Posted By Desiree Knott on April 18, 2010
Well Ladies (and Gents too), it’s been awhile since I talked about beer styles and challenged you to go out and try beers that you’ve never tried before. When I was the presenter at the December Beer for Chicks meeting, I brought several homebrewed beers to share with the ladies. One of these beers was supposed to be a pale ale but it had developed a distinct sour character from either wild yeast or bacteria.
“Yuck, bacteria!” you say. Well believe it or not there is a style of beer that is purposely “spoiled”. They are referred to as sour beers. Surprisingly, after I explained what a sour beer was and that this beer was now a sour beer, a large number of the ladies discovered they really liked the flavor. The pale ale turned out to be the most popular homebrew of the evening. I’m betting that if you try a few of these special beers you will be a convert too.
The Beer Judge Certification Program classifies Sour Ale into 6 sub categories.
The first sour beer they describe is a Berliner Weisse. This beer is a sharply sour low alcohol wheat beer that is popular in Berlin. It is often serve with syrups such as raspberry and woodruff and is very refreshing to drink. They are difficult to find commercially in the US so if you have the opportunity to try one, please do. It is one of my favorite beers.
The second sour beer sub-category is the Flanders Red Ale. This is a complex, sour, red wine-like Belgian-style ale. This is the indigenous beer of West Flanders, whose most famous brewery is the Rodenbach Brewery, which has been in business since 1820. Flanders Reds are aged up to two years in oak barrels. The resident bacteria in the barrel is what gives this beer its sour character. The Flanders red is more acetic and the fruity flavors are reminiscent of a red wine. Oklahoma has now has a few Flanders Red on the shelves and several states carry a nice variety of this style of beer. Commercial examples include Rodenbach Klassiek, Rodenbach Grand Cru, Bellegems Bruin, Duchesse de Bourgogne (available in Oklahoma and I LOVE this beer), New Belgium La Folie, Petrus Oud Bruin (available in Oklahoma), Southampton Flanders Red Ale, Verhaege Vichtenaar, Monk’s Cafe Flanders Red Ale, New Glarus Enigma, Panil Barriquée, and Mestreechs Aajt.
Next is the Flanders Brown Ale or Oud Bruin, indigenous to East Flanders, typified by the products of the Liefman brewery (now owned by Riva), which has roots back to the 1600s. While Flanders red beers are aged in oak, the brown beers are warm aged in stainless steel. The Oud Bruin is less acetic and maltier than a Flanders Red, and the fruity flavors are more malt-oriented. Commercial examples include Liefman’s Goudenband, Liefman’s Odnar, Liefman’s Oud Bruin, Ichtegem Old Brown, and Riva Vondel. Unfortunately there aren’t any commercial examples in Oklahoma that I’m aware of. If you know of any, please add a comment so I can go buy some!
Straight (Unblended) Lambics are sub-category four and these beers are complex, sour/acidic, pale, wheat-based ale fermented by a variety of Belgian microbiota. Lambics are spontaneously fermented sour ales whose origin is in the area around Brussels (the Senne Valley). Straight Lambics are VERY sour and acidic and can take a bit to get used to. There aren’t many commercial varieties on unblended Lambics as most breweries blend lambics from various batches. The most readily available in the US is the Cantillon Grand Cru Bruocsella but it isn’t available in Oklahoma at this time.
The Gueuze is the most extreme of the sour flavored beers in my opinion. Their sour and acidic character are often accompanied with aromas that are described as barnyard, earthy, goaty, hay, horsey, and horse blanket. It is by far the sour beer that requires developing a “taste” for. Gueuzes are blends of one, two and three year old lambics. Gueuzes are highly effervescent while lambics are typically not carbonated. Try this sour beer after you’ve tried the Flanders Red and Browns and have soaked in what the good characteristics of a sour beer are. You may be surprised to find you like this stronger version of sour beer. Commercial examples include Boon Oude Gueuze, Boon Oude Gueuze Mariage Parfait, De Cam Gueuze, De Cam/Drei Fonteinen Millennium Gueuze, Drie Fonteinen Oud Gueuze, Cantillon Gueuze, Hanssens Oude Gueuze, Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René (available in Oklahoma), Girardin Gueuze (Black Label), Mort Subite (Unfiltered) Gueuze, and Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze.
The last sub-style in the Sour Beers is the Fruit Lambic. These are by far the most popular and well known of the sour beers. I recommend starting with fruit lambics before trying the other styles. I have a lot of friends whose girlfriends and wives won’t drink beer but they LOVE fruit lambics. These sour beers are blended with fruit and are highly effervescent. Think of them as the champagne of beer. In fact, their tradition glass looks very much like a champagne glass. The most famous in the US is the Lindemans fruit lambics which are offered in raspberry, black currant, apple and cherry, most of these are available in Oklahoma. Other commercial examples include Boon Framboise Marriage Parfait, Boon Kriek Mariage Parfait, Boon Oude Kriek, Cantillon Fou’ Foune (apricot), Cantillon Kriek, Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek, Cantillon Lou Pepe Framboise, Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus, Cantillon St. Lamvinus (merlot grape), Cantillon Vigneronne (Muscat grape), De Cam Oude Kriek, Drie Fonteinen Kriek, Girardin Kriek, Hanssens Oude Kriek, Oud Beersel Kriek, and Mort Subite Kriek.
So, give these unique styles of beer a try and let me know what you think!
Cheers,
Desiree Knott
High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies
7164 S Memorial
Tulsa, OK 74133
(918) 461-2605
desiree@highgravitybrew.com
http://www.highgravitybrew.com
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