sour beers

Acidic fermented ales

Sour beers are a category of beer intentionally brewed to have an acidic, tart, or funky flavor profile.

The sourness comes from wild yeasts or bacteria—often Lactobacillus or Brettanomyces—introduced during fermentation.

Traditional styles include Belgian lambics, German goses, and Flemish red ales.

Modern craft brewers have embraced sours, experimenting with fruit additions and barrel aging: The brewery specializes in kettle sours and wild ales.

Related

traditional methods · barrel aging · oak barrels · pucker · pellicle · acetic acid · wild yeast · brewpubs · flavor profiles · taprooms · microbreweries · growlers · brewery tours · cheese pairing · vinegar · lambics · puckers · fermentations

Opposites
flavor profile

sour beerspilsners

Light, hoppy beers

lagers

beer tradition/culture

sour beersBudweiser

Major American beer brand

Miller Lite · Coors · Miller

Family

sour, beer, beers, sourly, sourness, sourer, sourest, soured, souring

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated PG