How are sour beers made? Bockor Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge?

[switters]

Last night I went to an incredible local pub called in Oakland called The Trappist. They have 20 belgian and specialty beers on tap and more than 160 in the bottle.

I tried a beer called Bockor Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge. It was unlike any beer I had ever tasted. Very sour with overtones of vanilla, cherry, stone fruit. In fact it almost tasted more like cider than beer.

Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself here, as I am a complete newbie and haven't yet brewed my first batch of beer, but I'm wondering how this type of beer is made and whether anyone has a recipe for Bockor Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge or something similar.

Thanks.

 

[Edcculus]

Looks like thats a Flanders Red.

If you want to get into sour beer, I highly suggest reading Wild Brews by Jeff Sparrow.

Sour beers are a whole different can of worms than regular beer. You are usually using a mix of bugs which include regular brewers yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), some form of Brettanomyces (a type of wild yeast), Pediococcus and Lactobacillus. The beers are spontaneously fermented traditionally, but mixes of the bugs are available from Wyeast and White Labs.

Making wild beer usually requires all grain. Fermentation times range from 6 months to several years. The grist is a little different from a normal ale, since you are going to be feeding some other organisms for a prolonged ferment.

Check out the "lambic and wild brewing" forum for more info and ideas. Welcome to a whole new world of beer!

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I believe the beer you're referring to is a Flemish Red. It's in the sour beer category with Lambics and Krieks.

Sour beers are a very tough beer to replicate, and I wouldn't suggest trying it until you get a little experience under your belt. They take close to a year to brew and it all comes down to the yeast.

They are usually a very light beer. There's no hop flavor because they use aged hops with 0 AAU's. Also, the real yeast is hard to obtain. You need to get into yeast culturing before you can make a clone of any lambic, flemish, or flander's. Now, if you'd like to make your own... Wyeast has a few strains of lambic yeast. Specifically, Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus.

Now, if you do make one, be prepared to get freaked out. They are nasty looking beers while fermenting.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

You beat me to the punch. I need to start typing faster.

 

[switters]

Ah, sounds like I'm better off drinking this beer at The Trappist than making it myself for the time being. Maybe someday...

The Wild Brews book seems fascinating.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Edcculus]

Ah, sounds like I'm better off drinking this beer at The Trappist than making it myself for the time being. Maybe someday...

The Wild Brews book seems fascinating.

Thanks for your replies.

Yea, they are definitely possible, but require a lot more patience. I can't recommend the book enough though. Even if you don't plan on brewing one, its a great read.