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Richmond Opening Hours: Monday CLOSED, Tuesday-Thursday MIDDAY - 7PM, Friday & Saturday 11AM-8PM, Sunday MIDDAY-7PM. Parcels dispatched Tues-Friday.
Richmond Opening Hours: Monday CLOSED, Tuesday-Thursday MIDDAY - 7PM, Friday & Saturday 11AM-8PM, Sunday MIDDAY-7PM. Parcels dispatched Tues-Friday.
Sour Beer

Sour Beer

Sour has an intentionally acidic, tart or sour taste. The most common sour beer styles are Belgian: lambics, gueuze and Flanders red ale.

At one time, all beers were sour to some degree. As pure yeast cultures were not available, the starter used from one batch to another usually contained some wild yeast and bacteria. Unlike modern brewing, which is done in a sterile environment to guard against the intrusion of wild yeast, sour beers are made by intentionally allowing wild yeast strains or bacteria into the brew. Traditionally, Belgian brewers allowed wild yeast to enter the brew naturally through the barrels or during the cooling of the wort in a Koelschip open to the outside air – an unpredictable process that many modern brewers avoid.

The most common agents used to intentionally sour beer are Lactobacillus,  Brettanomyces and Pediococcus. Another method for achieving a tart flavor is adding fruit during the aging process to spur a secondary fermentation or contribute microbes present on the fruit's skin.

Because of the uncertainty involved in using wild yeast, the sour beer brewing process is extremely unpredictable. The beer takes months to ferment and can take years to mature.

  • Tilquin Oude Cassis à l'Ancienne (2018-2019) 375ml
    Gueuzerie Tilquin
    $25.99

    The Cassis Tilquin � l�ancienne (6.3% alc/vol) is a spontaneous fermentation beer obtained from the fermentation of frozen blackcurrants in young l...

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    $25.99
  • Lindemans Kriek Cuvee Rene 375ml
    Lindemans
    $18.99

    Our traditional Kriek Cuv�e Ren� Grand Cru is brewed with wild yeast from the surrounding air, water, malted barley, wheat, aged flower hop flowers...

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    $18.99
  • Lindemans Apple 355ml
    Lindemans
    $13.00

    Long before hops were common in most beers, various fruits and herbs were used to season beers. The clean, bright aroma and flavor of apples melds ...

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    $13.00
  • Tilquin Oude Quetsche a l'Ancienne 375ml
    Gueuzerie Tilquin
    $31.50

    The Quetsche Tilquin � l�ancienne (6.4% alc / vol) is a spontaneous fermentation beer obtained from the fermentation of destoned fresh purple plums...

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    $31.50
  • Oud Beersel Framboise 375ml
    Oud Beersel
    $17.99

    Framboise is a classic among the Belgian beers created by adding whole fresh raspberries (250 g/l)to a blend of young and old lambic. Framboise Oud...

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    $17.99
  • Tilquin Oude Mûre à l'Ancienne 375ml
    Gueuzerie Tilquin
    $29.99

    Beer of spontaneous fermentation, the Oude M�re Tilquin � l�Ancienne is made from the fermentation of 350 gr of blackberries by liter of lambic. Un...

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    $29.99
  • Lindemans / Mikkeller Spontanbasil 750ml
    Lindemans
    $47.99

    SpontanBasil combines the sourness of lambic with the aromas and flavours of fresh basil. Complex tart and well-balanced taste with a nice crisp, d...

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    $47.99
  • Liefmans Kriek Brut 750ml
    Liefmans
    $19.99

    This classy beer represents the perfect marriage between the fresh accents and slightly acidic flavour of the black cherries. Liefmans Kriek-Brut i...

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    $19.99
  • Tilquin Oude Quetsche a l'Ancienne 750ml
    Gueuzerie Tilquin
    $59.99

    The Quetsche Tilquin � l�ancienne is a spontaneous fermentation beer obtained from the fermentation of destoned fresh purple plums in a blend of 1 ...

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    $59.99
  • Oud Beersel Oude Kriek 375ml
    Oud Beersel
    $16.99

    Oud Beersel Oude Kriek is an artisanal product, made from real cherries and Oud Beersel lambic matured in old barrels. They are slowly absorbed int...

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    $16.99
  • Lindemans Pecheresse 355ml
    Lindemans
    $14.00

    A golden peach lambic with a sparkling appearance and fruity taste.

    $14.00
  • Lindemans Kriek 355ml
    Lindemans
    $14.00

    A sparking cherry flavoured brew which is smooth and refreshing. Also sold as Foudroyante Kriek.Ingredients: Malt, wheat, 25% cherry juice, fructos...

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    $14.00
  • Lindemans Cassis 355ml
    Lindemans
    $14.99

    Lindemans Cassis is a lambic made from local barley, unmalted wheat, and wild yeast. After spontaneous fermentation the lambic is aged in oak. Blac...

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    $14.99
  • Boon Kriek Mariage Parfait 375ml
    Brouwerij Boon
    $18.99

    Kriek Mariage Parfait is an Old Style Kriek of exceptional excellence. 400 g of wild cherries per litre are fermented together with a strong Lambic...

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    $18.99
  • Boon Kriek 375ml
    Brouwerij Boon
    $14.50

    Kriek Boon is a traditional Belgian Lambic fruit-beer. It is brewed according to the traditional Lambic style of spontaneous fermentation. Only fre...

