So far, I had not opened my eyes. I felt that I lay upon my back, unbound. I reached out my hand, and it fell heavily upon something damp and hard. There I suffered it to remain for many minutes, while I strove to imagine where and what I could be. I longed, yet dared not to employ my vision. I dreaded the first glance at objects around me. It was not that I feared to look upon things horrible, but that I grew aghast lest there should be nothing to see. At length, with a wild desperation at heart, I quickly unclosed my eyes. My worst thoughts, then, were confirmed. The blackness of eternal night encompassed me. I struggled for breath. The intensity of the darkness seemed to oppress and stifle me. -Edgar Allen Poe, The Pit and the Pendulum.

Was Poe describing the morning after a hard night of drinking here? He might well have been. While we’ll never know for sure, Sweetwater Brewing of Atlanta, Georgia decided to name a beer for this immortal work called The Pit & the Pendulum Belgian-Style Ale with Peaches and Brettanomyces. The beer is part of their limited-release Cork & Cage series, a rarely appearing brew that I picked up for in July of 2015. Sweetwater recommended one might “drink it now for stronger peach flavor, or put this guy in the cellar to allow the Brett to intensify.” Mine went in the cellar. I do love to age beers after all.

The pit here, of course, refers to peach pits, since the brew is made with that definitely Georgia fruit. I broke my bottle out in early March of 2017 to enjoy with my good friend Jeff Evans. A formidable brew like this in a 750 ML bottle is best made for sharing, after all.

From the bottle label:

The perfect balance of three distinct divergences. Allowed to initially flower with Belgian ale yeast, The Pit & The Pendulum was then incarcerated with Brett and freshly puréed peaches to intensify the trifecta of its persona.

Enjoyable fresh, but also a good one for the cellar, as the Brett continues to contemplate its environment.

Of the Cork & Cage Series Sweetwater says:

Our Cork & Cage series features limited-release barrel-aged or wild brews. Released year round but in small numbers, grab em if you see em.

Sweetwater the Pit and The Pendulum has an alcohol content of 8.3% by volume and I paid $12.99 for my 750 ML bottle.

Sweetwater The Pit & the Pendulum Belgian-Style Ale with Peaches and Brettanomyces pours to a deep straw color with a thick fluffy head of foam and an all-consuming nose of funky Brett yeast. Taking a sip, the beer has a crisp, lightly bready supporting maltiness up front followed by gently sweet peachy fruit flavor suddenly attenuated by funky, distinct Brett yeasty flavor. It finishes dry but not really hoppy. Very tasty indeed!

Seems like Total Wine still has bottles of this, if their website is to be believed. I may have to go look in to that. I’d like to enjoy a bottle young to see how it compares.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 

 

 

 



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