Credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu
On Thursday 21 May 2026, Luxembourg brewery Twisted Cat and winery Domaine Alice Hartmann hosted a special launch event to unveil their new collaborative creation: Grape Ale.
Held at Paname in Luxembourg-Gare, the evening introduced guests to the new beverage for the very first time. Attendees received a complimentary tasting glass of the new Grape Ale while learning more about the collaboration between the brewery and winery.
Speaking to Chronicle.lu, Jos Wesner, CEO and co-owner of Domaine Alice Hartmann, explained that the idea for the project emerged informally during a conversation over drinks one evening. "Since they are doing beer and we are doing wine, they asked if we would be interested in that and [we were]. That's how it came together," he said.
He described how both sides carefully coordinated production around the grape harvest and brewing schedule. "During the harvest, we timed everything so that they brewed the beer on time," he said. "When our Chardonnay was around 40 degrees Oechsle, we called them. They took the wine, blended the two things and then it stayed in an oak barrel for a couple of months for ageing before it was bottled with some yeast added."
Joel Back, brewer and partner at Twisted Cat, explained that the concept of Grape Ale originates from Italy, where breweries and wineries often work closely together. "Grape Ale is an international beer style known as Italian Grape Ale," he said. "Most Grape Ales nowadays come from Italy, which is quite normal because you have wineries and breweries mixed in some villages and towns."
He added that the production method combines elements of both brewing and winemaking traditions. Twisted Cat produced a strong ale of around 12% alcohol content, which was blended during fermentation with young Chardonnay wine, grapes and grape stems ("must").
"You do a hybrid fermentation of both," he explained. "And we chose something maybe not so usual: we chose to [ferment] it in oak barrels." The barrels themselves had previously contained Chardonnay wine for several years at Domaine Alice Hartmann, further linking the wine and beer components of the project.
"We had to brew the beer exactly at the moment that they harvested, pressed and started fermenting the grapes," Joel Back said. "Six or seven days later, we could bring the two liquids together with some grapes to male a mixed fermentation."
The collaboration represents a blend of Luxembourg's growing craft beer scene with the country's long-established wine-making tradition, resulting in a product that combines characteristics of both worlds.
