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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.

  • La Sirene Farmhouse Red 330ml Can
    La Sirene Brewing
    from $7.99

    A hybrid farmhouse-style red ale, FARMHOUSE RED has been naturally soured by our own wild bacteria that live inside the brewery's walls. This organ...

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    from $7.99
  • Rodenbach Red Tripel 750ml
    Rodenbach
    $41.99

    Rodenbach Red Tripel is our 200th anniversary beer, inspired by the age-old blending of a young beer (in this case a tripel) with a 2-year-old wood...

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    $41.99
  • Boatrocker Kentucky Red Barrel Aged Sour 375ml
    Boatrocker Brewers & Distillers
    $29.99

    We're well known for our interpretation of the classic Flanders Red style sour ale. So much so that we have a House Red, which is a solera style re...

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    $29.99
  • Verzet Oud Bruin Oak Leaf 330ml
    Brouwerij 't Verzet
    $13.99

    Variation on Verzet's Oud Bruin with oak leaves added to barrel.

    $13.99
  • Verhaeghe Duchesse De Bourgogne 750ml
    Brouwerij Verhaeghe
    $25.00

    Duchesee de Bourgogne is the traditional top fermented reddish-brown ale from the West-Flanders region of Belgium. This refined ale also known as "...

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    $25.00
  • HaandBryggeriet Haandbakk 375ml
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    HaandBryggeriet
    $26.99

    This is a recreation of a Norwegian style naturally soured ale, aged in oak wine barrels for 18 months for the authentic sour flavour.

    $26.99
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  • Boatrocker Tennessee Red Barrel Aged Sour 375ml
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    Boatrocker Brewers & Distillers
    $29.99

    We're well known for our interpretation of the classic Flanders Red style sour ale. So much so that we have a House Red, which is a solera style re...

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    $29.99
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  • Hop Nation Site Fermentation Syrah Sour Red 375ml
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    Hop Nation
    $16.99

    We placed a blend of sour red ale, averaging two years old, into our foedre; where it met with the spent cherries from our 2020 Lapin Cherry Sour a...

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    $16.99
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  • Petrus Aged Red Ale 330ml Can
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    Brouwerij De Brabandere
    from $10.50

    Petrus Aged Red is constructed from a base of Double Brown Ale. 15% Petrus Aged Pale is added to provide a dry character to the brew and give it a ...

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    from $10.50
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  • Verhaeghe Duchesse De Bourgogne 250ml
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    Brouwerij Verhaeghe
    from $5.99

    Duchesee de Bourgogne is the traditional top fermented reddish-brown ale from the West-Flanders region of Belgium. This refined ale also known as "...

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    from $5.99
    Sold out
  • Rodenbach Classic Flanders Red Ale 500ml Can
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    Rodenbach
    from $9.99

    RODENBACH is the unique & original “Flanders Red Ale”, recognised as a traditional local product. Mixed main fermentation and maturation in oak...

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    from $9.99
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  • Black Arts Red Wild Ale 330ml Can
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    Black Arts Brewers And Blenders
    $13.99

    Red Blend #3 is a blend of 13-month old beer, younger than our last blend, but as our culture gathers momentum, this beer still carries the depth o...

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    $13.99
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  • Rodenbach Vintage 2018 375ml
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    Rodenbach
    $18.99

    Rodenbach Vintage is the unique result of selection by our Rodenbach brew masters, the barrel after two years of maturation has produced the best b...

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    $18.99
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  • Rodenbach Vintage 2016 375ml
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    Rodenbach
    $18.99

    Rodenbach Vintage is the unique result of selection by our Rodenbach brew masters, the barrel after two years of maturation has produced the best b...

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    $18.99
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  • Stomping Ground Into the Wood: Flanders Red Ale 355ml Can
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    Stomping Ground Brewing Co
    from $8.50

    Our Flanders Red Ale was aged in Hanging Rock shiraz and pinot noir barrels giving it a vinous quality, while intertwining its cherry and balsamic ...

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    from $8.50
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  • 3 Ravens Wild Cherry Red Ale 750ml
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    3 Ravens
    $23.99

    Barrel-fermented sour red ale aged on Bing cherry skins and stones

    $23.99
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  • Haand Bryggeriet A Dashing Rouge 375ml
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    HaandBryggeriet
    $29.99

    Aged in oak barrels. Fruited oud Bruin. Our Nordic oud bruin macerated with raspberries and cherries. This rogue is best shared in the company of g...

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    $29.99
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  • Struise Aardmonnik 750ml
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    De Struise Brouwers
    $75.99

    Flemish Sour Ale aged for 5 years in Burgundy wine barrels. Cask Strength edition. Due to its authenticity, Earthmonk received as little sugar as p...

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    $75.99
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  • Garage Project Engeltjes Pils 750ml
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    Garage Project
    $36.99

    Inspired by the Flanders Red style, this special sour ale is brewed using a generous portion of dark malts, then aged for an extended period in a m...

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    $36.99
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  • Boatrocker Funky Acid Red 500ml
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    Boatrocker Brewers & Distillers
    $22.99

    The Flanders Red ale is a style that has so many interpretations... som are mild and malty, others deliciously funky with loads or brett character,...

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    $22.99
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  • Blue Owl Van Dayum! 355ml Can
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    Blue Owl Brewing
    $6.99

    Our dry-hopped sour red ale showcases how rich malt balances piney American hop flavors with a moderate tangy dark fruit palette.

    $6.99
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  • Verhaeghe Duchesse Cherry 330ml
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    Brouwerij Verhaeghe
    from $11.50

    Duchesse Cherry is a blend of 1 and 2 year-old Duchesse de Bourgogne with local, sour cherries added to the maturing beer. The malt beverage is age...

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    from $11.50
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  • Hop Nation Site Fermentation La Jeunesse Sour Red 355ml Can
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    Hop Nation
    $12.99

    Night Owl is a sour beer that was fermented and aged in seasoned Bourbon barrels for six months. It was then blended and re-fermented on raspberrie...

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    $12.99
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  • Rodenbach Vintage 2017 375ml
    Sold out
    Rodenbach
    $18.99

    Rodenbach Vintage is the unique result of selection by our Rodenbach brew masters, the barrel after two years of maturation has produced the best b...

    View full details
    $18.99
    Sold out