Sour beer and food pairing

How should you pair these with food? Here we take a look at flavour hooks and bridging ingredients.

 

What is sour beer?

But what is a sour beer? What makes a beer sour? And are we frequently getting it wrong when we talk about them?

We perceive sour when hydrogen ions are split off by an acid dissolved in a watery solution and the main souring agents in beer are bacteria, which turn up in different forms in different beers.

What makes beer sour?

Lactobacillus (Lacto) and Pediococcus (Pedio) are the two most important bacteria in sour beer production and will find their way via a number of different ways.

Lacto is the most straightforward one to address, and probably the predominant acidic note in modern beers at the moment as it’s what is used in beer styles like gose and Berliner Weisse which particularly when brewed with additional fruit or dry-hopped can be really accessible and refreshing.

A sour taste in beer mainly comes from the choice of malt and the method of fermentation. For example, wheat gives white beers and German wheat beers a subtly sourness. Saison has a sour funky taste, largely due to wheat malt and special saison yeast. The well-known Belgian beer Orval is bottled with Brettanomyces yeast, which also provides a funky, sour taste.

The sourest beer type, however, is the gueuze, also known as the champagne of the beer world. To make a gueuze, a gueuze blender combines lambic of different ages, usually a mix of three year old and young Lambic. The exposure to the outside air during the brewing process is what creates the Lambic. Spontaneous yeasts from the air get to work with the beer and that causes a unique, sour taste. Some people can find sour beers challenging and they do take some getting used to. But persevere because they are often fantastically balanced and delicious beers.

Sour strengthens sour

Sour and sour reinforce each other. Meaning that two sour tastes will make the experience doubly as sour. Bear this in mind when serving sour beer and using vinegar for a salad dressing, for example. Citric acids are far more forgiving than vinegar, so use lemon juice instead of vinegar for a salad dressing.

Sour strengthens bitter

This is perhaps the trickiest combination of all when pairing food with beer. Bitter is more common in beer than in food, and sour is more prevalent in food than in beer. So if you plan on drinking sour beer, you must test the food for its bitterness.

Gueuze and Kriek food pairing

Gueuze beers are intensely sour but also highly fruity, often with green apple-like notes.

That apple character is a perfect flavour hook:

• Pork dishes pair exceptionally well

• Add apple to the dish for a seamless bridge

If you’re not planning a full meal, sour beers are fantastic with strong cheeses such as goat’s cheese, cheddar and stilton. The acidity lifts the richness and enhances the flavours on both sides.

White beer and Weizen food pairing

Wheat beers are softer and less intense than IPAs or strong blondes, making them ideal for lighter dishes.

Try pairing with:

• Chicken salads

• Steamed fish

• Dishes with fresh fruit

At a barbecue, meat can overpower wheat beer. Instead, opt for vegetarian options — a well-seasoned ratatouille works beautifully. A tropical weizen is a great match here.

Saison food pairing

Saison might be the most versatile beer when it comes to sour beer pairing.

Its dry, fruity and highly carbonated character works especially well with:

• Fatty foods

• Creamy cheeses

One standout pairing is soft goat’s cheese with saison. Both share rustic, farmhouse flavours, and the lively carbonation cleanses the palate perfectly.

Do sour beers have gluten?

A common question is: do sour beers have gluten?

Most sour beers are brewed with barley or wheat, meaning they do contain gluten unless specifically labelled gluten free. However, some modern sour beers are brewed using gluten-free grains or treated to remove gluten, so always check the label if gluten is a concern.

Final thoughts on sour beer pairing

Sour beer can be challenging at first, but once you understand how acidity interacts with food, it becomes one of the most exciting styles to pair. From gueuze and cheese to saison and rich dishes, sour beer food pairing is all about balance, contrast and a little experimentation.

Stick with it... the rewards are well worth it.