There’s no two ways about it, bacteria are fickle, funky little bugs and getting them to work hard is hard work
itself. The brewers at Epic spent over 18 months developing their latest offering, Tart ‘n Juicy Sour IPA, a unique
fusion of puckering tartness & an abundance of juicy, citrus-driven hops.
Tart ‘n Juicy is a 4.5%, fresh, kettle
soured, India Pale Ale with bright
notes of grapefruit, agave,
tangerine and passion fruit.
Normally “sour” and “India Pale
Ale” would be contradictory terms
because the flavor combinations
can be tough to bring together in
just the right way. Traditionally,
sours are aged for a very long
time, whereas hops should be
enjoyed as fresh as possible. Plus
there’s the fact that sour
producing bacteria, like
Lactobacillus and Pediococcus,
don’t usually thrive in hoppy
environments due to the hops’
natural antimicrobial properties.
What does all this mean? Just that
Tart n’ Juicy was a challenge to
create and the beer is probably like nothing you’ve ever tasted before. In order to harmonize the flavors in the
beer, Epic’s team had to turn its attention to beer souring bacteria.
“We spent a lot of time working with different strains and understanding their strengths and limitations,” said
Kevin Crompton, Brewmaster at Epic Brewing, “Bacteria strains are like sheep, they need a lot of care and
looking after while brewer’s yeast is much more robust and aggressive - they’re more like a Velociraptor.”
Tart ‘n Juicy Sour IPA is the latest addition to Epic’s growing sour beer program. Their facility in Denver now
house 12 foeders and over 2000 oak barrels to produce traditionally soured beers like Sour Brainless on
Peaches, but Epic also sees the power of innovation and a role for kettle soured beers.
“Kettle souring is an emerging technique in sour beer and we see it as another tool in our arsenal,” said Kevin
Crompton. “It produces a different, cleaner, more lactic flavor profile than the bigger, more complex flavors of
barrel-aged souring. We want to use both to create unique beers that push the boundaries of peoples’ palates.”
Whether it’s the slow and delicate art of aging and blending or cutting edge techniques of kettle souring, Epic
has a passion for style even if it means crafting its own.
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