Essential Info
- Color: Pale yellow to deep gold
- ABV: 4%-5.5%
- Commercial Examples: Westbrook Brewing Co. Gose, Victory Brewing Co. Sour Monkey, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Otra Vez
You’ll know Gose if you taste it—which you may get a chance to do, since it seems to be gaining in popularity in craft beer circles. A very old recipe commonly associated with Leipzig, Germany, it’s made with about 50% malted wheat, fermented with yeast and added lactobacillus (used in wild and sour beers to impart tartness), and spiced with coriander. And while coriander and lactobacillus can both be used in styles like Belgian Witbier, Gose is actually brewed with salted water—resulting in a slightly sour, salty, puckering flavor profile that can be as divisive as it is refreshing, unlike anything else in the beer world. Probably not a great starter beer, but good if you’re digging into specific styles and are thirsty for something authentically old school and a little bit out there.
