Sour Belgian Pale Ale Tasting

This next beer is one of my own, and its about time.  Back in January I decided to brew my first "wild" or sour beer as I figured it might be nice to have a couple of cases of some of my favorite style.  I decided to go with a Belgian Pale Ale base and pitched dregs from Jolly Pumpkins Luciernaga The Firefly as well as a shot of the Berliner Weisse I had fermenting at the time.  Unfortunately I had to bottle it in May before I would have liked as a result of having to move, but nonetheless was still excited to try the beer.

Sour Belgian Pale Ale

Appearance- Hazy yellowish orange in color with some floating sediment as some of the yeast escaped into the glass.  A frothy egg shell white head emerges and dissipates to a thin patchy layer with a noticeable ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell- Big wave of lactic acid sourness in the front with lingering green apple as well as other hints of citrus fruit in the background.  Light touches of earthy character and accompanying funk that is whisked away by the last lactic acid.  Slight cardboard as a result of oxidation in the finish.

Taste- Some thin funk and earthy character to begin before a punch of lactic acid sourness takes over everything.  Green apple and some citrus accompany the sour character that continues in the finish.  Slightly sweet and sour increase in the finish as well.  Sour character fairly reminiscent of Jolly Pumpkin (what a surprise!) without the overall complexity.

Mouthfeel - Light in body, maybe edging toward medium thin.  Limited carbonation that is prickly on the tongue with a very dry finish.

Overall and Notes- Very happy with my first shot at what I guess is an American Wild Ale.  That being said, it lacks some of the complexity that you see in great sour beers and only highlights a lactic sourness.  No big deal, was expecting something of the sort as I did not get the chance to let it sit as long as I wanted.  


For those of you following this adventure so far (and I'm sure I am speaking to no one), I was able to lose the birds but now am stuck in a world composed soley of shades of brown.  I'm getting there, slowly but surely.  That or not at all, I can't decide yet.