Here in Spirit by Alpha Acid Brewing Co. with Effigy Brewing Company

Strong sour, some good fruity notes. A hint of floral gin. 4/5 stars.

Sour beer is not for everyone. I know that many people who like beer are not fans of the tart side. I happen to like it, when it’s done well, like this example from Alpha Acid. There are a lot of ways to create a tart flavor, but the time-honored way is done by “infecting” the beer with multiple microorganisms. In “clean” fermentation, only brewer’s yeast is used. (I’m using quotes, because a majority of commercially-produced beers only introduce cultivated microorganisms in specific quantities knowing it will produce a controlled result.) Those microbes might be different species of yeast, like Brettanomyces. They might be bacteria, like Lactobacillus or Pediococcus. It might be some combination of those three, used in the presence (or not) of standard brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces). Or, if you’re feeling really crazy, it could be spontaneous or open fermentation. That means they let whatever wacky bugs are floating around in the air inoculate the beer in a Darwinian battle to create something unique. In the best case, the microbes most suited to the (hopefully) increasingly alcoholic environment will survive the longest and turn the malt into a work of fine art. Regardless, it takes those little critters a long time to do their work. Months, in fact. That’s why the end product is so complex and delightful.

The less-subtle way to do this, the quick method, is by forcing the malt or wort into a Lacto-friendly state and holding it there for a couple days. Or, just add lactic acid directly into the brew. It won’t have the same depth of character as a slowly soured beer, but it will be tart. When done well, you get to enjoy a beer with a bright and clean acidity. It can be refreshing as lemonade on a summer day. When done poorly, it tastes like reflux. My preference is for the painstakingly crafted masterpieces produced by patient mixed-culture aficionados, but I can appreciate any beer that was done well. For more information, check out this article.

Let’s try something new for this post. I’d like to hear from you! Let me know what you think about sour beer.