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Written by Tom Becham for professorgoodales.net

Are Sour Beers the New Black?

As a beer geek friend of mine said to me recently, “You know what sour beers and World Cup Soccer have in common? Americans discovered they kinda liked both of them in 2010.”

It’s true. Sour beers have become a big trend in craft beer circles. If you’ve never had a sour beer (well, a GOOD sour beer), you may wonder why that is so.

A typical sour beer (they are always ales; lagers do NOT make for good sour beers) can be anywhere from pilsner-yellow to stout-black in color. The taste of sour beers has been described as acidic, acetic, vinegar-like and vinous. All of those descriptors can be true, but if you’ve never actually had a decent sour, then the words won’t mean a thing to you. Sour beers are also some of the most useful beers to convert wine lovers into craft beer lovers. Anyone who loves a brightly tannic red wine will also likely appreciate a sour beer.

Brettanomyces-wiki

What makes an ale sour? Well, there are a couple of things that can. First is a “wild” yeast, usually of the Brettanomyces strain. Of course, now these yeasts can be cultivated and used deliberately instead of just resulting from a “spontaneous fermentation”. Second is any range of bacteria, from lactobacillus (the stuff that sours milk) to pediococcus. Again, these bacteria are now frequently introduced into beers, though the randomness of barrel aging still seems to produce better results.

There are a couple distinct styles of sour ales. First is lambic, the most widely known in America. Most Americans who know about lambic likely associate it with the syrupy-sweet concoctions of Lindemans, a beer so common it can be found on supermarket shelves. (There are also several sub-styles of lambic.)

Lambic can be considered a wheat ale, as a considerable portion of its grain bill is devoted to wheat in place of barley. The wheat also contributes to a genreally fluffy, towering, long-lasting head on the beer. Second, it is generally fermented with a “wild” yeast of a Brettanomyces strain. Third, lambics are generally aged for a length of time that is longer than the window of potability for most mass-produced lagers.

Fruit lambics are the ones most non-beer geeks would think of when hearing “lambic”. Good ones use real fruit rather than syrups or extracts, and tend toward more tart fruits like cherries or raspberries. Genuine fruit lambics are NOT “girlfriend beers”, as they have a distinct tartness along with fruit flavors, and some traces of horse-blanket funkiness.

Gueuze (or geuze) lambics are blends of straight lambics, both aged and younger versions. These can be extremely dry, and tart to the point of being mouth-puckering. Many are very champagne-like.

Faro lambics are quite rare. They can either be straight or blended plain lambics. They will have sugar added to them so they are a bit less acidic and suitable for more than just one glass.

Another famed style of sour ale is sometimes called Belgian Red Ale. It has also been called Flemish Red, Flanders Red, Oud Bruin and any number of other names. While there may be some fine distinctions between all these different types, they all have enough in common to be considered a common type of beer. Belgian Red Ales tend to be reddish-brown ales that are aged in oak barrels. They are a much darker, more malty sour beer, and are frequently called by the aptly descriptive name of “sweet and sour”. Such beers used to be quite rare in the U.S., but are now rather easy to find.

Berliner Weisse is a scarce German style of sour beer that is now made by more American craft brewers than German Brauerei. It is a wheat sour, akin to lambic in some ways, but usually very low in alcohol, and with a more lemon-like taste.

An extremely rare style of sour beer is the German Gose style. It is also a wheat beer, and is spiced with coriander and salt. I have no other comments on its taste, as I have never actually encountered one of them.

Lastly are the catch-alls known as “American Wild Ale”, and “American Sour Ale”. These can be nearly anything from carbon-copies of the above listed styles, to completely unique offerings.

Despite all my descriptions here, sour beers must really be experienced in order to be understood. While they may be an acquired taste for many, to taste these beers which likely reflect on the greater part of brewing history, is a lesson on the possibilities of beer.

As to recommendations for sour beers, I do indeed have several ideas for those wanting to experience that world:

For lambics, any of the products of Cantillon, Boon or Drie Fonteinen would be excellent choices. All three make both excellent fruit lambics, and gueuzes as well. And Lindeman’s, for all that I loathe their fruit lambics, does redeem itself with its Cuvee Rene line of Oude Gueuze, which is actually rather representative of the style.

