Parang Sorrel ale is back, with a difference!

During Trini Christmas, Sorrel is as ubiquitous as ham, hops, pastelles and parang. Made from the Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa), a species of Hibiscus native to West Africa and known locally as Sorrel, the drink is made by boiling the sepals with a variety of spices, including cinnamon and clove, and sweetening to balance the flower’s natural tartness. The cooled drink is then enjoyed over ice, either on its own or blended with alcohol, most often rum.

Parang Sorrel Ale is our ode to this holiday staple, and is brewed with hundreds of pounds of fresh Trinidadian sorrel, grown, picked and cleaned by hand, with no artificial flavours or colours added.

While previous releases of Parang were made using red and black sorrel, for this year's release we used the Pink Rosella, a rare variety grown by Rosella Farms, run by Roopsingh family in Sangre Grande. The Pink Rosella imparts a wonderful rosé colour to the final brew, while the flavour is less tart than darker varieties.

Parang's journey starts in the mash tun, where malted barley is steeped to convert its starches into fermentable sugar. Once the beer wort is drained off into the brew kettle, the roselle's sepals are then added and the mixture is boiled with a festive spice blend. This spiced wort is then cooled, co-fermented with cider juice for a number of weeks using a special ale yeast.

Parang is a fan favourite, and one of the highlights of our annual calendar. It's a unique beer, that's floral, juicy and semi-sweet with a refreshingly subtle tart finish. Parang is now available in bottles and on draft for a limited time, while supplies last.

Order Parang Sorrel Ale now.