Sour beer and gose: how do these two craft beer families differ?
Sour beer is a broad family, and gose is a specific type that adds salt and coriander to its flavor profile.
Sour beers are a broad category of beer characterized by acidic or sour flavors. Within this category, gose is a specific type with added ingredients that give it a unique profile. Like bourbon in relation to whiskey, all gose is a sour beer, but not all sour beer is a gose.
The acidity comes from live bacteria, primarily Lactobacillus and Pediococcus, which produce lactic acid. The same is true for the tangy flavor of yogurt. Some brewers also use Brettanomyces (or simply Brett), a wild yeast commonly found on fruit peels.
During fermentation, yeast produces esters, aromatic compounds that give each beer a unique flavor. Depending on the Brettanomyces species used, the flavors can be fruity, citrusy, or slightly unusual. Some brewers add fruit during fermentation, and certain sour beers are aged in oak barrels to encourage microbial activity.
Sour beers include Berliner Weisse, lambics, Flanders, Oud Bruin, gueuze, and American wild beers. While they vary, they are generally light, crisp, and refreshing, with a subtle acidity and sweetness that make them easy to drink.
Gose is distinguished by the addition of salt and cilantro. The salt helps reduce bitterness, and both ingredients contribute salty and floral notes that balance the fruity flavor. The effect is reminiscent of a margarita with a salt-rimmed glass.
Traditionally, gose is not aged in oak barrels. It is made using the kettle acidification method, which employs a stainless steel mash tun to quickly infuse acidic flavors into the wort, or unfermented liquid.
Because of its character, gose is a good introduction to sour beers for those hesitant about a beverage that defines itself as "extravagant." The salt and coriander soften the acidity, and overall it's an approachable and refreshing beer, ideal for a patio on a hot summer day.
