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Beer style
Sour beer
Beer in which refreshing acidity is intentional, from clean kettle-soured examples to complex barrel-aged mixed fermentation.
Typical parameters
- Origin
- Multiple European traditions; now international
- Fermentation
- Lactic, mixed or spontaneous fermentation
- Alcohol
- 3–8% ABV
- Bitterness
- 3–20 IBU
- Colour
- 2–20 SRM
- Serving
- 6–12 °C
- Glassware
- Tulip or stemmed tasting glass
Sensory profile
Appearance
Varies from pale and brilliant to dark or fruit-coloured.
Aroma
Lactic tang, fruit and grain; mixed cultures may add earthy, leathery or funky notes.
Flavour
Clean yoghurt-like acidity or layered fruit, oak and fermentation complexity.
Mouthfeel
Light to medium body; acidity may feel crisp, while fruit and maturation can add texture.
Typical ingredients
Barley and/or wheat malt, low hopping, acidifying bacteria or mixed cultures; fruit and wood are optional.
Food pairing
Goat cheese, seafood, salads, charcuterie and fruit desserts.
History
Sourness was common before modern microbiology. Regional Belgian and German styles preserved controlled acidic traditions that inspired a broad contemporary revival.
How it is brewed
Low hop levels permit lactic bacteria to work. Kettle souring creates clean acidity quickly; mixed fermentation requires months or years and strict separation from clean-beer equipment.