What about sour beer?
Who doesn’t love to end the day with a cold one? Maybe you like to sit down with a pint of smooth stout, or maybe you’re more in love with India Pale Ales. Maybe you like hefeweizens and their huge body, or maybe you prefer a brown ale or a red ale. There’s a lot of room for diversity in the world of beer, and that’s certainly part of the fun. However, is there a place for sour beer? If you haven’t tried any of the acids now on the market, they are definitely something different. Most find they either love or hate them, though declaring them an “acquired taste” seems like the best description. What are sour beers and what should you know about them?
Originally
Once upon a time, sour beers were practically the province of Belgian brewers. That’s not to say they didn’t develop elsewhere, but the Belgians were famous for their sour concoctions. Most of those being developed by craft brewers today come from the Belgian tradition, at least in theory, if not in actual practice.
Why might today’s craft brewers move away from traditional ways of making sours? It is mainly due to the practice that allowed wild yeast strains to enter the brew during fermentation. Wild yeast can result in some, well, wild results, and most brewers try to steer clear of situations where this kind of unpredictability is common.
How Breweries Develop Bitter Flavors
There are several ways that brewers can develop sour flavors in their beers. While there are still a handful of brewers sticking to the original method (mainly in Belgium), other options have been developed.
Yeast – There are two options available to brewers hoping to use yeast to create a sour brew. One option is to use old barrels aged with wild yeast, as was done in the beginning. You will find that this is mainly used by traditional brewers still operating in Belgium. The other way is to intentionally introduce a particular strain of yeast into the mix known to create those desired flavors. In the world of winemaking, brettanomyces is something to be avoided at all costs due to the unwanted flavors it imparts during the fermentation process. In the world of beer, it’s desirable, at least if you want to end up with a tart, sour beer.
Of course, as you might expect, there are problems when using a different type of yeast than is normally used during the brewing process. Cross-contamination is a very real threat that can ruin a good batch of beer, which is why brewers using this specialized yeast must keep their sours away from their regular beers, even going so far as to house their sours in a completely separate building. .
Fruit – Another way to create sour beer is to use different types of fruit during the aging process to result in secondary fermentation. The fruit not only imparts its unique flavor characteristics, but also brings additional yeast to the table, which will feast on the remaining sugars in the brew as well as the sugar from the fruit. Cherries and raspberries are commonly used for this. The fruit can also be used primarily for flavoring, adding sourness to an infusion in an attempt to increase its tartness. Apricots are a favorite for this.
The aging process
One of the characteristics of sour beers (besides the taste, of course) is the long aging process they must go through. While regular beers can be aged only slightly and be palatable, sour beers need to be aged for a much longer period, sometimes up to three years. That’s a huge investment in time, equipment, and space for brewers, and sometimes the gamble isn’t worth it, even when the beer produced is exactly what was intended. Many craft brewers find that their offerings are only enjoyed by a few loyal fans and true lovers of bitters.
types of beer
Technically, almost any type of beer can be made sour. All it takes is the right bacteria and a little time. However, there are a few types that are specifically known as sour beers, including Flemish beers, guezes, and lambics. Of the three, lambics are probably the most famous for their tartness. However, both German-style and American-style sour beers are beginning to make their way into the burgeoning craft beer market.
You’ll find that one of the best things about sours is the fact that they can help bridge the diverse worlds of alcohol consumption. For example, a Flanders red might be a great choice for a heavy wine drinker, while fruitier sours might be great choices for those who don’t particularly like malt or hops. While the name “sour” may be a turn off, you’ll find that the refreshing and tart nature of these beers can make a big difference in your own enjoyment of the drink, and may even appeal to craft beer lovers. .
To help you get out there and discover some interesting new beers, here are a few breweries currently producing bitters:
• New Belgium
• Waterfall
• Lost Abbey
• Cigar City
• Goose Island
• Cantillon
• Allagash
Enjoy them at any time of the year
Acids are known for their refreshing flavors, low alcohol content (relatively speaking), and less body and hoppy flavor than IPAs and other beers. If you’re looking for something a little different from the standard pilsner, lager, or IPA, why not give the world of sours a try? You’ll find that there are quite a few out there, but you’ll have to do some searching to get your hands on one. Actually, that search may be half the fun here. Get out there and enjoy a sour today, and you’ll get a glimpse of just how diverse and enjoyable the world of craft beer really is. Spring, summer, fall, or winter, these beers are a great choice year-round.
poto beer,
Dustin Canestorp