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.
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Dollar Bill Brewing$27.95Inspired by Rodenbachs Character Rouge this fruited sour ale was created from 18month old barrel aged saison and blended wild ales. Exhibiting clea...
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Rodenbach$39.50Rodenbach Vintage is a unique unadulterated Flemish Red Brown beer that matures for 2 years in the best oak casks, personally selected by me. — Rud...
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Rodenbach$41.50What happens if, instead of the standard 18 months, we age our Grand Cru for 10 years? The answer is the very first edition of Rodenbach Evolved. A...
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Timmermans$7.00Bourgogne des Flandres is the real taste of Bruges. The mixed fermentation is what makes this beer so special. The top-fermented brown ale is subtl...
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Brouwerij De Brabanderefrom $8.50Petrus Bordeaux is a smooth, velvety Flanders Red Ale aged in oak barrels for 2 years. A blend with a fresh, young brown ale keeps this beer balanc...
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Boatrocker Brewers & Distillers$22.99A blend of different barrels and vintages to create the perfect base for a selection of berries - raspberries, red currants, black currants, sour c...
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Jolly Pumpkinfrom $11.99A sustaining beer made to keep you warm during the chilly ides of March and usher in a slew of warmer days.
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8 Wired Brewing Co.$24.99This complex brown sour beer has been brewed in the traditional style of West Flanders, Belgium. Aged in large oak foudres (vats) for 18 Months, a ...
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3 Ravens$27.50Invoking the traditions of Belgian brewing, our latest Wild Ravens release was brewed in the spirit of Flemish Red Ales. Our brewers very care...
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BentSpoke Brewing Companyfrom $7.50Toffee malty notes; plum, raisin and prune fruity esters; simple tannins and lacto and acetic acids create a very complex and “isolating” beer, the...
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Brouwerij Verhaeghefrom $6.50"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 w...
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Boatrocker Brewers & Distillers$19.50We've been developing the cultures of wild yeast and bacteria for our barrel program for many years, and through a carefully monitored solera progr...
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Rodenbach$18.99The brewer allow the beer to macerate with fresh cherries, raspberries and cranberries. After this maceration in oak, the beer re-ferments in the b...
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