Hanabi Lager'Eraclea' Pilsner

This seasonal beer from Nick Gislason, whose full-time gig is making wine for Screaming Eagle, is made with Eraclea, a special barley variety grown along the Adriatic coast in northeastern Italy. The warm Mediterranean sun ripens the barley beautifully, while the cool sea breezes give it balance and character. Brewed in a Pilsner style, it shows bright, delicate notes of white tea, jasmine, and lime leaf, with a crisp, clean finish that highlights the elegance of this unique Italian grain. Hanabi is packaged in 500mL bottles, and standard wine shipping rates apply.

Thanks to his winemaking efforts at Screaming Eagle, I've become friends with Nick Gislason, their winemaker since 2008 and tasted his pilot batches of Pilsner when he graciously donated and poured a mini keg at our inaugural Inspire Napa Valley 2018. Now Nick, his wife and some winemaking colleagues are brewing seasonal lagers in their brewery workshop in south Napa. Inspired by old-world lager brewing techniques, and using heirloom barley varieties with great flavors, they are brewing lagers that are complex, yet still vibrant and refreshing.