Dear Brews and Booze drinkers-
My official July brew/booze of the month nomination is sour beers. Actually, no one in particular, just that oft misunderstood, bizarre, and tangy category of beers perfected by the Belgiums (is it Belgese or even Belginians, which ever it is, I bet their women are hot). As a placeholder for this beer, my prediction for the new 'it' beer type for the masses, was crafted in Nebraska's favorite rival city, Boulder, by Avery Brewing Co. *Note* as you can tell by the 'craftiness' of their website, their beers are usually a disappointment)
I asked a specialty beer shop worker in San Francisco for a 'sour beer', and this is what I was dealt. Avery Fifteen Anniversary Ale.
The label describes the ingredients as follows: mission figs, hibiscus flowers, and white pepper. Having tried a total of none of those things, I can tell you, I still have no idea what this beer tastes like. Plus, it was 8 dollars. So all in all, this is the most unhelpful, non productive beer suggestion ever. But it was sour on the tail. And that, my boozers, is what I'm after.
Further research tells me it gets this sourness from the yeast strain 'brettanomyces' which is generally a deal-killer for beers and wines, except for the Belginians, who use this strain to draw out the tart in their beers' fruit notes.
There are others methods of making beer sour (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brettanomyces). I like those better.
What turned me on the sour beers? My love for vinegar, an accidental buy of a tub of 'cry-baby' chewing gum in the early 90's, and New Belgium's La Folie. If you find yourself in their Fort Collins tasting room, ask for a bottle of this. You will hit someone, it tastes so good.
And I paired it with the new season of the Real World. The Real World was over-cooked, tough, and certainly dry. Sarah sucks at journalism.
Nominated by JimStock.
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4 comments:
Seriously, one of the worst breweries in the biz. A Colorado blight.
But Jimstock, I thought the bitter or sour or sometimes more accurate desription of Belgium style beers "tastes like feet" was due to the practice of open fermentation in barns by which any mannor of agricultural byproducts could flavour the funky brew (dung or other barn funk). I recall a former co-worker explaining this to me once and he happened to be the treasurer of the local home brew club so I bought it hook, line, and sinker.
Thoughts?
Jesus, was Avery's website made by Sean Perry?
m@, that seems like a stretch, but then again they traditionally call those beers, I think you are referring to, as "farmhouse ales". Could be some truth to that(also called Saison beer).
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