Wren House Brewing Head Brewer Preston Thoeny Talks Christmas Cactus

We spoke with Wren House Brewing Co. head brewer Preston Thoeny about Christmas Cactus.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Christmas Cactus, like all of our Cactus Catalog beers, is a blend of some of our favorite barrels. For this beer, we picked some barrels that would give a strong roasted taste to complement the winter season. We chose strong barrels with lots of chocolate and vanilla notes. 

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
One of the main beers in the Christmas Cactus blend was a great collaboration we did with Horus out of California. It was a S'mores-inspired stout. The great roasted marshmallow and chocolate notes really shine in this beer.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
We name all of our blends after Cacti. Being a winter release, Christmas Cactus fit perfectly. 

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
When it comes to blends, I'm really happy with how this turns out. Its nice when the sum of the blended beers is as unique and delicious as the individual parts. This is a great example of that, and if I got to take a blended stout with me to the island, this would be the one. 

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Bourbon barrel-aged chocolate and toffee deliciousness. 

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
This is one of those beers that can be enjoyed on its own and really appreciated, but it would really shine with a bright, chocolate-based desert. Chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

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