Traditional gose is spontaneously fermented; however, top-fermenting ale yeast can be pitched for primary fermentation. Gose. The grain bill is typically evenly split between malted wheat and malted barley, although some modern brewers dial the wheat way back. Trevor Rogers and Linsey Hamacher, co-owners of de Garde Brewing, chose Tillamook, Oregon, for their brewery and tasting room after collecting yeast samples from Oregon’s coastal areas. Specialty malts give the base beer its distinctive red hue, and a long maturation period in oak barrels inoculated with _Lactobacillus _and other bacteria gives the beer its acidity. Brown ale is used as a base beer; it is then aged in oak casks for as long as two years (hence an “old” brown) to ferment, mature, and develop lactic acidity. Oud bruin is a similar yet distinct Belgian-style sour traditionally produced in East Flanders. Tom Wilmes breaks through the jargon with this guide to sour beer styles. Rodenbach Brewery, founded in 1821 in the West Flanders province of Belgium, is practically synonymous with Flemish Red-style ales. While no fruit is added, fruity esters and phenols reminiscent of black cherries, raisins, and stone fruit are common and give the beer a vinous character akin to full-bodied red wine. Kriek, made with cherries, and framboise, made with raspberries, are the most common fruit lambics; however, just about any kind of fruit can be used. Winemakers consider it a spoiling agent and go to great lengths to keep it from contaminating their cellars, but sour-beer brewers have embraced it. What our palates perceive as “sour” is really a taste response to the acidity level in a beer—namely acids that microbial bacteria such as Pediococcus _and _Lactobacillus create. Older batches are blended with younger beer to help balance the flavor and acidity before bottle conditioning. But, for all the variables that brewers can control, there’s also the unpredictable element of nature at work that’s so appealing to brewers and beer drinkers alike. The finished beer is very low in alcohol—around 3 or 4 percent ABV—with a mildly tart, clean, and fruity character and a dry finish. Gose: A German sour made with coriander and sea salt. The style originated in Germany near Berlin and was hugely popular there during the late 1800s. … They can also create acetic acid (vinegar), which can be desirable at low levels but is generally considered an off flavor. Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. HuffPost is part of Verizon Media. Get the best brewing tips, techniques, and recipes in your inbox. Though it’s no longer brewed in Goslar, Gose owes its salty flavor to the high salinity of the river Gose, which was originally used to brew the beer. Tom Wilmes In reality, sours are a broad-reaching category that encompasses a breadth of styles and brewing techniques—from historic lambics and other traditional Belgian and German brews to today’s Wild West of experimental sours and wild ales—as well as a wide range of flavors and intensity. Westbrook Brewing Co. in South Carolina, DESTIHL Brewery in Illinois, Anderson Valley Brewing Co. in California, and others have all released riffs on the style. Balanced acidity and an overall harmonious complexity are desirable in most examples of sours, as is the absence of jarring off flavors or obvious flaws. Oct 31, 2016 - 11 min read. Brett also imparts a wide range of esters and phenols—often described as earthy, fruity, musty, or funky depending on the specific strain used. It all multiplies into countless permutations. Many are inspired by traditional sour styles, which are used as a jumping off point to experiment with techniques such as hops additions for bittering and aroma, racking sour beers into freshly used wine or spirit barrels, blending together batches, adding adjuncts, or just about anything else they can think of. Older and younger lambics are blended together to make gueze, for example. Get more comprehensive features about beer styles, ingredients, and techniques, dozens of beer reviews, advice from world-class brewers, and tips for getting the most out of your brewing in every issue of, varying fermentation temperatures and times, varying how and when bacteria is introduced, adding adjuncts such as fruit or other ingredients, barrel aging and blending together batches.