sour ales

New Beer Blog Lagunitas Aunt Sally

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample a new beer from Lagunitas Brewery Company.  It is their Aunt Sally.  I said this once and again.  The new trend in beer for 2016 was going to be sours, fruit beers, and ciders.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this west coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this California base craft brewery.  Let us get into this beer.

It has a clear golden color with a white constant head. The aroma has a heavy citrus to slight grapefruit notes. The taste has a sweet tart to grapefruit notes with a grapefruit aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.lagunitas.com):

A Unique Dry-Hopped Sweet Tart Sour Mash Ale

We soured the wort on the Hot Side with Lactobacillus for a few days and then brewed up this smooth and hoppy sour. It tastes like a big bowl of fruity candy or some chewable flavored vitamins, but what’s the difference? It’s sweet, tart, and sassy, just like the tasty cherry pie that your favorite aunt makes. For all the Aunt Sally’s out there, You know who you are..

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.lagunitas.com

Twitter:  @lagunitasbeer

In the end, I love sours, gose, and tart beers.  I know they are about the same in taste profile world.  To me, they are both a little different and I have to be in that mood to really enjoyed a tart beer or a sour one.  I am happy to see more and more sours and tart beers hitting the market.  Of course, anything new that comes out from this craft brewery.  I always pick up a six pack or a single bottle to try it out.  I have to say I am not disappointed on this brew.  I love it. It is almost sour but more tart to me.  I recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog New Belgium LA Folie Sour Ale (2015)

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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into a limited release brew, which is La Folie Sour, from New Belgium Brewery.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know New Belgium Brewery.  Let us get into this sour ale.

It has a nice dark ruby-red to a nice brown color with a slight cloudy look. There is no head but the head that was there has a tan like color. The aroma has a sweet malty to slight caramel with some sour notes. The taste has a heavy sour to sweet malty notes. The aftertaste has a heavy sour finish. It is a sipping beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.newbelgium.com):

La Folie, French for ‘the folly’, is a beer steeped in New Belgium brewing tradition. This wood-aged, sour brown spends one to three years in big, oak barrels, known as foeders. And when the beer finally hits the glass, La Folie is sharp and sour, full of green apple, cherry, and plum-skin notes. Pouring a deep mahogany, the mouthfeel will get you puckering while the smooth finish will get you smiling. Not a beer for the timid, La Folie is a sour delight that will turn your tongue on its head.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

In the end, I love my sour ales.  I have to say that this is the best American version of Belgian sour ale.  Upland Brewery has a great sour program but they just do very little batches.  It makes their beers a little special and super rare.  This is a great sour from New Belgium.  There is a nice balance.  It is pretty sour and bitter but not over the top.  This is one of the best sours that I have ever had in a long time. It is up there with the Rodenbach and other great Belgium sours.  I am talking as a American version. I highly recommend this beer.  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill  DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Upland Brewing Strawberry Lambic

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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into a project that Upland Brewing did not know was going on in their brewery.  One of their assist brewmasters started a sour and package it.  Everyone at the brewery loved his sours.  Sour ales take years to make and is one hardest beer style to make.  If you mess it up, you need to start over. If you read my earlier beer blog post on their Dragonfly IPA, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, that beer blog post to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into this sour ale.

It is a cloudy strawberry color without a head on the beer.  The smell is a sour strawberry.  The taste is extremely sour strawberry and tart with sour aftertaste.  It is not drinkable.

Here is a description from their website (www.uplandbeer.com):

Man, that’s sour.  Made with real strawberries.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.uplandbeer.com

Twitter:  @UplandBrewCo

Closing, I have to say I am a huge fan of sours and Upland Brewery.  I was excited to get my hands on this brew.  I know this sour is hard to get on the market.  I have to say this brew is pretty sour.  I like it but I wished I had cork to save it for the next day.  The color, smell, and taste are sour strawberry notes.  This is an awesome beer and they have done a great job on this brew.  I hope to get a chance to try their other sours in the near future.  I highly recommend their sours.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser