At the same time, brewers and vintners are breaking down barriers of their own, creating beverages that straddle the beer and wine worlds, marrying grape and grain in ancient-inspired yet future-fitting ways. As a result, a new cast of beer-wine hybrids is playing out on the American drinking stage. These brews go beyond wine barrel-aging beer and step into new fermenting territories. Some beer recipes incorporate ingredients like grape must and wine yeast to create a beverage that’s part beer, part wine, and, in the best cases, all delicious.

Most recently, Dogfish Head debuted Mixed Media, a beer similar to a saison that also incorporates late-harvest Viognier grape must, offering notes of white grape and melon, and a spicy, white wine-like body, thanks to a Belgian yeast strain.

“By blending the two seemingly opposite worlds of beer and wine together we’ve discovered that they collide quite nicely, and the combination of the two adds an additional thread of flavor and a layer of complexity to the mix,” Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head founder and CEO, said in a press release. “Our newest spin, Mixed Media, is perfect for wine drinkers who are at beer drinking occasions or folks that enjoy a crisp, light Pinot Gris.”

more at vinepair.com