Pirate Life and St Agnes Distillery have teamed up on a Sidecar sour ale just in time for Christmas

What’s better than a new beer just in time for Christmas? St Agnes Distillery and Pirate Life have teamed up to merge the Sidecar cocktail with a sour beer.

Pirate Life brewer Jake Haysman with Richard Angove from St. Agnes Distillery at Pirate Life in Port Adelaide. Picture: Matt Loxton

Historic South Australian spirits company St Agnes and craft brewer Pirate Life have teamed up for a festive special release, collaborating on a “sidecar sour ale’’ based on the cocktail said to have been invented at the Ritz In Paris.

While the origins of the original Sidecar are somewhat murky, this new release was cooked up between co-managing director of St Agnes Distillery Richard Angove, and Pirate Life Brewer Jake Haysman.

“Pirate Life reached out to us back in August with an idea to collaborate,’’ Mr Angove said.

“I’m a massive fan of their beers, and had never been to their Port Adelaide brewery, so we jumped at the chance to meet there for a chat.’’

After a tour and a tasting, the pair got to chatting.

“After a quick brainstorm, we landed on something quite unique, a sour ale inspired by one of the world’s most celebrated cocktails, the Sidecar.

“The Pirate Life brew team have channelled these flavours into a truly epic beer, and we couldn’t be happier with the results.’’

The Sidecar is a true classic in cocktail terms, with the recipe reportedly first appearing in the Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails published by Harry MacElhone, the bartender at the legendary Harry’s New York Bar in Paris.

It contains cognac - or brandy in Australia - Cointreau and lemon juice.

Mr Haysman said he was stocked with the results.

“The Sidecar angle is a great way to showcase the brew team’s abilities, while celebrating the flavour profile of the spirit,’’ he said.

“We went with a foundation of pale malt, wheat, and a sprinkling of crystal malt for extra body and colour.

“For that tartness, which is synonymous with the cocktail, we soured the wort with lactobacillus and also added lemon juice for a bit of extra pucker.”

Pirate Life has also announced it is opening its first Melbourne venue, with its fourth bricks and mortar operation opening in a former mechanic’s garage in South Melbourne in mid-2023.

Only 5000 litres of the Pirate Life x St. Agnes Distillery Sidecar Sour Ale will be made, and it is available to buy through Pirate Life’s online store and selected independent bottle shops.

Pirate Life was founded in Adelaide in 2014 and bought by global beverages company Ab InBev in 2017.