Production Philosophy
Sherbet Daydream is a sparkling rosé-style blend built through fermentation rather than dealcoholization, in keeping with MURI's broader method of treating and fermenting each component separately before blending. According to MURI, the drink was designed as a festive, alcohol-free aperitif intended to taste like a Christmas tree. It is characterized as the most quintessentially Nordic of MURI's blends. One trait sets it apart within the range: MURI notes that Sherbet Daydream intentionally incorporates acetic acid to sharpen its acidity, a choice the producer describes as atypical for its blends.[1]
Origin. MURI states that Sherbet Daydream evolved from a collaboration bottle made with Restaurant Kadeau in 2022, taking the restaurant's signature pickled pine as a point of inspiration. It was released in December 2023, originally created as a special edition for the holidays. According to MURI, it was later kept on as a permanent offering due to its popularity.[2],[3]
Composition & Vinification
MURI declares the ingredients as: water, red currant juice (13%), rhubarb (6.4%), juniper, Douglas fir pine needles (0.16%), vinegar, salt, sugar, and yeast. The finished blend is described as a sparkling rosé cuvée of rhubarb, aromatic pine, juniper, and red currants with bright acidity.[2]
Juniper Water Kefir — Backbone. A juniper water kefir forms the backbone of the blend, providing structure and balance. MURI credits this component with a background creaminess in the finished drink.[2]
Douglas Fir Needle Pickle Liquor — Aromatic Core. Douglas fir needles foraged from woods near Lyngby, Denmark, are infused into a vinegar to create a pickle liquor, which MURI identifies as the core ingredient. The liquor is used to macerate fresh rhubarb, and a small amount of pickle liquor is added at blending time for extra tang. MURI notes that the acetic acid it carries sharpens the drink's acidity.[1]
Rhubarb — Fruit and Finish. Rhubarb is pickled in the Douglas fir-infused liquor, then macerated in a redcurrant wine. MURI credits the fresh rhubarb with giving the drink its sharp, clean finish. Taking Restaurant Kadeau's signature pickled pine as a point of inspiration, the technique treats rhubarb pickled in a liquor infused with foraged Douglas fir.[1],[2]
Red Currant Wine — Fruit Base. Red currant juice, at 13% of the blend, is fermented into a redcurrant wine in which the pickled rhubarb is macerated. MURI describes the red currants as the source of the blend's bright acidity.[2]
Fermentation Methodology
MURI describes the overall production sequence as: pickling rhubarb in a liquor infused with foraged Douglas fir, then macerating the rhubarb in a redcurrant wine, adding a small amount of pickle juice at blending time to enhance acidity, with a juniper water kefir providing the backbone of the blend. The Douglas fir needle pickle liquor is created by infusing the needles into a vinegar. Unlike MURI's other blends, Sherbet Daydream intentionally incorporates acetic acid to sharpen its acidity.[1],[2]
Tasting Profile
Nose. MURI describes the drink as bright and woodsy with a lively burst of pink fruit, rhubarb, subtle pine, and tangy fizz. A sommelier characterized it as "a cross between a Christmas tree and the Barbie movie."[2]
Palate. MURI reports bright acidity and woodsy tannins from the fir providing structure to soft fruit, with a background creaminess from the kefir. The acetic acid from the pickle liquor piques the acidity to give the drink a sharp, clean finish, described as a bright sherbet-like tartness.[1],[2]
Structure. [2]
- Acidity: Bright, sharpened by acetic acid from the Douglas fir pickle liquor
- Body: Background creaminess from the juniper water kefir
- Tannin: Woodsy tannins from the fir provide structure
- Length: Sharp, clean finish
Pairings
MURI recommends pairing Sherbet Daydream with oysters, raw or cured seafood, and light canapés. Further suggestions include smoked salmon and blinis, or chilled raw oysters with mignonette. The drink was also used as the primary MURI ingredient in a 'Strawberry Daydream' cocktail, alongside fresh strawberry juice and simple syrup.[2],[4]