The team at Mortalis is always down for a creative new showcase idea. For those unfamiliar with the dedicated fruit holidays, the first weekend in December is celebrated as World Pear Day. When it comes to relating this peculiar fruit to the world of craft beer, one specific name comes to mind above all else. We’ve collaborated with Paul Grenier and Mortalis yet again to feature the most monstrous version to date of their famous Pear Brandy Leto in celebration of one of the most-consumed fruits in the world.

The Perfect Pear

Mortalis Brewing began as a passion project that came to full-scale reality after the team entered a contest to open a brewery in Livingston County, New York. They won the contest in March of 2017 and put everything they had into ensuring its early success. The original crew, a mere team of five, launched a Kickstarter campaign in order to lock in funding for their summer 2018 opening.

They quickly hit their goal, led by one of their original supporters, Mama Lor’s Cafe out of Webster, NY. In honor of and in thanks to their contribution toward their dream, one of Mortalis’s first releases was an Imperial Stout treated with Mama Lor’s famous almond cookies, cacao nibs, and almonds. And thus, the beer dedicated to the Greek goddess of motherhood and modesty was born.

Leto

Leto Imperial Stout has undergone many treatments over the last 6 years since its original non-BA version in 2019. However, the Pear Brandy release has always remained the favorite and most highly sought-after. The first batch came out in 2020, an incredibly small batch that did not extend much beyond friends and family. The anticipated re-release debuted in 2021 at Pastrytown, later bottled and released to the public on March 19, 2022. Only 130 bottles were available.

While this decadent stout has seen releases aged in single Apple Brandy and Peach Brandy barrels, Mortalis has also double-oak-aged their Pear Brandy Leto. The team debuted this version in 2022 at the WeldWerks Invitational, and a small number of bottles were released at their July Luau Festival the same year. Although it made scattered draft-only appearances since then, the brewery introduced a new Double Barrel Pear Leto this year as part of its 6th Anniversary celebration.

Cheers to 6 Years!

Festivities for Mortalis’s 6th anniversary took place on August 24 at their FLX location, and they were sure to pull out all the stops. In addition to all-day food trucks, there were also rare on-site bottle pours, a vintage cellar sale, and much more!

Bottle counts were very limited, and the team released a special barrel-aged bottle to celebrate 6 years in Avon. That beer was — you guessed it — the newest iteration of Double Barrel Pear Leto.

Copper Wax, Double Barrel

This variation of the famous Imperial Stout started its journey in a pear brandy barrel for 6 months. It then transferred to an Elijah Craig barrel, where it rested for an additional 18 months. The team finished the beer with its characteristic almond cookie treatment to bring it all together. As mentioned, this was a 6th Anniversary exclusive release, with allocations limited to 1 bottle per person.

We’ve collaborated with Mortalis multiple times on PorchDrinking — including a deep dive into their barrel program — and have linked up with them yet again for a fun, exclusive experience. The NY team sent us a bottle of this newest double-barrel expression of Pear Leto, and we’d like to extend emphatic thanks for the opportunity to highlight such a special and meaningful bottle on the most appropriate day we could think of for the occasion.

The Review

DB Leto is pitch black motor oil, cascading into the glass without agitating any carbonation. After a few minutes of settling, however, tightly formed bubbles begin to dance around the perimeter of the liquid.

The nose is pastry bliss, with a beautiful bouquet of mascarpone frosting, amaretto, cardamom, and brown sugar-baked pears. On the back end, there is the slightest touch of nutty dryness that rounds out the richness. Meanwhile, a soft brandy character peaks through.

When first introducing this beer to the palate, brandy barrel influence asserts itself with authority. The profile explodes with dry, roasty almond, caramelized pear, and marzipan buttercream. Quickly following is a great integration of bourbon, bringing notes of baking chocolate, smoked vanilla, toasted oak, and a touch of baking spices.

The mouthfeel is velvety smooth; moreover, it hits a beautiful line that doesn’t cross over into overly syrupy or viscous. The carbonation is low and effervescent, finishing with a touch of residual bitterness and great length. Those finishing notes serve as a stark reminder of the star of this show: that beautiful pear brandy.

Prost to Pears!

World Pear Day marks the height of pear season in early December and opens the celebration of National Pear Month. This annual event spotlights the diverse varieties of this flavorful fruit on a global scale and will take place tomorrow, December 7.

With origins dating back to 5,000 B.C., pears have long been valued for their sweet, juicy taste, adaptability, and extended shelf life. These qualities made them a prized item along ancient trade routes. By the 18th century, the pear tree gained cultural significance, even earning a mention in the iconic holiday song The Twelve Days of Christmas. While a bit more uncommon, pears have also found their way into the world of alcohol, even occasionally used as adjuncts for a variety of beer styles.

Mortalis Brewing took its use a step further. While craft brewers don’t typically see or utilize Pear Brandy barrels, sourcing them for secondary use can also be very difficult. However, their influence on beer is unique and decadent. Moreover, when strategically treated and blended with other barrel types and styles, they can result in some truly unique and incredible beers. We’ve had the opportunity to highlight a few different examples of Brandy-aged Leto on PorchDrinking, and we agree that this newest Double Barrel Pear iteration is, without a doubt, the most layered, complex beer the team in Avon has released to date. We’re always closely monitoring to see what this talented crew comes up with next, and, needless to say, we’re so happy to see their continued success in the industry. Cheers to 6 years, Mortalis, and Happy World Pear Day!

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