Rodenbach’s Grand Cru, and Verhaeghe’s Duchesse de Bourgogne are the quintesenntial Belgian Red Ales, and much more widely available now than they used to be. Domestically, New Belgium produces a fine version called La Folie, and California’s The Bruery just won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup with its Oude Tart.

As Berliner Weisse is a rarer beast, I can only say to keep an eye peeled for the German Bayrischer Bahnhof rendition of the style. Domestically, Telegraph Brewing of Santa Barbara makes a slightly altered version of the style called Reserve Wheat, while The Bruery chimes in with their Hottenroth, also a winner of a Beer Cup medal.

Good sour beers can be obtained from domestic brewers New Belgium, Russian River, The Bruery and Lost Abbey, and come in a variety of styles and tastes. The Sour awaits you and is calling your name…

(There are few good sites on the web dedicated strictly to this kind of beer. This is one.-PGA)

The recipe that we chose to brew for this special program was an Iron Age honey mead, found in a bronze cauldron at the foot of a Celtic chieftain who was buried in a central burial chamber, beneath an earthen mound near the village of Hochdorf in southwestern Germany. Excavations led by Dr. Jörg Biel in 1978-79 revealed that this elite male was buried around 550 BCE. To discover an intact burial chamber from this period was a rarity, as most were looted over the centuries. Included in the burial was a wagon with nine bronze plates and three bronze serving platters. Nine large gold decorated drinking horns, likely aurochs horns. Eight of them could hold 1 liter of liquid, yet the largest horn which hung above the chieftain’s head could hold a 10 pint (5 liter) capacity (that’s a “power drinker”). Additionally, a very large Greek-imported bronze cauldron with a capacity of 70 gallons (ca. 265 liters) was placed at the chieftain’s feet. Upon analysis of the desiccated remains, it was determined to have once been mead (honey wine). Such a volume of mead was quite an extravagance and very expensive to obtain, particularly considering the Celts did not have formalized apiculture.

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HERE

Alabama beer lovers are pleased that the state Legislature passed a measure to allow beer to be sold in larger containers, but they’re still awaiting the fate of a measure to legalize home brewing.

The Legislature sent the bill to allow larger bottles to Gov. Bentley’s desk on May 9. A Bentley spokeswoman said he’s still reviewing the proposal and hasn’t decided whether to sign it.

The bill that would make Alabama the 49th state to allow home brewing – Mississippi would be the final holdout – was passed by the House on May 8 and is awaiting Senate action. The chair of the Senate committee that decides which bills make it to the floor could not be reached for comment.

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HERE

The nose is almost pure Citra, with a hint of malt. For some reason the spices didn’t make it into the nose, though the Citra and orange peel could be working in tandem. Slight fruity, yeast driven, nose… tad grapefruit-y.

Hazy. Hey! It’s a wheat beer, what did you expect? Nice big head with fine, tiny, tiny bubbles with some pillow. SRM almost 1! Maybe 2-3: at best. Bubble cling to glass.

The mouthfeel is perfect: a light wheat and spice sense. Slight coriander and orange peel in back ground: roof of mouth cling to spices.

Taste is where it falls down at first, though not much. When cold there was an abrasive bitter that seemed to block the total sense of the beer: a bit harsh. But as it warms it actually softens a bit, though still there. Takes it just a hint out of balance. I’m guessing: too much peel in the orange peel, combining with Citra early additions that add to the harshness in the bitter. Somewhat harsh astringency sense lingers into the aftertaste.

Back off on the peel, folks, and maybe combine with latter additions of hops rather than early.

I do think it worth the try. Slight tweaks may make this superb for the style. And as for that, congrats for a large than craft brewer brewer who was willing to leap into yet again a unique quaff. I just feel tweaks are in order.

