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Are you sick of all those over-spiced winter warmers that are everywhere at this time of year? Well more breweries than ever are now taking a “road less travelled” and crafting sours for the holiday season. And here are five holiday sours that you need to know about…
Souring On Christmas? (Boulder, CO) – One of the season’s most welcome annual holiday releases is crafted by Upslope Brewing and it’s totally WILD! Brewed as a small-batch holiday release every winter Lee Hill Series Volume 10 Wild Christmas Ale with Cranberries is a 9% ABV Sour Ale that’s aged in Leopold Bros Maryland Style Rye Whiskey barrels and then re-fermenting with 500 pounds of cranberries. As with all Lee Hill Series beers, this wild holiday ale is an extremely limited release.
Teutonic! (Victor, ID) – Grand Teton Brewing is releasing the latest from their acclaimed Brewers’ Series, and because it’s so NOT a winter warmer, were excited. Grand Teton American Sour 2015 is a “big” 8.2% ABV barrel-aged sour that the brewery contends should continue to develop its sour characteristics if stored properly – so do that.
Get Cherry Bombed (Everett, MA) – Down the Road Beer is thinking that some of us need a break from all those high ABV holiday winter warmers so they’ve brewed up a refreshing option. Available this week, Cherry Feyborn Berliner Weisse is a 4.5% ABV kettle sour with a blast of tart cherries thrown in because that’s what they wanted to do.
Poinsettia 2016 (Vista, CA) – Toolbox Brewing is all about wood and wild ales, it’s what they do, and their annual holiday sour is “to die for.” Barrel fermented and aged in French oak wine barrels for 10 months, Toolbox Poinsettia 2016 is a 6.5% Sour Ale with maraschino cherries, caramelized pineapple, orange peel, toasted pecans, treacle, maple syrup and rum-soaked oak chips added.
A Snow Sour (Switzerland) – The states may be playing catch-up on this whole sour holiday beer trend, because Europe’s beloved Trois Dames has been brewing an annual holiday sour for year’s now. Trois Dames Winter Sour Ale is a 7% spicy refresher that was borne of a Double Wit aged in wood for six months.
