Expand Your Palate with Our Beginner’s Guide to Sour Beer

They’re tart. They’re tangy. They’re divisive. At The Growler Guys, we know sour beers can be a bit of an acquired taste. The high acidity, low pH, and intense tartness can be a shock to the palate. But these beers are also complex, refreshing, and highly drinkable on a hot day. If you’re looking to expand your palate beyond IPAs and stouts – or if you love sour candy and kombucha – we think you’ll learn to appreciate these brews. Here’s our beginner’s guide to the complex, refreshing, and often fruit-forward flavor of sour beer.

What Is Sour Beer?

Sour beer is craft beer that’s intentionally brewed for a tart, acidic, or funky flavor profile. Unlike traditional ales and lagers brewed in sterile environments, sour beers are created using wild yeast strains like Brettanomyces and bacteria such as Lactobacillus or Pediococcus. These microorganisms ferment sugars into lactic or acetic acids, resulting in the signature mouth-puckering zing the style is known for.

How Sour Beer is Made

In standard brewing, everything is sterilized to ensure only the brewer’s specific yeast survives. Sour beer, however, invites wild elements to the party. As our team of certified Beer Stewards often explains, there are two main ways these brews get their zing: kettle souring and traditional aging.

Kettle souring is a modern technique that adds bacteria to the mash for a short period before the boil. This method creates a bright, clean acidity in the brew. Traditional sours, on the other hand, age in wooden barrels for months or even years. This allows the wild yeast and bacteria to slowly develop deep, funky, barnyard complexities.

We’ve found that sour beer newbies tend to prefer the crispness of kettle sours, while seasoned enthusiasts crave the complexity of aged spontaneous fermentation.

Popular Sour Beer Styles for Beginners

Picking your first sour can feel overwhelming when you’re staring down the expansive tap list at your local Growler Guys. Here’s our guide to the most common sour beer styles we recommend starting with.

• Gose: This tart, herbaceous, and slightly salty style originated in Germany. Often brewed with coriander and sea salt, it’s incredibly refreshing on a hot day.
• Berliner Weisse: Dubbed the “Champagne of the North” by Napoleon’s troops, this brew is a low-alcohol, highly carbonated wheat beer with a clean lactic sourness.
• Flanders Red Ale: Often described as the most wine-like of all beers, these sours are aged in oak and have notes of dark fruit like plum and black cherry.
• Lambic and Gueuze: These brews represent the wilder side of Belgian brewing. Frequently blended or aged with whole fruit, they can be quite funky.

Why You Should Try Fruit-Forward Sours First

If you’re skeptical of the sour label, we recommend starting with fruit-infused sours. When brewers add raspberries, cherries, or tropical fruit like mango and passionfruit, the fruit’s natural sweetness balances out the beer’s acidity. We’ve found that people who enjoy cider or dry white wine naturally gravitate toward these styles. It’s a great way to savor a fresh craft beer that feels more like enjoying a refreshing cocktail than a heavy ale.

The Importance of Proper Glassware

At The Growler Guys, we know the proper glass can completely change how you experience a beer. For sours, we typically recommend a tulip glass. The flared rim promotes a healthy head of foam, while the bulbous body traps the wild yeast’s aromatics. This lets you fully appreciate the spectrum of fruit and funk before you even take a sip.

Our Guide to Pairing Sour Beer with Food

Thanks to their high acidity, sour beers are excellent palate cleansers. They cut right through rich, fatty foods like goat cheese, creamy pasta, and fried chicken. Tart fruit sours can also be a phenomenal companion to a fresh summer salad or a fruit-based dessert. We’ve even found that the zip of a gose makes it a perfect pairing for seafood and oysters. Stop in to your local Growler Guys to pick up a growler of sour beer to pair with your next meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sour beer spoiled beer?

No, sour beer is not spoiled. The bacteria used to make sour beer are considered spoilage agents in lagers or IPAs, but in sours, they’re intentionally introduced and carefully controlled to create specific flavor profiles and acidity.

How long does a sour beer stay fresh in a growler?

Thanks to our Phssssh™ CO²TO GO! system, your growler stays fresh and oxygen-free longer. Generally, an unopened growler stays fresh for 7-14 days. Once opened, we recommend enjoying it within 24-48 hours for optimal carbonation and flavor.

Broaden Your Palate at Your Local Growler Guys

Whether you’re branching out into sours or stouts, the certified Beer Stewards at your local Growler Guys are always ready to offer a taster and guide you through our current tap list. Stop in today for a pint, flight, or growler fill – we guarantee you’ll find the perfect pour.