Fort George Brewery used April Fools day to announce two very real releases that sounded like a joke but are undeniably real; Hold the Pickle is a barrel fermented pickle beer, and Serious Seltzer is a sour barrel-fermented hard seltzer with berries. While Fort George Brewery in Astoria, Oregon is likely known most for their IPA’s and barrel-aged stouts, the brewers have been amongst the most experimental in techniques and strange and special ingredients since their founding in 2007.

Like just about everyone in 2020, the past year has been a jarring and difficult reality for Fort George Brewery that saw huge losses in draft sales and at their taproom businesses expense, not to mention the cancellation of Festival of the Dark Arts. As dark and depressing as things have been, Fort George has found time to find a little joy out of the pickle they found themselves in.

Barrelmaster “Barrel Baron” Dave Coyne has stayed the course at the brewery, keeping the oak barrels and puncheons full of beer. As a fan of all fermentation, Coyne took the opportunity to continue his experimentation with small batches and souring bacteria to make his latest mixed culture creation; Hold the Pickle, a a 3.6% ABV barrel fermented table beer and conditioned on cucumbers and sea salt.

“I mean, we brew a lot of IPAs out here,” Coyne confesses. “But we’re always looking to expand into new areas of agriculture and culinary traditions. To me, pickles are the perfect vegetable to pair with a beer.”

“Lightly tart, fruity and almost tropical, with a strong cucumber profile that turns leafy green,” Dave adds. “The result is a slightly acidic, funky & fruity pickle bomb that delights the senses.”

But Dave isn’t relying solely on pickles to preserve the future of the company. Noticing an obvious trend in the malt beverage industry, the brewery is also releasing its very first hard seltzer, in a typical Fort George fashion.

“We’re serious about our seltzers,” Dave stresses. “I’m not even joking. We fermented this seltzer in freshly emptied wine barrels from the Willamette Valley, using our blend of wild yeast and lactic acid. We even propagated that yeast in apple juice, to remove any residual gluten. Then we added a serious amount of raspberry and blackberry puree to juice the heck out of it.”

Serious Seltzer with mixed berries was hand-packed into 16-ounce brights for can conditioning. Seriously. This will hopefully be followed by Serious Seltzer Mimosa within a few months. Both are extremely limited. But when it comes to pickle beers, does size matter?

“This first batch of Hold the Pickle is quite small,” Dave admits. “But if our cucumber contracts can be secured, Fort George will be able to increase production and get more of this zesty beer out to the Pacific Northwest.”

2020 was a challenging year, without a doubt. But for the brew staff at Fort George, it has also been an opportunity for innovation. “You know, when faced with a difficult situation, a lot of people like to say hold my beer,” Dave responds. “But in this case, I like to say hold my pickle.”

Look for 500ml bottles of Hold the Pickle to be released in early May. Serious Seltzer Mixed Berry is available for pre-orders through FortGeorgeBrewery.com starting today, with beer shipping out on Tuesday, April 13th. Available in four-packs and on tap at the pub starting Saturday, April 10th.

And if you are in the mood for something more classic, check out the freshly minted new year-round release of an unfiltered German-style Pilsner called The Meadow. A time-honored blend of Pilsner malt lays down a soft & bready, almost honey-like bed. The Meadow blooms in a flowery bouquet of herbal spice and noble hops. A light, sunny yellow disposition and a fluffy white head refresh the spirit.

The Meadow can now be found in 12oz x 6 packs that will be making its way around the PNW in the coming weeks.

Fort George Brewery is located in historic downtown Astoria, Oregon. Their wood-fired restaurant is open seven days a week, from noon to 8pm. Distributed only in the Pacific Northwest.