Written by Brandon Jones for Embracethefunk.com

So I’m reading over the finished Q&A thinking about how to intro this interview and the song Doowutchyalike by Digital Underground keeps popping into my head. While it might be a stretch, Shaun Hill of Hill Farmstead is doing what he likes, having fun and batting pretty close to 1000 while he’s at it. Hill Farmstead is doing what I think is the perfect brewing dream: brewing phenomenal beer in a farmhouse setting… the way he wants to on family land that looks like something out of a painting. In between making the beer that sees a lot of “ISO” on many websites Shaun sat down for a Q&A with me….

ETF- What beer was your sour or brett beer epiphany?

Shaun- 2004: Both visiting Brasserie Cantillon as well as drinking a Rodenbach Grand Cru… incredible moment.

ETF- As I look over the some of the ingredients in Hill Farmstead beers they include some local flavor like your well water. How important is using local Agriculture products to you?

Shaun- The existence of the Hill family in Greensboro is entirely dependent upon agriculture. My roots are entirely agrarian. Locality, when possible, is as much about developing terroir as it is supporting the local community. They are coupled. For us, it is about connection. Hill Farmstead is built upon a connection to its landscape – and it only makes sense, rationally, that we would extend that connection to our producers. Honey, Raw Wheat, Water, Oak, Our Microflora. Someday we hope to extend this connection to our hop growers and our malt suppliers.

ETF- You guys are getting close to a 2 year anniversary, did you think 2 years ago Hill Farmstead beers would be as sought after as they are today?

Shaun- Ha. Sigh. Absolutely not. When I look back to myself, three years ago, constructing a business plan while sitting in a coffee shop or bar in Denmark, I absolutely never believed that our brewery would surge in popularity and acclaim as quickly as it has. I was courting Mikkel and other Danish brewers as potential “contractors” in case we were unable to fill our tanks. Today, this notion is a stressful thought and an absurdity – as we struggle on a daily basis with allocations and demand. My goal has always been to produce uncompromising beer – truly. If a beer doesn’t meet standards, it goes down the drain. There is absolutely no other method of entering the craft, as far as I am concerned…. be the best…. or don’t bother.

ETF- Looking back over the almost two years since you’ve been open, is there one event you are most proud of?

Shaun- Several epochs, really. First brew day. Tasting the first batch of Edward on tap at Three Penny Taproom. Our Grand Opening Celebration at the end of May 2010. Our first beer event at Monk’s Cafe in Philadelphia.

ETF- What do you consider HF’s most ambitious brew to date and why?

Shaun- Most ambitious? All of our beers are ambitious and well thought out… but our most ambitious effort, overall, is the expansion of our barrel aging program. We are now beyond 100 bourbon and wine barrels… which, for a brewery that is 95% draft beer and produces just 1,500 barrels per year… is a significant undertaking.

Coolship build in progress December 2011

ETF- What’s the status on the coolship install and batches for it?

Shaun- Coolship install has been delayed due to planning our next phase of expansion. To date, 3 batches of beer have been inoculated in our cool ship – and all are showing significant promise.

ETF- What are the plans to expand the brewery, batch sizes … beer output?

Shaun- In just two years, we have doubled in size… almost tripled. We have installed a 15bbl brewhouse and have expanded our oak aging program. The next and final phase is a 4,000 foot expansion that would allow us to expand our production to 3,000 barrels of beer, primarily draft, while taking our oak aging/wild fermentation project to 200 barrels a year. The end.

ETF- Speaking on just sour and brett beers, what’s your newest beer that’s maybe just hit the fermenter or you are prepping for?

Barrels Inside The Hill Farmstead Brewery

Shaun- We will bottle another round of Flora within the coming weeks. Civil Disobedience #4 was bottled on Friday – ’tis a black saison blend of 5 different beers from 4 different barrels. This week we will brew a maple/wheat/coffee imperial stout that will be aged in very select Port and Bourbon barrels.

ETF- You’ve done some really cool collaborations, are there any upcoming ones you can tell us about?

Shaun- Nothing at the moment. Hoping to escape to Alaska to brew withGabe at Anchorage by the end of the year. Likewise, a return to Cigar City. Possibly Dieu Du Ciel to brew a Double IPA in Early May… I would love to work with Tomme Arthur or Ron Jeffries in the coming year. The Shelton/12% beer festival will bring a host of EU brewers to New England and, thus, the potential for a Scandinavian reunion with Anders Kissmeyer.