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    $14.50
  • Boon Framboise 375ml
    Brouwerij Boon
    $18.00

    Raspberry lambic was once a rarity and only produced for a few weeks during the summer. Frank Boon was the first brewer to again prepare a raspberr...

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    $18.00
  • Tilquin Oude Myrtille Sauvage à l'Ancienne 375ml
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    Gueuzerie Tilquin
    $27.99

    The Myrtille Sauvage Tilquin � l�ancienne (6.6% alc/vol) is a spontaneous fermentation beer obtained from the fermentation of frozen wild blueberri...

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    $27.99
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  • Oud Beersel Kriekenlambiek Beer Box 3.1 Litre
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    Oud Beersel
    $110.00

    Oud Beersel Kriekenlambiek is a traditional Lambic beer, produced by the addition of real sour cherries for natural fermentation in young Lambic. O...

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    $110.00
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  • De Ranke Kriek 750ml
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    Brouwerij De Ranke
    $29.99

    Kriek de Rank is real Belgian sour ale fermented with cherries and then blended with real lambic. It is unfiltered and unpasterized. The de Rank br...

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    $29.99
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  • 3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek with Honey 375ml
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    3 Fonteinen
    $34.99

    58th blend of the 2017-2018 season, screen printed bottle. This particular Oude Kriek has macerated for almost 6 months. The final fruit intensity ...

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    $34.99
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  • 3 Fonteinen Hommage 2013 750ml
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    3 Fonteinen
    $99.99

    Made with 30% raspberries from the Payottenland, and 5% sour cherries. In commemoration of the late Gaston Debelder, founder of the 3 Fonteinen ble...

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    $99.99
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  • New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek 375ml
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    New Belgium
    $18.99

    Winner of a gold medal at the 2018 Great American Beer Festival, Transatlantique Kriek begins its life in oaken vessels of Gert Christiaens� Oud Be...

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    $18.99
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  • Alesong Kriek 500ml
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    Alesong Brewing & Blending
    $39.99

    Robed in bright vermillion and with an aroma reminiscent of fresh cherry pie, our Kriek is a humble nod to Belgian Lambic brewers who craf...

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    $39.99
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  • Vander Ghinste Kriek des Jacobins 330ml
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    Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste
    $11.50

    The basic ingredient of our Jacobins Kriek is wort made of wheat and malted barley. This wort is first boiled and then transported to the brewery’s...

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    $11.50
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  • 3 Fonteinen Framboos (Framboise) 750ml  - [1 Bottle Limit]
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    3 Fonteinen
    $99.99

    Lambic blended with raspberries from the Pajottenland. Bottled, 750ml. ***Strictly 1 Bottle Limit Per Customer

    $99.99
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  • Mikkeller Spontandoubleraspberry 500ml Can
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    Mikkeller
    $21.99

    Lambic-Style ale with Raspberries.

    $21.99
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  • Verhaeghe Echt KriekenBier 330ml
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    Brouwerij Verhaeghe
    $9.99

    "Echt Kriekenbier (real cherry beer)" is, as the name suggests, a cherry beer that is manufactured with only the real fruit of cherries instead of ...

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    $9.99
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  • Lindemans Strawberry 250ml
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    Lindemans
    $5.99

    Lindemans first new fruited lambic in over a decade. Choosing strawberry, one of the most noble of fruits, was easy: the complex sweetness of the f...

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    $5.99
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  • 8 Wired Once Upon A Time In Blenheim 500ml
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    8 Wired Brewing Co.
    $23.99

    This is the last barrel aged beer we brewed in Blenheim, before uprooting and setting up a new brewery in the North. A 100% spontaneous fermented a...

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    $23.99
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  • Tilquin Oude Mere a l'Ancienne 750ml
    Sold out
    Gueuzerie Tilquin
    $51.99

    Beer of spontaneous fermentation, the Oude M�re Tilquin � l�Ancienne is made from the fermentation of 350 gr of blackberries by liter of lambic. Un...

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    $51.99
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  • Mikkeller Spontanblueberry 375ml
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    Mikkeller
    $44.99

    In the spontan series we present SpontanBlueberry – this time, forming an alliance with blueberries that were generously added underway the brewing...

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    $44.99
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  • Lindemans Framboise 355ml
    Sold out
    Lindemans
    $14.50

    A clean natural tasting brew with undertones of fresh raspberries and a wonderful aroma.

    $14.50
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  • Liefmans Kriek Brut 330ml
    Sold out
    Liefmans
    from $6.99

    This classy beer represents the perfect marriage between the fresh accents and slightly acidic flavour of the black cherries. Liefmans Kriek-Brut i...

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    from $6.99
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  • Boatrocker Lord Raspberry 500ml
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    Boatrocker Brewers & Distillers
    $29.99

    A blend of 18 to 24 month old lambic style ales aged for a further two months on whole raspberries.Deliciously funky with bright acidity and raspbe...

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    $29.99
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  • 3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek 750ml - Purvis Beer
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    3 Fonteinen
    $48.99

    Oude Kriek 3 Fonteinen is produced by ripening of cherries (both the flesh and the seeds) in young Lambic. This process takes between 6 to 8 months...

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    $48.99
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