Jester King Snorkel 750ML

Jester King Snörkel 750mL is a wild-fermented specialty saison brewed with oyster mushrooms and alderwood-smoked sea salt at approximately 5.5% ABV. Produced at Jester King Brewery in the Texas Hill Country — a brewery recognized by Craft Beer and Brewing as one of the Top 5 Small Breweries in the World — Snörkel has earned an 87 on BeerAdvocate across nearly 500 ratings for its singular combination of farmhouse funk and savory umami.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~5.5% (varies by batch)  |  Origin: Texas Hill Country, USA  |  Style: Specialty Saison / Farmhouse Ale  |  Brewery: Jester King Brewery

Production & Heritage

Jester King Brewery sits on a 40-acre ranch roughly 18 miles west of downtown Austin. The brewery specializes in mixed-fermentation farmhouse ales, using a blend of brewers yeast, naturally occurring wild yeast, and native souring bacteria to develop complex acidity and funk. Snörkel's grain bill features pilsner malt and wheat, brewed with Texas well water and a delicate blend of noble hops. After fermentation, 60 pounds of fresh oyster mushrooms and alderwood-smoked sea salt are added, introducing deep umami and salinity. Those mushrooms come from Logro Farms, located just a few hundred yards from the brewery, where spent grain from Jester King's brewing process is repurposed to grow the oyster mushrooms — completing a fully closed-loop agricultural cycle. The finished beer is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and 100% bottle conditioned.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Earthy and gently funky, with barnyard notes giving way to subtle brininess. Faint lemon pith and freshly baked white bread round out the nose.

Taste: The entry is soft and lightly tart, with gentle acidity from the native souring bacteria. Mid-palate, savory umami from the oyster mushrooms takes center stage, layered with earthy, mushroom-forward flavors and a kiss of alderwood-smoked salt. Toward the finish, grapefruit bitterness emerges alongside mild sour and funky farmhouse character.

Finish: Dry and briny, with lingering salinity and a clean, refreshing close. The umami fades slowly, making each sip pull you back for the next.

How to Drink Snörkel

Serve chilled to around 45–50°F in a tulip glass or stemmed goblet to concentrate the earthy aromatics. Snörkel is at its best on its own — light-bodied, dry, and deeply refreshing, it thrives as a warm-weather sipper.

• Shandy: A splash of fresh lemon juice amplifies the existing citrus tartness without overpowering the mushroom character.
• Michelada: The beer's inherent salinity and umami fold naturally into a savory Michelada build with lime and hot sauce.
• Radler: Grapefruit soda plays directly off Snörkel's natural grapefruit bitterness for a sessionable summer drink.

Best For

• Sharing with adventurous craft beer enthusiasts exploring farmhouse ales
• Summer cookouts and outdoor gatherings in warm weather
• Pairing alongside a charcuterie or artisan cheese board
• Gifting to fans of sour, wild, or mixed-fermentation beers

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Snörkel taste like? Snörkel is earthy, lightly tart, and savory, with pronounced umami from oyster mushrooms and a gentle brininess from alderwood-smoked sea salt. It finishes dry and refreshing with subtle grapefruit bitterness and farmhouse funk.

How does Snörkel compare to a traditional Gose? Both styles share salinity and tartness, but Snörkel is fermented with wild yeast and native souring bacteria in the farmhouse tradition, producing a more complex, funky character. The addition of oyster mushrooms gives Snörkel a savory umami depth not found in classic Gose.

Is Snörkel good for sipping on its own? At approximately 5.5% ABV, Snörkel is light-bodied, dry, and highly sessionable — reviewers frequently describe it as "impossibly drinkable" and ideal for warm-weather drinking.

Where is Snörkel made? Snörkel is brewed at Jester King Brewery, located on a 40-acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country, approximately 18 miles west of downtown Austin, Texas.

What foods pair well with Snörkel? Grilled oysters or shrimp, where the beer's salinity complements the seafood brine. Soft cheeses like brie or chèvre balance the tartness. Mushroom risotto echoes the umami character. A light salad with citrus vinaigrette mirrors the lemon pith notes. Cured meats and charcuterie highlight the smoky salt.

What sizes does Snörkel come in? Snörkel is available in the standard 750mL bottle format used for most of Jester King's specialty releases.

Is Snörkel worth the price? Snörkel positions as a premium craft farmhouse ale, reflecting small-batch mixed-fermentation production and a unique closed-loop sourcing partnership for its oyster mushrooms. For fans of wild ales and specialty saisons, the distinctive savory profile justifies its place in the premium tier.

Why Snörkel?

Few beers anywhere attempt what Snörkel achieves: genuine umami in a farmhouse ale, derived from a sustainable closed-loop partnership between brewery and farm. The oyster mushrooms grown on Jester King's own spent grain at neighboring Logro Farms give this beer a savory depth that no other saison replicates. With an 87 on BeerAdvocate and a 3.8 on Untappd across more than 12,600 ratings, Snörkel has proven its appeal well beyond novelty. It is a beer that rewards curiosity — earthy, tart, briny, and unlike anything else in the farmhouse category.