ETF- What sour/wild brewery would you most like to collaborate with?

Shaun- 4 way tie: Jolly Pumpkin/Lost Abbey/Cantillon/Drie Fonteinen

ETF- Your brewery logo is very simple, but effective… when people see it they know. So who came up with the design and what’s the insight on the significance of the art in the logo?

Shaun- The logo is loosely based upon a sign that once hung in my great great great grandfather’s tavern in the early 1800s. While in Denmark, I became fond of Søren Varming – the designer for Nørrebro Bryghus. He agreed to work with me on my logo/design concept.

ETF- What are your thoughts when you see bottles of your beer on eBay going for 2-3 times as much as the brewery sells them for?

Shaun- Horrid disgust.

ETF- For homebrewers, what 2 pieces of advice would you give them to produce wonderful wild beers like HF has?

Shaun- Water. Patience.

 My goal has always been to produce uncompromising beer

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“Whose brain did you get?”

“Somebody named Abby Normal.”

“You’re telling me we gave him an… ABNORMAL BRAIN???”

-paraphrased exchange between I-Gor and young Victor Frankenstein; or “steen” as he preferred at first, the movie and the musical

Yes, maybe I was the one who got Abby Normal’s brain when it comes to judging what some may consider “Abby Normal beer.” Apologies to fans of Christopher Moore and homebrewers like myself who love to brew “Abby Normal” beers, braggots and explore other fermented concoctions, perhaps, even more odd.

A topic came up on JudgeNet, a Yahoo group, and I immediately went where no one else has gone before. Or maybe I just have a slightly off kilter look at Specialty brews…

(Hmm… “Off Kilt-er Kolsch?” I’d better get to brewing another Specialty!)

A brewer wanted to enter a Session IPA and thought maybe he/she should enter it as Specialty. I’m sure some judges are traditionalists: it’s neither an APA or an IPA, so Specialty should do. Others thought the category for APA would be better.

Frankly, Scarlett, I think they should just add sub-categories.

Being a traveling judge I have sat at many Specialty tables, often considered the ghetto category no one wants… or at least so I have been informed by quite a few judges. I’m not griping. Not me. I enjoy judging no matter what the category. Besides, as a brewer, it’s kind of my turf. As a former president of my Nashville club said to my wife, Millie, once, “You guys are never going to brew anything ‘normal,’ are you?”

Here is a conversation I have heard far more than once…

“But this is no more than a slightly higher hopped APA, what makes it ‘Specialty?’”

“Um, because it fits in neither category?”

“But shouldn’t it be really ‘special’ to be in ‘Specialty?’”

Well the answer should either be, “Yes, and that’s what makes it ‘special,’ because it’s out of category,’” or, “You answered your own question,” I suppose… depending on how sarcastic the judge wants to be. (And, of course, he or she probably shouldn’t. I am very much for respect between judges, no matter what their rank… or lack of. But all that takes us off topic.)

Yet, I think we’re missing a wider point here. What usually happens in situations like this is we come to some agreement, adjust scores because in such cases the two judges rarely are within the point spread, and the score for the beer (or other beers) usually suffers for that.

Would anyone think it fair if American Pilsner is judged along side Baltic Porter, or Russian Imperial, or even Imperial IPA: all in the same category?

I wouldn’t. And I feel styles winding up in Specialty because they’re a little too much of this, or too little of that, suffer as well. Perhaps, in some cases, the real “special” Specialty beers suffer because the judges at the table prefer judging more standard styles.

Note: I know neither should ever happen. But let’s remember, as objective as we may try to make judging beer, it’s always subjective: we’re all human.

So what we have is super innovative, sometimes quite wild brews, being judged against beers that are marginally different. I can’t help but feel either, or both, might suffer under that version of the guidelines.

What about splitting Specialty into two subs? One could be labelled 28A: “Standard Specialty,” and the other 28B: “Open Specialty,” or just “Specialty?” That way Specialty beer that comes real close to some style gets judged together first, while the more exotic are being judged together, or later. Eventually they’d be judged against each other, true, but in the beginning both would get the more specific, “special,” focus they need.

