The Scupper – Cape May Brewing Co. – 95 Rating

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
The base beer going into the barrels was our Saison that co-owner/COO Chris Henke came up with a number of years ago, but, once we started barrel aging beers, I knew this would be one of the first I'd be putting into barrels. With the base beer's peppery phenolic backbone and great fruity esters, I knew that letting a bunch of Brett rip it up and spit out something great was inevitable. Second use red-wine barrels were used to develop this rustic and expressive saison.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The complexity of the funk really makes me smile. All the traditional Brett-driven descriptors apply here -- leathery, rustic, woodsy, firmly laying down the funk -- but thanks to the base beer, The Scupper definitely comes across more like a naturally-fermented wine than a beer. Dry, vinous, rich stone fruits, with a hint of some background tartness, The Scupper is one that I'm infinitely proud of. 

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
For our initial line of barrel-aged sour beers, we wanted to construct something along the way: let each beer build off the ones that came before while focusing on a specific aspect of the sour beer profile. The first release was The Keel, which is the first part of the ship that's built, which was then followed by The Skeg -- a rudder providing directional stability. For the third release, we chose The Scupper, which refers to the openings along the deck of a ship that allow water to flow off the deck and back into the ocean. The Scupper works perfectly for the third release in the series because now we're cruising on the open waters with The Keel and The Skeg setting the stage. 

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
It absolutely could be. I've had the Scupper a number of times, and each time it continues to evolve and impress me more and more. At 7.4% ABV it's not too much of a heavy hitter, and with such an enticing profile I can see me going back to this countless times. 

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Rustic, vinous, earthy, juicy, funky barrel-aged saison.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
Manchego and aged gouda go perfectly with The Scupper. A nice baguette or focaccia roll, a good bottle of balsamic vinegar and a fine olive oil, and a hefty amount of manchego and aged gouda, plus a bottle of The Scupper? That right there is a sensory delight for you.