All You Need To Know About Sour Beer and Food Pairing

While exploring the vibrant culture of craft beer, we discover an unparalleled taste sensation: Sour Beer. It offers a rewarding experience for daring palates. Sour beer stands out among the diverse styles because of its complexity and boldness. 

Sour beer gaining popularity again is not a new trend. It is a long-standing tradition. According to the Information Resources Inc. report, sour craft beer sales increased by 40% in 2019. Nielsen notes an incredible 43% increase in 2018, with beer enthusiasts spending $14.8 million on sour brews. 

Some may wonder, what is a sour beer?

Bacteria and wild yeast colonize freshly produced beer, resulting in spontaneous fermentation. Craft brewers store the mixture in barrels for years or months after cooling it down with this sour beer brewing process. 

This post invites readers to push the limits of brewing tradition and innovation, taking them into everything related to sour beer.

Differences between Wild Yeast and Bacteria

What makes a sour beer sour?

Wild yeast, such as Brett or Brettanomyces, contributes subtle sour flavours to a beer. These microbes grow through spontaneous fermentation, producing diverse flavours despite their inherent risks.

How is Sour Beer Fermented?

Crafting the best sour beers involves using a variety of fermentation techniques, including:

Spontaneous Fermentation:

Like Old-World practices, spontaneous fermentation embraces the unpredictability of the ambient microflora, yielding subtle brews that reflect the local terroir.

Mixed Fermentation:

Brewers go the extra mile by utilizing the mixed fermentation technique, which involves mixing microbes to encourage flavour innovation and balance acidity and drinkability.

Kettle Souring:

By setting up lactic acid-producing bacteria in your brew kettle, the kettle souring technique speeds up the process to meet the demand for accessible sour brews. It allows for rapid experiments with infusions and adjuncts and exact acidity control, helping you brew delicious kettle sour beer.  

Exploring the realm of popular sour beers goes beyond fermentation science and encompasses innovation, tradition, and sensory stimulation. From the crispy refreshments of kettle-soured Gose to the rough appeal of fermented Lambic, every sip draws enthusiasts in, revealing tales of brewing creativity and microbial mastery. 

How do you brew sour beers?

Sour beer brewing creates complex and distinctive flavours by showing how science and art unite. The process relies on a delicate balance of souring agents and malt, creating a unique flavour.

The Science of Beers

How does sour beer work?

The tangy flavours of the best sour beers seduce beer enthusiasts. This flavour occurs because of higher acidity than traditional brews. This acidity comes about because of fermentation, a process in which bacteria such as Pediococcus and Lactobacillus generate lactic acid, which imparts distinctive tartness. The microbial superheroes, plus wild yeast strains such as Brettanomyces, carry out their magic throughout fermentation, ending in an orchestration of flavours.

The Art of Sour Beers

Brewing sour craft beer is an art and a science. Brewers pick base malts such as Pale Ale or Pilsner malts with care to lay the groundwork for the sour brews, supplemented with speciality malts to add complexity and depth. Incorporating unique twists, spelt, and rye malts provides a distinct flavour profile, while hops balance the flavours without introducing bitterness.

Pairing and Enjoying Sour Beer

Engaging with different cuisines, sour beer food pairing takes you on a fun sensory journey where the tangy complexities of such brews enhance gastronomic pleasures. The best sour beers, given their earthiness and acidity, pair well with intense flavours, especially those that are fatty, salty, or acidic. 

Picking ideal pairings is critical to prevent overpowering the dish and beer. Here are a few starting ideas:

• Approach the pairing with a strategy to match flavour intensities between the dish and the beer artistically.  
• The 3 Cs (cut, compliment, and contrast) offer a helpful framework for achieving balance. Sour beer's acidity refreshes the palate by cutting through oils and fats, making it an excellent pairing with hearty stews or creamy cheeses.
• Dishes with vinegar or fruits, when paired with sour beer, are ideal because their complementary flavours enhance each other. Their acidity complements salad dressings and Asian dishes, enhancing the flavour profile. 
• Contrasting certain aspects, such as acidity in sour beer versus sweetness or salinity, creates satisfying combinations that improve the food and the beer. Sour craft beers thrive at developing notable contrasts, with earthy flavours contrasting with fruity fermentations and tartness stressing a sweet taste.

What pairs best with sour beer? Here are a few sour beer recipe ideas:

• By adding tartness to seafood recipes, sour beers cut through the creamy richness and enhance the inherent flavours and brininess. Oysters pair flawlessly with tart beers such as Berliner Weiss or Gose, highlighting their sweetness without dominating the delicate flavours. 
• Good sour beers complement the intense flavour with their acidity and sourness by cleansing the palate and contrasting spicy foods. Sour beers, such as Lambic or Flemish Ale, enhance the flavour of spicy dishes like beef rendang or chilli crab. 
• Assessing the intensity of flavours is essential when pairing sour craft beers with cheese combinations. Strong cheeses, such as cheddar, goat, or Stilton, enhance the tartness in sour beers while steering clear of stinky, tangy cheeses, guaranteeing an even pairing.

It is important to remember that glassware and serving are essential for creating memorable sour beer food pairings. Here's how you can make a satisfactory serving experience:

• What kind of glass should you use to serve sour beer? A stemmed, or tulip-shaped sour beer glass will bring out the aromas, allowing you to experience its complexity. 
• The ideal temperature to serve sour beer falls between 45 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit (7.22 and 12.77 degrees Celsius). Over-chilling can suppress flavours, whereas a hot serving may increase acidity.
• While unpacking your sour beer pack and taking a sip, you will notice the range of flavours, which include fruity, tart, complex, and earthy.

You can hone your taste buds and discover new favourites by experimenting with various brewing techniques and styles.

Conclusion

With its intricate web of innovation, history, and flavour, sour beer is an enticing option. From its modest beginnings to the broad and popular range of contemporary types of sour beer, this brew keeps drawing in enthusiasts worldwide.

David Bower, the president of Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington, IN, emphasizes the rising tide of demand, stating, "Interest in sour beers is growing." 

Note the 3 Cs of sour beer food pairing—cut, compliment, and contrast—while embarking on your unique culinary adventures. It is time for action now.

Shop our range of sour beers today, along with a wide range of IPA and lager. All delivered ice cold to your doorstep in Singapore!