Not Your Regular Beer: Introducing the Vibrant Sour & Fruit Beers for Springtime

By Tim Mensalvas
The Wine Country’s Beer Specialist

The term “Sour Beer” could be a contradictive and odd statement for what many may consider in their head to be a beer; but an increasing selective group are basking in this newly found old style of beer. 

The Sour Beer style can be contributed back to the traditional Belgian styles of brewing in their respective regions and can be roughly categorized today into three common styles of Lambics, Geuzes and Sour Browns.

A Lambic beer is very unique from regular brewing styles in that is produced by spontaneous fermentation where it is exposed to wild yeasts and bacteria, with one main agent being Brettanomyces. The process of brewing a Lambic beer is very complicated and requires a special balance of specific natural steps to create a pure Lambic that is sharp and acidic. Under this style, several beers can be derived including: Krieks, Fruit Lambics and Geuzes.

A Gueuze is a blend of three different old and young aged Lambics and then aged again for an additional 2 or 3 years after blended. This creates a rare intense complexity of fruit and funk that can be considered quite beautiful to the novice beer drinker.

The Flanders Red style is from the Flanders region of Belgium, which is now split up between Belgium, France and the Netherlands. This style is also very sour but opposite from the Lambics, it is brown in color and carries more dark fruit flavors such as raisins, plums, or raspberries followed by oranges and spice.

All of these styles are very unique because of their respective surrounding environments, and may do more than shock you your first time around to taste them. You may enjoy the surprising taste this beer offers, but chances are you will most likely go straight back to your regular go-to beer for the next round. But if you give this style more than a couple chances, your palette will develop to enjoy and appreciate these diverse and complex brews from some of the greatest and oldest breweries in the world.

Another odd style beer that not everyone would consider would be fruit infused beers. Most of these beers hold one main prominent flavor, whether it is raspberry, cherry, or banana, these beers are delicious and straightforward. And while fruit infused beers have been around for quite awhile, and ignored by men for just as long, the increasing popularity of Sour Beers may allow that ultra masculine man to give these beers a shot. 

We have plenty of Fruit Beers here at The Wine Country that any guy could easily share a six-pack (or two) with his girlfriend, mom, or heck, your bro’s for that sunny day we see too often here in California.