Sour Beer
Sour has an intentionally acidic, tart or sour taste. The most common sour beer styles are Belgian: lambics, gueuze and Flanders red ale.
At one time, all beers were sour to some degree. As pure yeast cultures were not available, the starter used from one batch to another usually contained some wild yeast and bacteria. Unlike modern brewing, which is done in a sterile environment to guard against the intrusion of wild yeast, sour beers are made by intentionally allowing wild yeast strains or bacteria into the brew. Traditionally, Belgian brewers allowed wild yeast to enter the brew naturally through the barrels or during the cooling of the wort in a Koelschip open to the outside air – an unpredictable process that many modern brewers avoid.
The most common agents used to intentionally sour beer are Lactobacillus, Brettanomyces and Pediococcus. Another method for achieving a tart flavor is adding fruit during the aging process to spur a secondary fermentation or contribute microbes present on the fruit's skin.
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.
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La Sirene Brewingfrom $8.99
MAHOGANY is a Wild Ale aged in Sherry casks for 60 months under a layer of naturally-occurring Flor Yeast.Pouring a clear copper/mahogany colour (h...
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Bonehead Brewingfrom $8.99
A creamy, mixed culture sour stacked full of berries, marshmallow fluff and a splash of vanilla. Big, bold and beautiful, expect this purple beauty...
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3 Ravens$24.99
Golden Sour with Yellow Gum Honey A blend of barrel-aged mixed culture farmhouse ales refermented on (and bottle conditioned with) a large quantity...
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Bridge Road Brewers$34.99
Mayday Hills is our barrel and farmhouse beer project.This complex ale was Foeder-aged on a melange of freshly-picked Loch Ness, Bramble and Waldo ...
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Bridge Road Brewersfrom $5.50
This light-bodied fruited sour is brewed in the style of a traditional German gose. A pink raspberry zing meets some silky peach magic in this matc...
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One Drop Brewing Cofrom $17.99
Magic lies in challenging what seems impossible.Come with us on a journey through grape and grain.A magical merging of two spheres. A space where A...
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One Drop Brewing Cofrom $17.99
Illusion is the first of all pleasures.Come with us on a journey through grain and grape.A magical merging of two spheres. A space where Australian...
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Collective Arts Brewingfrom $11.99
There's nothing wrong with a little dessert! Our latest small-batch sour is called Cherry Pie - take one sip and you'll see exactly why. We used a ...
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Collective Arts Brewingfrom $10.99
This dark and tart Gose uses our award winning Prophets & Nomads brew as the base, the pour is a cloudy shade of midnight. This beer is refresh...
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Garage Project$17.50
Created in collaboration with our near neighbours twenty-seven names, to celebrate the launch of their new clothing range it is what it is. Inspire...
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Garage Projectfrom $11.50
Any colour you like… a series of intensely colourful fruited sours taking inspiration from Resene’s catalogue of chromatic creations. This time aro...
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Urbanaut Brewing Co$12.50
The next release in our BEER BLENDER series - paired with the Strawberry Pavlova Sour. A crisp watermelon sour garnished with fresh lime and mint i...
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8 Wired Brewing Co.$24.99
This complex brown sour beer has been brewed in the traditional style of West Flanders, Belgium. Aged in large oak foudres (vats) for 18 Months, a ...
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Dollar Bill Brewing$46.99
2022 Gold Teeth. A blend of spontaneously and wild fermented barrel aged ale, rested on bio-dynamic yellow Clingstone peaches. Elements of white ch...
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Dollar Bill Brewing$17.99
An intriguing balance between smoke and sour. This historic beer is light bodied and refreshing, infused with oak smoked wheat and pilsner malt. Fe...
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