One of the best things about the current craft-beer explosion is that breweries are looking into every corner of Europe for Old World beer styles that have been largely forgotten, at least over here in the States. Westbrook Brewing in Mount Pleasant, S.C., has uncovered a revelation with their Gose.
Gose (pronounced “Gose-uh”) is a style of sour wheat beer developed in 16th Century Leipzig, Germany. It most certainly didn’t comply with Reinheitsgebot or the German Beer Purity Law thanks to spices like coriander and the presence of salt.
This top-fermenting beer style was completely abandoned in the 1960s before being revived by a trio of German breweries a couple of decades later. Westbrook is among the first American breweries to attempt the style.
Westbrook uses coriander and sea salt in the brewing. There’s a lemony tartness all the way through, making this one of the most flavorful low-gravity beers I’ve tasted.
Fans of more Belgian-style sours will appreciate its bite while residents of the Southern states (and New York) where Westbrook is sold will appreciate how refreshing it is on a hot summer day. It’s drier and less fruity than a lambic or Gueze and much lighter than a Flanders red ale. The sourness and saltiness is something truly unique.
And it’s a good thing it’s only 4%. It goes down so easy you’ll be through two or three before you know it.
Brewery: Westbrook
City: Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Style: Gose
ABV: 4%