Modern Tart Specialty Kettle Sour Ale with Apricot This beer is one of a series of experiments in the process of kettle souring: fermenting wort in the kettle with lactobacillus prior to boiling to create a clean crisp acidity without introducing bacteria into our cellar. Mixed fermentation sour beers and kettle sours alike often include generous amounts of fruit to compliment the refreshing tartness contributed by acid-producing bacteria. However, sour beers of all kinds tend to be thoroughly fermented and dry leaving very little of the sweetness that we are accustomed to when eating the fruit itself. Because sugar works as a flavor enhancer and can amplify the taste of fruit in a beer, we decided to add some residual sweetness to a tart apricot beer to give the drinker a more bold and authentic taste similar to the apricot itself rather than a muted version of the flavor that results after fermentation. To achieve this, we add a small amount of lactose (milk sugar) into the kettle during the boil. Because the ale yeast used in primary fermentation cannot ferment this type sugar, a slight residual sweetness will remain after fermentation. The beer is dosed with a small dry hop addition that adds a fruity complexity to compliment the apricot. The result is a beer that delivers the full experience of biting into a fresh apricot with both the acidity and sweetness of the real fruit and a background of tropical flavors from Citra and Mosaic hops.
ABV: 5.8 YEAST: Wyeast 1272 American Ale 2MALT: Pilsner, Malted Wheat, Oats HOPS: Citra, Mosaic
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