Urkontinent: When beer geeks and tech geeks collide

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Urkontinent is a social collaboration of worldwide proportions.

The seed was planted when we asked beer-loving tech types around the world to suggest ingredients for a new off-centered ale.

More than 100 ideas poured in, and a small team from the brewery (and a few of our beer-loving tech friends) narrowed the list to five: wattleseed from Australia, toasted amaranth from South America, rooibos tea from Africa, myrica gale from Europe and honey from the United States.

Urkontinent

The name Urkontinent, a German word for the theory that all of the continents were once connected, is a shoutout to the worldly ingredients and ideas that make up this beer.

"Urkontinent is a valentine to boot-strapping creative entrepreneurs in all kinds of industries all over the world," says Dogfish Head Founder and President Sam Calagione.

The careful combination of ingredients gives this 8.1% ABV Belgian dubbel notes of coffee and chocolate-covered cherries.

"It's a complex beer that starts with a ton of mouthfeel, some molasses and roasty notes," says Sam, "then ends clean and dry."

Urkontinent, packaged in 750-ml champagne bottles, will be released in mid-April with a suggested price of $11.99-$12.99.