Tart and refreshing with attractive price points, kettle sours are all the rage at craft breweries right now. This souring method, in which Lactobacillus is added after the mash but before the boil (and before the beer undergoes regular fermentation with Saccharomyces), is not just efficient; it’s also effective in keeping brewhouses safe from contamination. Here are five brewers on their five favorite kettle-soured beers.
Sean Fickle
Brewer at Fountain Square Brewery in Indianapolis, Indiana
“The Blood Orange Gose from Anderson Valley Brewing Company (Boonville, California) is my current favorite. It’s an amazingly well-balanced Gose with no single flavor dominating, with delightful tartness that blends excellently with the blood orange. The orange adds a little sweetness to the finish for me. It’s very easy to drink. Thank goodness it’s a session beer.”