This column appears on page 12 of the March issue.
SOUR TO THE PEOPLE — A glance at the wild world of sour beers
Though it’s often said that “women like sour beers,” I don’t think it’s that simple. A lot of women do like sours (my wife won’t touch anything else), but plenty don’t, and the same goes for men. “Sour beer” isn’t a proper style; instead, it’s a loose designation for a handful of beer styles that share one characteristic: the fact that they’re sour, or tart. While the details surrounding what qualifies beer as being a “sour” could be debated ad naseum, they almost always have wild yeast and bacteria acting as souring agents. Brettanomyces (a wild yeast), Lactobacillus (the “active cultures” in yogurt) and Pediococcus are three of the most common souring agents, sometimes referred to as “bugs”. The sourness of a beer will vary greatly depending upon the style, age, brewers’ intentions and even how active the bugs are. There are a couple of great sours coming out soon– in addition to plenty of others that are available more regularly — but if you’re not already a fan of the style you might not know where to start.
The Lost Abbey
The Lost Abbey makes some of the best American sours, and lucky for us they’re right here in San Diego. One of my favorites, Red Poppy, is slated for release on March 10th (web update: Red Poppy will be released Saturday, March 17th) at the brewery, and it will reach Lost Abbey’s full distribution. If you’re new to the world of sour beers this Flanders Red Ale might not be the best introduction, but if you’ve already got the bug, chances are you’re a fan of the tart, oak-aged beer that’s full of sour cherry flavor.
A more approachable sour is the Framboise de Amorosa released on April 7th. Made with raspberries, this ale is plenty tart but has some sweetness to balance out the flavors. In the past, Red Poppy and Framboise de Amorosa were sold in 375ml corked bottles ($15) at the brewery. Both of these can be found at local bottle shops, although Red Poppy is more readily available than Framboise de Amorosa, but if you’re set on getting a bottle or two, head up to The Lost Abbey on release day.
Duchesse de Bourgogne
Due to its wide availability, this is often considered a “starter” sour. It’s relatively inexpensive compared to other sours and fairly easy to find in bottle shops around town. While it is a Flanders Red Ale, it’s quite different than the hybrid wild-ale, Red Poppy. It has a deeper, darker body with balsamic vinegar and cherries off the nose, making it more sweet. This is one of those beers that sour beer drinkers seem to love or hate; try it for yourself, because the low cost makes it a no-brainer if you’re adventuring with the sour beer-style.
Cantillon
Cantillon, a Belgian Lambic producer, makes some of the most coveted beers in the world. Their beers are spontaneously fermented, meaning they don’t add commercial yeast, and are produced in relatively small quantities. Because of this, they’re a rarity here on the west coast; one local bottle shop revealed that they sent out an email to their mailing list and the entire case of Cantillon Classic Gueuze was spoken for within 20 minutes. Rose De Gambrinus (a Framboise, meaning its made with raspberries) and Kriek (made with cherries) are my top choices from this brewery.
Drie Fonteinen
Don’t be discouraged if you can’t find any Cantillon, because Drie Fonteinen, a Belgian lambic blender (they don’t brew their own wort, they get it from other breweries) is pretty darn good. Relatively available and not too pricey, the Oude Geuze is sour, musty and funky, while the Kriek pours a deep red with cherry notes and a dry mouthfeel.
Russian River
Russian River is widely known for their Pliny the Elder Double IPA and, in February and March, their Pliny the Younger Triple IPA, but their sours are also sought-after styles. Look out for Consecration — a big American Wild Ale at 10% ABV — aged in Cabernet barrels. There is a distinctive, red wine backdrop to drinkable sour that’s funky thanks to multiple souring agents. Supplication and Temptation are also sour beers that Russian River ages in wine barrels. Aged in Pinot barrels, Supplication comes in at 7% ABV, and Temptation comes to fruition in Chardonnay barrels. Without a doubt, this Santa Rosa brewery’s beers are influenced by their region’s wine production and their sours taste it.
For more pictures and descriptions of sour beers, check out the local guys who coined the term ‘Sour to the People’ over at http://www.facebook.com/sourtothepeople; it’s easy to get jealous of all the great beer they’re drinking!