A brief background to Maiden
This is where it all began. Soon to celebrate its 12th annual release, our blended barrel aged Barley Wine was quite literally our Maiden voyage into brewing. All the way back in 2013 when our founder, Darron, first fired up the shiny new kit, this beer was the first brew to happen. At that point, the entire batch went straight into barrels to begin the ageing process - not to be touched for at least a year, with the first “Maiden” release arriving the following year.
This beer has become synonymous with Siren’s approach; for the first ever brew to be put aside, untouched for at least a year was a brave first step for a fledgling business and we have continued this drive for forward planning, experimentation and being unafraid to test unknown waters. We've since continued to release a Maiden beer each year to coincide with our anniversary.
Starting out in just a few barrels, Maiden is now kept in more than 50 different barrels. Each year, as we take some for the new edition’s blend, the barrels are topped up with a fresh brew. Barrels used include (but are certainly not limited to!) former Jack Daniels barrels, Red Wine, Rye Whiskey, Cognac, Rum, Tequila and even white wine. Barrel ageing is a unique process and each individual barrel can bring different things to the beer stored within. You could have 4 barrels from the same previous use (red wine, for example) that will all bring a varied result to the beer.
A diverse range of barrels is needed to create a blend, so that each year we can create a recognisable, but distinctive finished product.
Maiden Blending Day
So what exactly is our blending day all about? Once a year, staff from right across the team, from brewers to bar staff and marketing to dray people, and some invited guests gather at the Tap Yard to begin the process. It’s important to have a good number of people, as tastes and preferences vary. Samples from selected barrels are drawn from each available barrel of Maiden by our Barrel Manager.
Staff split into teams, and then spend the morning section tasting through every single sample, diligently taking notes on aroma, flavour, bitterness. After a break for lunch, the blending process begins, using the learnings from the morning session to find a blend of samples to create the desired experience.
The perfect blend takes time, patience and experimentation. But we can’t deny that it’s also a lot of fun! Once each team has created a blend, each individual then blind tastes each version, ultimately voting for their favourite. Whilst there’s a competitive element to the day for each team, hoping to see their blend chosen, this process isn’t just about creating a beer, it’s also about team building, collaboration, and working together for the greater good.
With the winning blend chosen, our Barrel Manager takes the recipe and heads back into the barrel store to create the final product. Blend recipes are all about quantities. For example, it may be 5ml Red Wine Barrel, 5ml Whiskey Barrel, 5mls Brandy Barrel, 10mls Rum Barrel and 10mls Fresh Maiden. The Barrel Manager’s job is to scale that recipe for commercial release.
The final product, which will now be Maiden 2024, will be bottled, before each 375ml bottle is individually hand dipped into Golden wax over the cap. This helps to add shelf longevity to the beer, which many people like to cellar age (and trust us, the old Maiden bottles taste incredible). This will be available from the end of March, along with 3 other canned Anniversary Special releases.
Click below to watch the Blending Day Reel!
By drinking any version of Maiden, you’re tasting true beer history. Each year builds on the last - they’re recognisable as a series, yet individual with unique characteristics. No two Maiden’s are alike, and that’s just how we like it. Experimentation is at the core of Siren, and this iconic aged barley wine is a testament to this.
Maiden 2024 will be available from the end of March at our 12th Anniversary Festival. Click here to get your tickets - we'd love to see you down on the day!
Fancy seeing our barrel store (said to be the largest single stacked barrel store in Europe) in all it's glory? Then click here to book in a brewery tour, which includes a walk around the brew house, canning line, warehousing facilities and barrel store - ending with a beer or two in our on site Tap Yard!
If you'd like to discover our wider range of barrel aged beers, we have a specific category page for that! Some current available highlights include Barrel Aged Caribbean Chocolate Cake, an imperial tropical stout aged for 36 months, and The Light Gatherer, another barley wine in a similar style to Maiden, aged in bourbon barrels.
