This week, Brian takes us on a deep dive into what might be the most technically ambitious beer ever produced in the Southtowns. We’re talking about Peche Spon 2024, the inaugural release from the New York Beer Project (NYBP) Beer Lodge coolship program in Orchard Park. This isn't just a beer; it’s a time-intensive labor of love that brings Belgian tradition to Western New York.
The production of this beer is a masterclass in \"slow beer.\" Head Brewer John Hyman and the team utilized a coolship—a shallow, open-top vessel—to let the hot wort cool naturally overnight, inoculating the liquid with wild yeast and bacteria from the Orchard Park air.
The Journey of Peche Spon 2024:
Because \"Lambic\" is a protected designation for beers brewed in the Pajottenland region of Belgium, this is technically a Spontaneous American Wild Ale, but the soul of the beer is purely Old World.
If you missed the preview at the Brewers Invitational, don't panic. While a firm date hasn't been set, the beer is currently bottle-conditioning and the team is targeting an April 2026 release. This will be a limited-run bottle project—perfect for your beer cellar—and will also make a highly anticipated return to the draft lines at the Lodge.