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Sour ale
Also called Sour beer, Gose, Berliner weisse, American wild ale, Kettle sour
A sour ale is a beer deliberately made tart by lactic acid bacteria or wild yeast, rather than through spoilage. The main types are German Berliner weisse and gose and American wild or kettle-soured ales, typically 2.8 to 7% ABV.
| Origin | Germany (Goslar, Leipzig, Berlin) and the United States |
|---|---|
| Alcohol (ABV) | 2.8–7% |
| Bitterness (IBU) | 3–12 |
| Color | Very pale straw to gold; fruited versions vary |
| Glass | Tulip, goblet or Berliner weisse bowl |
| Serving temperature | 4–8 °C |
| Classic examples | Leipziger Gose (Bayerischer Bahnhof), Ritterguts Gose, Berliner Kindl Weisse, Anderson Valley Briney Melon Gose, Russian River Supplication, New Belgium La Folie |
History
Gose originated in the Middle Ages in Goslar on the Gose river and became the beer of Leipzig, documented there by 1740; production stopped in 1966 and was revived in the 1980s. Berliner weisse, a low-alcohol sour wheat beer, was nicknamed 'the Champagne of the North' by Napoleon's troops in 1809. In the United States, breweries such as New Belgium, Russian River and Jolly Pumpkin began making barrel-aged wild ales in the late 1990s and 2000s, and quick 'kettle souring' made fruited sours and gose a craft beer trend in the 2010s.
Appearance, aroma and taste
Berliner weisse is very pale and hazy, with a big white head, clean lactic sourness, bready wheat and almost no bitterness at 2.8 to 3.8% ABV. Gose is similar in color but rounder, with a light salinity and coriander spice. American wild ales vary widely: barrel-aged versions show complex funk from Brettanomyces, oak and fruit, while kettle sours are cleanly tart and often heavily fruited with mango, passion fruit or berries. All share low hop bitterness, high carbonation and a refreshing, mouth-watering acidity.
How it is brewed
Traditional sours use mixed fermentation: brewer's yeast with Lactobacillus and sometimes Brettanomyces, often aged in wood for months. Kettle souring, a fast modern method derived from the Francke acidification process, holds unhopped wort at 35 to 45 °C with Lactobacillus for one to three days until it reaches a pH of about 3.2 to 3.5, then boils it to stop the bacteria before normal fermentation. Gose adds salt and coriander. Wheat often makes up 50% or more of the grist, and hops are minimal because they inhibit lactic bacteria.
Food pairing
Light sours behave like a squeeze of lemon. Gose pairs with oysters, ceviche, fish tacos, sushi, watermelon and feta salad. Berliner weisse suits brunch dishes, goat cheese and fresh fruit. Barrel-aged wild ales match charcuterie, duck, pork belly and soft-ripened cheeses. Fruited sours work with desserts such as cheesecake and panna cotta. For other sour traditions, see lambic and Flanders red.
Sour ale: questions and answers
Why do sour beers taste sour?
Sour beers contain lactic acid, and sometimes acetic acid, produced by bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Pediococcus or by wild yeast like Brettanomyces. Brewers introduce these microbes deliberately, through mixed fermentation, barrel aging or kettle souring.
What is a gose?
Gose is a German sour wheat beer of 4.2 to 4.8% ABV brewed with salt and coriander. It originated in Goslar, became Leipzig's local beer in the 18th century and was revived in the 1980s. It tastes tart, lightly salty and refreshing.
What is a kettle sour?
A kettle sour is a beer soured quickly by adding Lactobacillus to warm wort in the kettle for one to three days, then boiling to kill the bacteria before normal fermentation. It produces a clean, tart beer in days rather than months.
Related styles: sour beers
All beer styles →Sources: styles.bjcp.org, styles.bjcp.org, styles.bjcp.org
Last reviewed October 2026.