Sour beer has experienced a resurgence in popularity over the past few years, and for a good reason—it’s delicious!

Sour beers, also known as sour ales, have been gaining in popularity over the past few years, and for a good reason.

These tart and tangy ales offer a unique flavor profile that will tantalize your taste buds. In this blog post, we’ll explore the different types of sour beer available today so that you can find one that suits your taste buds. 

What Makes Sour Beer Unique? 

Sour beers are brewed differently than traditional beers. To create the desired taste and texture, sour beer brewers use wild yeast strains, bacteria cultures, and long aging processes that last from months to years.

These brewing sour beer techniques produce a variety of flavors—from subtly tart to intensely acidic—that can be enjoyed solo or blended for an even more complex flavor profile. 

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Tasting the Tangy World of Sour Beer Varieties 

You probably don’t think of sourness as a desirable flavor when you think of beer. But in the world of craft beer, sour beers are becoming increasingly popular—and for a good reason!

Sour beers are wildly complex and unique, with layers of tartness, sweetness, and bitterness all rolled into one.

Sour beer comes in various flavors, with brewers constantly creating new ones. Some of the most common sour beer styles are as follows:

Lambic Beer 

The most common type of sour beer is Lambic beer. This traditional Belgian style is brewed with spontaneous fermentation, which means it does not use cultured yeast or bacteria.

Instead, natural yeasts and bacteria from the air create a unique flavor profile that is tart and slightly sweet. Common varieties include Kriek (cherry), Framboise (raspberry), and Gueuze (blended). 

American Wild Ales      

Wild ales are spontaneously fermented ales that use wild yeast strains found in nature instead of traditional brewers’ yeasts found in most beers.

These beers can be either sour notes or non-sours, but all will typically have a slightly funky aroma due to wild yeast strains such as Brettanomyces or Pediococcus.

Popular brands include Brasserie Dupont Saison Dupont Vieille Provision and Jolly Pumpkin La Roja Du Kriek.  

Berliner Weisse 

Berliner Weisse is an old-world German sour beer that dates back to the 1600s. It is brewed with wheat malt and fermented with lactic acid bacteria, producing a light-bodied brew that is tart and refreshing.

Modern versions often add fruit flavors such as raspberry or woodruff syrups to balance the tartness. 

Gose Beer 

Gose beer hails from Leipzig, Germany, and features a distinct salty flavor due to its use of salt during brewing. It is typically light in the body with a slightly sour finish due to its use of lactic acid bacteria during fermentation.

Common variations on this style include adding spices such as coriander or fruits like apricot or peach for extra complexity. 

Flanders Red Ales 

Flanders Red Ale is an old-world Belgian style that has recently grown in popularity due to its complex flavor profile. It features strong notes of caramelized malts balanced by subtle acidity from lactic acid bacteria during fermentation.

The result is a richly flavored brew with hints of dried fruit and dark chocolate that pairs nicely with many dishes. 

Oud Bruin 

Oud Bruin is a Belgian-style sour beer aged in oak barrels for up to two years. This lengthy aging process gives the beer a complex and balanced flavor profile.

It features notes of dark fruit, caramelized malts, oak, and subtle acidity. Oud Bruin is an excellent choice for those just getting into sour beers, as it has a reasonably mild tartness compared to other styles. 

 Oud Bruin (or Old Brown) is a beer from Belgium similar to Flanders Red Ale, but a brown ale is used as the base instead of a red one. This beer is aged in oak casks for as long as two years. 

Framboise

Framboise is a Belgian-style sour beer that is flavored with raspberries. It is typically light in the body and features notes of tart raspberry and subtle sweetness. Framboise pairs nicely with desserts or can be enjoyed as an aperitif.

These are just a few of the many exciting styles of sour beer available. With its unique flavors, tartness, and complexity, it’s no wonder that enthusiasts are drawn to sour beers.

Gueuze

This lambic subtype involves blending young and old lambic varieties, aging them together, and adding sweet fruits like cherries to balance the brew’s sharpness of tart flavor.

The Benefits of Drinking Sour Beers 

Sour beers offer many benefits over traditional lagers or ales. For starters, they tend to be lower in calories and alcohol content than other types of beers, making them ideal for those looking for a lighter alternative.

Additionally, because they’re fermented with wild yeast strains or bacteria cultures, sour beers tend to have probiotic benefits that can help improve digestion and boost your immune system.

Finally, because each type has its sour flavor profile that is often distinct from other styles, exploring the wild world of sour beers is a great way to expand your palate and learn more about the artistry behind craft brewing!  

Conclusion

Brewing sour beers can be an acquired taste, but those who love it appreciate its complex flavor profiles that range from sweet to tart to spicy to funky! Whether you’re looking for a fruity lambic or a refreshing gose ale, there’s something out there for everyone interested in exploring the wild world of sour beer varieties! Cheers!

Sour beers are a great way to explore craft beer without getting overwhelmed by intense flavors or high alcohol content levels.

They offer blends of tartness, sweetness, and bitterness combined with their low-calorie count and probiotic benefits. Grab a cold one today and get ready to explore this tangy world.