Discover: Sour Beer
Sour beers have grown in popularity in recent years, offering beer enthusiasts a unique and complex flavour profile that differs from traditional beer styles. Sour beers can be made using a variety of techniques and ingredients, resulting in a range of flavours and aromas. Let's explore the different types of sour beer and what makes each one unique.
1. Berliner Weisse
Berliner Weisse is a German-style sour beer that is typically light in colour and has a low alcohol content. The beer is known for its tart and refreshing flavour profile, which is achieved by using lactobacillus bacteria during the brewing process. Berliner Weisse is often served with a shot of flavoured syrup, such as raspberry or woodruff, to balance out the tartness.
2. Gose
Gose is another German-style sour beer that originated in the town of Goslar. The beer is brewed with salt and coriander, which gives it a unique flavour profile that is both tart and salty. Gose is typically light in colour and has a low alcohol content, making it a popular choice for summer drinking.
3. Flanders Red Ale
Flanders Red Ale is a Belgian-style sour beer that is known for its complex and fruity flavour profile. The beer is aged in oak barrels, which gives it a distinct woody character. Flanders Red Ale is often described as having a sweet and sour taste, with notes of cherry, plum, and raspberry.
4. Lambic
Lambic is a traditional Belgian-style sour beer that is brewed using spontaneous fermentation. This means that the beer is left to ferment using wild yeasts and bacteria that are present in the air. Lambic is often blended with fruit to create fruit lambics, such as kriek (cherry) or framboise (raspberry).
5. American Wild Ale
American Wild Ale is a newer style of sour beer that has gained popularity in the United States. The beer is typically brewed using a blend of wild yeasts and bacteria, as well as a variety of hops and malts. American Wild Ales can have a wide range of flavours and aromas, from tart and citrusy to funky and earthy
6. Fruit Smoothie Sour
Fruit smoothie sours are a newer style that incorporates lactose and fruit puree to create a beer with a thick, creamy texture and a sweet and sour taste. These beers often resemble a fruit smoothie in appearance and are popular for their fruity, tropical flavour
7. Pastry Sour
Pastry sours are a dessert-inspired style that combines the tartness of sour beer with the sweetness of pastry flavours, such as vanilla, chocolate, and cinnamon. These beers are often brewed with lactose, which gives them a creamy mouthfeel and a sweet finish.
8. Barrel-Aged Sour
Barrel-aged sours are sour beers that have been aged in barrels previously used for other types of alcohol, such as bourbon or wine. This aging process adds complexity and depth to the beer, with notes of oak, vanilla, and other flavours from the barrel
9. Kettle Sour
Kettle sours are sour beers that are brewed using a method called "kettle souring." This involves adding lactobacillus bacteria to the wort (the liquid extracted from the grains during the brewing process) and letting it sour for a period of time before boiling and adding hops. This method allows brewers to create sour beers more quickly than traditional methods, which can take months or even years.
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