We’re guessing at least a few of you out there have met Doug Ashcraft. As an avid homebrewer and certified BJCP judge, Doug has been a staple of the Bay Area beer and homebrewing for a long long time.

Well, in late November, we were lucky enough to bring Doug into the Drake’s fray as our sales rep for the North Bay and Sacramento, and his knowledge of the area’s beer scene and well-honed palette have definitely helped us bring up our game.

Still, even as Doug now traverses from Sacramento to Santa Rosa and back to San Leandro on a normal basis, he still finds the time to get his own brewing in. A few weeks ago, Doug dropped off a couple bottles of his Belgian Golden Strong ale at the brewery for Brian and the rest of the brewers to try, and needless to say, it was a resounding hit.

Sooo… We decided to make some more.

Brian worked with Doug to scale up the recipe for our tanks, and this past Saturday they mounted the brew deck and made it happen.

According to Brian and Doug the beer, the B.D. Golden Peril as they call it, will be hugely effervescent champagne-like ale with touches of spice and peach esters from its Belgian golden strong yeast strain hailing from Brasserie d’ Achouffe in the heart of the Belgian Ardennes. Noble hops, Saaz and German Spalt, will accent the beer with a spicy, earthy character, and the finish will be dry with a pleasantly, lingering floral undertones. Golden, aromatic, delicious, and as the name suggests, perilous at an expected 9% ABV.

Brian already has a few barrels set aside for some of this batch for aging, but the limited release of the young version will be making an appearance likely by the end of this glorious beer month. Can’t wait to try it. Cheers.

Grabbing a post, grain out glass of Hopocalypse.

Hand's lookin' much better. Stir that mash!