And that way “Frankensteeen“ brews and “Frankensteins“ both get the attention they deserve. The Abby Normal beers, and very Abby Normal beers, can both be judged well.

Hmm… “Abbey Not So Normal?” Is that the obsessive desire to brew yet another Specialty beer I feel swelling within me?

-30-

Brew Biz: Werts and All, is a column dedicated to reviewing, discussing and commenting on all things beer including, but not limited to: marketing, homebrewing and homebrew/beer related events, how society perceives all things beer. “Wert:” one of the more archaic: old English, spellings for what’s now commonly refer to as “Wort.” Also: reviews of beer related businesses, opinions about trends in the beer business, and all the various homebrew, judging and organizations related to beer. Essentially, all things “beer.”

©Copyright 2012
Ken Carman and Cartenual Productions
All Rights Reserved

(Who says it HAS TO BE a “bubble?”-PGA)

“The world almost seems flipped on its side — a revolution has happened,” reported Benj Steinman, president of the trade publication Beer Marketer’s Insight, in assessing the state of craft brewing.

Craft Brewer's Conference

Under the circumstances, keynote speaker Steve Hindy, former AP Middle East correspondent and co-founder of the Brooklyn Brewery, could be forgiven a little boasting. “I’m sure you all had someone walk into your brewery and ask, ‘Did you ever imagine it getting this big?’ I answer, ‘Hell, yes!’”

The disturbing news was that, according to Gatza, there are currently 1,119 additional breweries in the planning stage.

Disturbing?

There is fear within the industry that there might be a bubble about to burst, that the burgeoning number of new brands could push distribution channels to the breaking point. It scares at least one Mid-Atlantic brewer, who nevertheless was planning an expansion to keep apace with the competition.

But those worries didn’t spoil the party.

The BrewExpo Trade Show was rife with innovations in packaging, including a disposable clear plastic keg; a growler that resembles a milk carton; and a spout-top can with a resealable screw-on cap. The latter is “great for kickball; you can knock it over and not spill any,” said Chad Melis, spokesman for the Colorado-based Oskar Blues brewery.

Oskar Blues was certainly the biggest newsmaker of the conference, announcing that it’s opening an East Coast branch in Brevard, N.C. It will thus become the third western brewer, after Sierra Nevada and New Belgium, to move into the Tarheel State. The new facility, said Melis, will become operational later this year and be capable of churning out 40,000 barrels right from the start. It will include a restaurant and feature live music.

Local beermaker DC Brau made a splash by winning a “Canny” award (second place, best overall design) for its Corruption IPA. This beauty contest for aluminum containers was sponsored by the Ball Corp., worldwide manufacturer of beverage cans, and several other industry suppliers of packaging and machinery.

(Incidentally, there are now 179 craft brewers canning beers, stated Gatza. “A decade ago, there were zero.”)

The conference drew a record 4,500 attendees. Apparently none of the San Diego breweries could accommodate a crowd that size, so the BA held the opening reception at the San Diego Zoo. On subsequent nights, guests could slake their thirst at a gazebo outside the convention site offering 140 draft beers.

Washington D.C., which will host the Craft Brewers Conference next year, has a tough act to follow.

Postscript: Every other year, the CBC hosts the World Beer Cup, an international judging that this year attracted a record 3,921 beers from 54 countries competing for medals in 95 categories. Among the winners, posted during the wee hours of Sunday (it takes a while to read out 284 award recipients), was Vienna Lager from Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in Roseland, Va. The malt-accented amber lager, recently introduced into Northern Virginia, was the gold medalist in the Vienna-style lager niche.

Arlington’s Rock Bottom Brewery snagged a bronze in the coffee beer category for its Coffee Stout. Two other Virginia breweries with a local presence took home a silver: Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton for its Blue Reserve (American-Belgo-style ale) and Sweetwater Tavern in Centreville for its GAR Pale Ale (extra special bitter). Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick also earned a silver in the aged beer slot for its Vintage Horn Dog barley wine.