7 Day Beer Challenge - Day 7 - Polish Sour

Day 7 is here...wow, despite being a regular beer drinker, it was still an interesting challenge. It got me to write more, meet more people, and try some beers I would have not otherwise have tried.

I am going out with a bang on this last day, bringing a beer I have never seen before and had little idea how it would taste. This is a beer from a Polish brewery called Lulu located in Wąsosz, Poland ( @polishcraftbeers not too far from you!) It is labeled a “sour” but I wouldn't classify it as a classic sour. It’s not too sour, and has a lower ABV (4.2%), along with flavors that make it a bit more like a Berliner Weisse or Gose style beer.

Right off the bat, I see a few flaws with this beer. Not too disparage the brewers, but there was some traits which I found not suited for my tastes. First, there was way too much carbonation. It took 5 minutes for the beer to settle and the carbonation was like champagne, very fizzy and airy. I don't think it goes along with this style. Second, there was a lot of black currant in this beer, not only making it much darker than usual for the style, but black currants are some of the most tart and acidic fruits there are. The extreme tartness and acidity of this fruit completely rob the nice sour and tart taste that the souring bacteria give to the beer. Those two are clashing here, and what's left is muddled but still overpowering. Third, the grain used is listed as barley malt and oatmeal. These are really odd choices for the style and probably added to the confusion. These styles typically use Pilsner malt which provide the correct body, mouthfeel, and texture to the beer. What I think happened was this is a Berliner Weisse designed to be an experimental fruit sour and it just fell flat.

Sorry, I didn’t meant this to be a beer roast! If you are in the market for something similar, I would recommend trying Leipziger Gose by Gasthaus. Gose (pronounced Go-suh) is a classic sour style originating in Goslar, Germany. The story goes that the water was salty in Goslar, and led to a salty beer. Live bacteria cultures created some sour flavor, all served on a top-fermented Pilsner beer that is light, airy, refreshing. Slightly sweet and sour, with a playful amount of acidity. You get this unique hay-like, earthy, spicy flavor from coriander added when its done right. Salty, sweet, and sour sounds like a bit too much, but it surprisingly well-balanced when done by Gasthaus. This beer nearly went extinct but was recently picked up by American brewers who made much more heavy-handed recipes. I can name dozens of great American Gose bottles, but not sure they come close to the classic recipe by Gasthaus. Made myself thirsty….going to get one!

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Cheers everyone, thanks for joining me on this challenge. Please follow and/or upvote if you enjoyed the post.

I nominate @cryptictruth for the 7 day beer challenge. I like the beers he drinks and want to see more!

Rules
You have to try a new beer every day, for 7 days
The beer must be something you have never tasted before
You must put a photo of the beer and write a few words about it
Nominate someone every day
If you are a social outcast with no friends to invite you just join the fun. You have every excuse to drink
Use the tag "#sevendaybeerchallenge" as one of your five tags.