Sour beers are taking off in Aussie craft breweries thanks to a wacky range of fruity flavours

The name might not sound appealing but sour beers are taking off with drinkers around Australia. SEE LIST OF THE BEST.

Don’t be put off by the name – sour beers are taking off in craft breweries around the country and drawing fans in unlikely places.

While there are plenty of beer buffs who love the style for its complexity and wide range of flavours, sours are also being embraced by people who normally wouldn’t even drink beer.

“They are becoming increasingly popular and we find a lot of women drink them,” says Matthew Cuthbert, who is the head brewer at Brisbane’s Revel Brewing Co.

“They are almost not like a beer. Some of them are like a cocktail. They can be quite spritzy and almost wine-like. I don’t like saying this, but some of them are even almost like an RDT (ready to drink) in terms of approachability.”

Matthew Cuthbert, Head Brewer at Revel Brewing Company in Brisbane.

Sour beers get their distinctive acidity and tartness through an additional step in the brewing process, where the fermented beer is then “soured” using a carefully controlled bacteria culture.

Once soured, the beer is boiled to kill off the bacteria and that’s where the fun really begins for the brewers, who then add whatever flavours (usually fruity) they can think of to create the final product.

“It’s generally whatever you can imagine,” says Cuthbert.

“They do lend themselves to making weird and wonderful imitations of other drinks or foods. A lot of them are based on a cocktail or an icy pole or a lolly or something like that.”

Cuthbert’s latest creation for Revel is a Pine Lime Sour, inspired on a Pine Lime Splice, and he says that his mango, macadamia and coconut brew based on a Weis Bar and their Pavlova Sour Ale have also been popular. Melbourne’s Moon Dog Brewery does a delicious Blackberry Crumble Dessert Sour and Hope Brewery in the Hunter Valley has a Sunny Boy Orange Sour, based on the beloved and sadly missed ice block of the same name.

“One that has been really popular over the last couple of years is Currumbin Valley Brewing Grape Bubble Gum Sour,” says Cuthbert.

“It literally tastes like grape Hubba Bubba. So you can add whatever you can conjure up.”

Visit smartcraftbeer.com.au to try our special Sour Mixed Pack.

SOUR MIXED PACK

3x Revel Pavlova Sour Ale + 1 Bonus

3x Colonial Brewing South West Sour + 1 Bonus

3x Little Bang Schwangberry Raspberry Sour + 1 Bonus

3x Holgate Blush Wild Berry Sour + 1 Bonus

TASTING NOTES

Revel Pavlova Sour Ale, 375ml Can, ABV 5.0%

The return of a classic and a favourite among Revel’s Revellers! The latest release in their ‘kettle sour’ series, the “Pav Sour”, needs no introduction! Inspired by an Aussie favourite, the humble pavlova: flavoured with fresh passionfruit, Kiwi fruit, peach, strawberries, blueberries and oranges. A Summer classic for any occasion!

Colonial Brewing South West Sour, 375ml Can, ABV 4.6%

South West Sour is a kettle soured and dry hopped beer, based on a wheat heavy malt bill for its full mouthfeel. Lactic acid acidity is delicately balanced with tropical aroma and flavour from US and NZ hops.

Colonial Brewing South West Sour.

Little Bang Schwangberry Raspberry Sour, 375ml Can, ABV 3.0%

Classic kettle sour pucker love with a big raspberry twist. Plus you get to say “Schwang” a lot.

Holgate Blush Wild Berry Sour, 375ml Can, ABV 4.6%

Holgate’s original semi sour pale ale, the Hop Tart, naturally lends itself to fruited variations after the classic Belgian sour beer tradition. The Blush is a wild berry version – with a deep rose colour and distinctive raspberry and blueberry fruitiness giving an incomparably refreshing tartness. Crush a Blush!

Get a slab of Australian golfer Marc Leishman’s Leishman Lager at our special price. Picture: Sarah Matray

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