We often hear about them, but not everyone knows what sour beers really are. They are among the most traditional beers in the world and make the most of the benefits of spontaneous fermentation.

Sour beers are part of a truly traditional and unique style and technique of beer production. In fact, beers used to be sour because the current technologies were not available and fermentation was always managed through the use of natural yeasts present in the environment.

Even today, the production of sour beers involves the use of unselected yeasts, mainly from barrels and the surrounding environment, with ageing determined entirely by the master brewer to give the product unique characteristics, scents and aromas.

The sour beer par excellence, Lambic

Spontaneously fermented beers are currently produced mainly in Belgium and a few other countries, where marketing is limited. Production is concentrated in the Pajottenland area, south-west of Brussels, where Lambic, the sour beer par excellence, was born.
Lambic is a style and process that forms the basis for other types of sour beers, such as Gueuze, produced with different Lambic bases, or Fruit Lambic, a sour and fruity beer:
ripe fruit is added to it during fermentation. The best-known versions are Kriek, with cherries, Framboise, with raspberries, and Druivenlamik, with grapes.

Other types of sour beers

There are also beers that use not only spontaneous fermentation but also mixed fermentation, with bacteria and yeasts present in the wood of the vats and barrels used for fermentation and maturation.

These beers have a particular freshness which, due to their intrinsic characteristics, pairs particularly well with cheese and is also combined with fish dishes such as salt cod.

The acidic notes of this type of production are now appreciated as a characteristic of a niche process, and more and more fruity versions are being experimented with, using fruit and fruit purées: this has led to the creation of versions with hints of peach, prickly pear, apricot, coconut and passion fruit.

Discover the types of fruit and fruit purées that are best suited to your brewing production.

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