with Maiden, we think it tastes great now, and it’s already spent a lot of time maturing in barrels. But it will also continue to age nicely. We’ve supplied no best before date, only a ‘bottled on’ – so drink at your leisure or save for a special occasion.