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Everything You Wanted to Know About Sour Beer
But were afraid to ask...
This week is American Craft Beer Week, which we’ll be celebrating with copious amounts of craft beer, as we do every week, and by running daily roundups of our favorite articles around a certain theme. Today we take a look at sours, which generally include wild ales, lambics, goses, Berliner Weisse, Flanders red ale (a personal favorite), and Oud bruin.
For those looking to drink a world class example, I recommend tracking down a bottle of Rodenbach Alexander if you have the means. (Fun fact: Rodenbach is the oldest sour brewery still in operation.) But in a pinch, anything from the The Rare Barrel will knock your socks off. Remember to #beeritforward.
The Basics
- What’s a gueuze?
- What’s an American sour ale?
- Introducing the First Sour Homebrewing Kit
- Defining the Sour and Smoke of an Adambier
Waiting Three Hours in the Cold for a Single Beer
Why stand on a line on a freezing Denver morning for two bottles of beer? Or rather, for the privilege of paying $60 for two bottles of beer? I have plenty of time to consider this question as I commiserate with the people around me, many of whom have brought folding chairs and blankets to help brave the line.
One-Liner: “It was probably after the second medal that I thought we should start dedicating everything to Black Project.”
When Bad Beer Goes Good
So Stargate couldn’t be released. “Highly over carbonated bottles are dangerous,” Sarah said. “They could explode.”
Without another choice, I quietly took my bottle of Oxcart and left the brewery, wondering what Stargate might’ve tasted like. Luckily, Black Project planned to make things right in epic fashion.
One-Liner: Whatever the outcome, the fact remains that Black Project committed to rectifying their error by providing their fans with something better.
A Pint with Crooked Stave Head Brewer Danny Oberle
A year into their new brewery, the sour brewer talks going clean, spinning styles, and the new wild trend.
One-Liner: One of my favorite parts of my job, and Crooked Stave in general, is changing people’s minds on what beer can taste like.
About The Author
J. Travis Smith
Currently Drinking:
Mystic Brett Renaud
Travis Smith graduated from Duke University with a degree in Economics and Environmental Science & Policy before moving to New York, where he received a Master's Degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Afterward, he and co-founder Kenny Gould were among the first hires at Gear Patrol Magazine. Many beers and waistline inches later, he turned his hobby into a profession. He currently lives in New York City with his girlfriend and a small dog named Wesley.