Scatterlings
Surrey, England
Farmhouse beer has a habit of attracting two very different crowds. One group wants rustic, mixed-fermentation complexity and conversations about barrel ageing. The other simply wants something refreshing that tastes interesting. Scatterlings somehow manages to keep both sides happy.
Based on a working farm in Surrey, the brewery focuses almost entirely on saisons and mixed-fermentation beers, taking a slower approach than most modern breweries seem willing to tolerate. The beers begin life in open fermenters before spending extended periods maturing in French oak barrels, often for a year or more. Thankfully the results justify the patience.
The house style leans towards balance rather than aggression. There is acidity, certainly, but not the sort that strips enamel from your teeth. Instead you get soft tartness, gentle funk, bright carbonation and layers of citrus, herbs, wildflowers and subtle oak. The saisons feel closer to traditional farmhouse brewing than modern fruit-loaded sour beer trends.
What makes Scatterlings particularly interesting is its use of British ingredients alongside older European brewing techniques. UK-grown hops, mixed cultures of wild and domesticated yeast, long maturation and barrel blending all play major roles. The beers feel thoughtful without becoming overly academic about it.
The name itself draws partly from founder Brett Moore’s South African roots, referencing movement, travel and not being entirely tied to one place. That sense of wandering fits the beers rather well. Traditional in inspiration, modern in execution and never quite settling into easy categorisation.
At a time when many breweries are chasing ever-louder flavours and bigger releases, Scatterlings feels refreshingly patient. Quietly complex beer usually ages better than hype anyway.
