From left, Graham Sciarra with The Seymour Brewing Co.; Mark Bailey, wine and brewmaster at Chateau de Pique Winery and Brewery; Ritch Mettert, brewmaster at The Seymour Brewing Co.; and Shawn Malone, owner of The Seymour Brewing Co., pose for a photo in front of a Chateau de Pique wine barrel that was used in a collaboration for The Hustler beer in the brewing facility at The Seymour Brewing Co. Submitted photo

Two local businesses have collaborated to create a unique offering for fans of craft beer and wine.

The Seymour Brewing Co. recently used a wine barrel from Chateau de Pique Winery and Brewery, also located in Seymour, for the first batch of an oak barrel-aged version of its popular beer The Hustler.

Named after professional wrestler and Seymour native Mark Sciarra, aka Rip Rogers, The Hustler is a light wheat beer brewed using dried hibiscus flowers in place of hops, said Ritch Mettert, brewmaster at The Seymour Brewing Co.

“The flowers give a subtle tartness, hints of cranberry and the pink hue to the beer,” Mettert said.

The barrel used for the special production is from the winery’s estate Chambourcin dry red wine, which has notes of oak, black currant and pepper, giving The Hustler a wine-colored hue and adding notes of oak, fruit and floral, soft grain and other flavors.

“After six weeks in the barrel, it gained a very noticeable aroma and winelike character with a more aggressive dry wheat finish than the base beer normally has,” Mettert said.

Only 144 22-ounce bottles were produced and are being sold for $15 at The Seymour Brewing Co., 755 W. Second St., Seymour.