Sour beer
Encyclopedia
Sour beer is a beer style
characterized by an intentionally acidic, tart, sour taste. It is Category 17 of the Beer Judge Certification Program
Style Guidelines. In theory any style of beer may be soured, but in practice the most common styles that are soured are Belgian lambics, gueuze
s, and Flanders red ale
.
, Brettanomyces
, and Pediococcus
. Another method for achieving a tart flavor is adding fruit – most commonly cherries (to produce kriek
) or raspberries (to produce framboise
) – during the aging process, to cause a secondary fermentation.
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.
, Belgium. Today sour beer has spread outside Belgium to include other European breweries and some in the United States, such as the Russian River Brewing Company
.
Beer style
Beer style is a term used to differentiate and categorize beers by various factors such as colour, flavour, strength, ingredients, production method, recipe, history, or origin....
characterized by an intentionally acidic, tart, sour taste. It is Category 17 of the Beer Judge Certification Program
Beer Judge Certification Program
The Beer Judge Certification Program or BJCP is a non-profit organization formed in 1985 "to promote beer literacy and the appreciation of real beer, and to recognize beer tasting and evaluation skills." It has been described in the press as a "hands-on ... study program designed to teach aspiring...
Style Guidelines. In theory any style of beer may be soured, but in practice the most common styles that are soured are Belgian lambics, gueuze
Gueuze
Gueuze is a type of lambic, a Belgian beer. It is made by blending young and old lambics into a new beer, which is then bottled for a second fermentation. Because the young lambic is not fully fermented, it contains fermentable sugars, which allow the second fermentation to occur...
s, and Flanders red ale
Flanders red ale
Flanders red ale is a style of sour ale usually brewed in Belgium. Although sharing a common ancestor with English porters of the 17th century, the Flanders red ale has evolved along a different track: the beer is often fermented with organisms other than Saccharomyces cerevisiae, especially...
.
Brewing
Unlike traditional beer-brewing, which is done in a sterile environment to guard against the intrusion of yeast, sour beers are made by allowing yeast strains or bacteria into the brew. Traditionally, Belgian brewers allowed wild yeast to enter the brew naturally through the barrels – an unpredictable process that many modern brewers avoid. The most common agents used are LactobacillusLactobacillus
Lactobacillus is a genus of Gram-positive facultative anaerobic or microaerophilic rod-shaped bacteria. They are a major part of the lactic acid bacteria group, named as such because most of its members convert lactose and other sugars to lactic acid. They are common and usually benign...
, Brettanomyces
Brettanomyces
Brettanomyces is a non-spore forming genus of yeast in the family Saccharomycetaceae, and is often colloquially referred to as "Brett". The genus name Dekkera is used interchangeably with Brettanomyces, as it describes the teleomorph or spore forming form of the yeast. The cellular morphology of...
, and Pediococcus
Pediococcus
Pediococcus is a genus of Gram-positive lactic acid bacteria, placed within the family of Lactobacillaceae. They usually occur in pairs or tetrads, and divide along two planes of symmetry, as do the other lactic acid cocci genera Aerococcus and Tetragenococcus. They are purely homofermentative...
. Another method for achieving a tart flavor is adding fruit – most commonly cherries (to produce kriek
Kriek
Kriek is a style of Belgian beer, made by fermenting lambic with sour Morello cherries. The name is derived from the Dutch word for this type of cherry . Traditionally "Schaarbeekse krieken" from the area around Brussels are used...
) or raspberries (to produce framboise
Framboise
Framboise or Frambozenbier is a Belgian lambic beer that is fermented using raspberries. It is one of many modern fruitbeer types that have been inspired by the more traditional kriek beer, made using sour cherries.Framboise is usually served in a small glass that resembles a champagne glass,...
) – during the aging process, to cause a secondary fermentation.
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.
Breweries
Making sour beer is a risky and specialized form of beer brewing, and longstanding breweries which produce it and other lambics often specialize in this and other Belgian-style beers. Established in 1836, one of the oldest breweries still in operation that produces sour beer is the Rodenbach Brewery of RoeselareRoeselare
Roeselare is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Roeselare proper and the towns of Beveren, Oekene and Rumbeke....
, Belgium. Today sour beer has spread outside Belgium to include other European breweries and some in the United States, such as the Russian River Brewing Company
Russian River Brewing Company
Russian River Brewing Company is a brewery and brewpub located in downtown Santa Rosa, California.-History:Russian River Brewing Company was created in 1997 when Korbel Champagne Cellars of Guerneville, California decided to try their hand at brewing beer. Brewer Vinnie Cilurzo was hired as...
.