The Milky Way VL#0012

The portrait

La Voie Lactée VL#0012 is a Wild Ale born from an unusual collaboration between La Nébuleuse, a Swiss brewery renowned for pushing the boundaries of brewing, and Brasserie Trois Dames in Sainte-Croix. The project is as audacious as its name: the same beer base, two radically different fermentation paths. Where VL#0002 follows the path of a Pale Ale with subtle and balanced nuances, VL#0012 plunges into the depths of the wild.

This wild-fermented, barrel-aged sour beer is openly inspired by Lambic, the Brussels brewing tradition where the beer is left to the whims of the microorganisms in the air. The result is a complex creation, both harsh and enveloping, which some enthusiasts have called "the wine-iest beer I've ever had," as it evokes a natural wine or a gueuze more than a conventional beer.

Wild in character, it boasts a pronounced acidity, fermentary notes developed through barrel aging, and a lingering bitterness that is surprising in this style. A beer for the curious and lovers of complex fermentations, halfway between Belgian tradition and Swiss audacity.

The story

La Voie Lactée is a collaborative series conceived jointly by La Nébuleuse and Brasserie Trois Dames. The concept at the heart of the project is particularly elegant: the same wort base is divided in two, then subjected to two diametrically opposed fermentation processes, giving birth to two sister beers (VL#0002 and VL#0012) which each explore a distinct sensory territory.

VL#0012 represents the darker, wilder side of this duality. Entrusted to spontaneous fermentation and barrel aging, it follows the philosophy of great Belgian Lambics, allowing time and microorganisms to sculpt the beer's final character. This approach, still rare in Switzerland at the time of its creation, reflects the two breweries' desire to explore uncharted brewing territories within the country.

Food and beer pairings

The acidic, wild, and vinous nature of VL#0012 calls for pairings inspired by spontaneously fermented beers and natural wines. It will pair perfectly with mature soft or washed-rind cheeses such as Époisses, Mont d'Or, or fresh goat cheese, whose milky and tangy character ideally complements the beer's acidity.

For meat lovers, fine charcuterie (cured ham, rillettes, pâté en croûte) offers a rich and flavorful counterpoint. In cooking, oysters and raw seafood are a classic pairing with wild beers, the iodine and minerality of the shellfish amplifying the fermentative complexity. Finally, for a bolder pairing, a tart red fruit dessert such as a morello cherry tart or raspberry sorbet will beautifully extend the fruity notes that this style can develop.

The final word

La Voie Lactée VL#0012 continues to find its way into the hands of discerning palates, as evidenced by a check-in at Poli Bar in March 2025. A niche beer par excellence, it doesn't chase popularity; it patiently awaits it, aging gracefully, for those who know how to look beyond the well-trodden paths of the brewing world. If you spot this wild star on a beer menu, don't let it slip away.

Cheers! 🍻

The recipe