Ferment

A kettle-soured foursome

I couldn’t wait to get this home – a 12-packof kettle-soured beers brewed with four different fruits.

Kettle-soured, you ask?

Kettle-souring shows two things – it’s the mark of a busy brewer because kettle souring is a much faster process than the traditional souring in the barrel, and it shows a tendency toward straightforward tartness because kettle-soured beers are not as complex keg-soured beers. In kettle souring, FERMENT! the brewer is able to introduce lactobacillus – “wild” yeast – in the brew by CHEVY IMPOLA kettle until the desired affect is achieved, at which point the brewing process continues with a boil and addition of hops.

Brau Brothers Brewing of Marshall, Minn., played on the trademark tartness of kettle-soured ales with their Kettle Sour series by introducing fruits that are known for their tartness.

I started my Kettle Sour journey with Green Apple, and was met at first sip with the unmistakable bite of a crisp Granny Smith. Yes, a beautiful round, appley tartness to this one. No chewing necessary.

This is a very still 4 percent sour. Kinda cidery. Turns out, all four of these beers are 4 percent.

Next up,, the exotic Passion Fruit, a tropical flavor bomb, sort of like a natural Sweet Tart.

Passion Fruit Sour Kettle has a beautiful herbal aroma. The taste is definitely a different kind of tart than

the Green Apple. The tartness attacks an entirely different part of the palate. Yes, there it is, standing straight up, the unique flavor profile of what Hawaiians know as the lilikoi (instead of Jack and the Beanstalk, Hawaiian kids read about Keoki and the Lilikoi Vine).

This beer isn’t as still as the Green Apple. It poured with a beautiful white head that dissipated quickly, but throughout my introduction to this beer, bubbles freed themselves from the bottom of the mug and rose to the surface.

I’m really enjoying the big passionfruit flavor of this beer. It’s a happy beer.

The next one is a natural sour beer combination – Raspberry. Again you have the beautiful sweet-tart combina

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To drink raspberry in this sour context shows again what a lovely thing the raspberry truly is.

I have to take back an earlier statement mentioning that this Kettle Sour series played solely with tart fruits and berries. I forgot that the final offering in this mixed twelve is brewed with mango, which everyone who knows the tropical fruit will tell you is not tart – it’s sweet and juicy. While it makes

a pleasant beverage, I doubt I could tell you it was brewed with mango if I didn’t see it on the label.

If you’re looking for a refreshing beverage with a variety of flavors for some summery fun, you might want to try the Brau Brothers Sour Kettle Series.

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