Brooklyn Brewery and Thornbridge Brewery have been pals for many years. Serpent is the first beer of its kind, and one of the coolest things either brewery has ever done. We all went to Oliver's Cider & Perry in Herefordshire seeking their lees, the natural wild yeasts that ferment their apples into great traditional ciders. We brewed a robust Belgian-inspired golden ale, based on Brooklyn Local 1, at Thornbridge, added the lees in ex-bourbon barrels, aged the beer for more than a year, and bottle-conditioned it. Now Serpent emerges strong, dry, tart, firm, fine and funky, a full expression of our long friendship, the best of British craft brewing, the American penchant for boldness, and the microflora of Tom Oliver's orchard and the Herefordshire countryside. Food Pairing: Apples, baked goods, barbecue, nutty cheeses, brisk autumn walks, and celebrations.