Saison Sunday — Wild OCB Hefe

A solemn moment of appreciation you are invited to be intentional while sharing craft brews. Our tasting group is open to all the ritual involves a finely crafted beverage and a music listening session. Posted below are prior selections by finding this page you can also cue a playlist and select a beverage for sipping.

Host Brewery: May 25th, 2025

Oak Cliff Brewing Co.
Tyler Station
Address: 1300 S Polk St #222
Dallas, TX 75224
https://oakcliffbrewing.com

The team at Oak Cliff Brewing have built a collective within a collective. The Tyler Station building is a co-working space for creative small business. I was at the brewery discussing beer distribution models and potential markets. The craft beer industry has slowed in my opinion the dream is deferred. Instead of casting lots we decided to collaborate. We sampled beer from tanks looking for a beer to re-work for bottle conditioning. The day ended with a talk on hop products at the Texas Craft Brewers Guild. Crosby Hops was showcasing their CGX products. The estate grown Cascade and Comet hops were a exceptional I decided to work them into the blend.

Blending and hand bottling wild ales with industry friends is an intentional rebellion. I prefer beers with yeast contact for long term aging. I continue to promote wild expression as well as beer in glass bottles. Working with the team at OCB is about continuing for the sake of learning about myself while holding space for the next leaders. I enjoy wild crafting with nature. The yeasts are collections from my travels. They have morphed and shifted as much as I. Their natural expressions continue with maturity. So has the craft beer culture we once knew. I am in the brewery inspired by the next change generation. My work will be to chart a new course. The project has great impact as well as community.

The bottles scheduled for this release are young fresh beer still holding the character of primary fermentation. The wild yeast is active maturing in varying degrees for the next two years. From a brewer’s perspective we are trying them too early. Brewers usually access the stages alone. These moments offer intimacy with the product and insight into its development. The beer is not any greater just different. We pray the bottles ages well within context.

The batch of Hefeweizen into the blend was a bit dryer on the palate. It was chosen for the wheat content and overall clove esters. The blend of wild yeast at bottling included bottled wild cultures from MVP Saison & War Flower. We added a sampling of Crosby Hop Farm CGX estate grown Comet and Cascade hops then conditioned.

At day 13 for carbonation check I felt the Cascade hop blend was refreshingly hoppy not overdone. The Comet hop blend should yield more pleasantly to the wild esters.

The beer was sampled at day 77 to determine if we are good for early release. They are holding up well. Tropical fruit notes with building character. Lucky followers will have the chance to taste this journey with me.

The beer turned out great. It’s a young wild ale. The event allowed people to sample and so decide how it may develop. The base OCB Hefe is present with the added benefit of funk on the backdrop of tropical fruit. I’m suggesting a five year cellar timeline. Best before date of 2030.03.06. The Wild OCB Hefe should peak at 2.5 - 3 years in the saison family with bright acidity. I’m expecting the notes will shift to an oxidative touch at 3.5 years. Year five will showcase the cellar noting how well the bottles were stored. Cool storage allows for an elongated timeline. However, ambient temperature encourages mystic.

Curated Playlist:

Sobieski Sunday #82 — Jazzy and gentle setting the stage for restorative reflection.

I lived on this street in the 1980s my siblings and I would find adventure and mischief at every corner. Our neighborhood boarded a Polish community. We lived in passing making the corner store and the church an anchor called home. We recycled cans and collected coins from phonebooths. Making the rounds after school we afforded snacks or an occasional soda pop. The behind our house was a cemetery. Dog barks structured our dreams with haunted stories. These past lives shifted quickly empty streets would erupt with violence. Peace was overturned by the friction within the community. Times have changed. I return to this playlist like a homecoming. Memories form this street are cornerstones.

Saison Sundays are filled with conversation, music, and friends. I am a brewer working with yeast and wild fermentation. The tasting group has access to upcoming beer releases featuring rustic ales I've created or collected. The brewery hosted tasting events happen when beers are released.

The concept of critical listening is taken from Hi-Fi audio meetings with a group of audiophile enthusiasts. We meet monthly to share new music, enjoy analog sound, and chat all things vintage. Private gatherings are hosted by request.

Send a message to visit or request to join. - Barrett Tillman