When it comes to the world of beer, there is a wide range of styles and flavors to explore. One particular style that has been gaining popularity in recent years is sour beer. With its unique tangy and acidic taste, it offers a refreshing and palate-tingling experience for beer enthusiasts. But when it comes to categorizing sour beer, the question arises: is it a lager or ale?
Well, the truth is that sour beer can actually be either a lager or ale, depending on the brewing process and ingredients used by the brewer. Let’s delve into the details to understand this further.
Lager or Ale: What’s the Difference?
Before we dive into the classification of sour beer, it’s crucial to have a basic understanding of the difference between lagers and ales. The main distinction lies in the yeast used and the fermentation process.
Lagers are brewed using bottom-fermenting yeast strains, which work their magic at colder temperatures. This slow fermentation process lends lagers a clean and crisp profile, with a more mellow flavor. On the other hand, ales are made with top-fermenting yeast strains that thrive at warmer temperatures. This results in a quicker fermentation process, producing beers with a wider range of flavors and a more pronounced fruitiness or spiciness.
Sour Beer: The Lagers
Now, let’s focus on sour beers that fall into the lager category. Some brewers opt to use lager yeast strains to create sour beers, resulting in what is known as a sour lager. These beers undergo a unique fermentation process that involves introducing specific strains of bacteria, such as lactobacillus or pediococcus, along with the lager yeast.
The combination of the lager yeast and bacteria leads to a complex and tart flavor profile. Sour lagers often have a clean and crisp base, similar to traditional lagers, but with the added tanginess and acidity that comes from the souring process. They can range from mildly tart to intensely sour, depending on the brewer’s intent and the length of the fermentation.
Sour Beer: The Ales
On the other hand, some sour beers fall into the ale category. Belgian saisons, for example, are a type of sour ale. These beers are brewed using top-fermenting yeast strains, which impart unique fruity and spicy flavors. While saisons may not be as intensely sour as some other sour beers, they often exhibit a delightful tartness that complements their complex flavor profile.
The tartness in sour ales can come from various sources. Some brewers introduce specific strains of wild yeast or bacteria, such as Brettanomyces or lactobacillus, during the fermentation process. Others rely on aging the beer in oak barrels, which allows for natural souring through the presence of wild yeast and bacteria residing in the wood.
Conclusion: It Depends on the Brewer
In conclusion, whether sour beer is classified as a lager or ale ultimately depends on the brewer’s approach and the specific techniques they employ. Some sour beers are crafted using lager yeast strains, resulting in sour lagers, while others fall into the ale category, such as Belgian saisons.
Regardless of the classification, sour beers offer a fascinating and diverse range of flavors, from mildly tart to puckeringly sour. Their ability to tantalize the taste buds and provide a unique drinking experience has contributed to their growing popularity in the craft beer world.
