Editor’s Note: This biweekly column is sponsored by Dominion Wine and Beer (107 Rowell Court, Falls Church). It is written by Garrett Cruce, a Cicerone Program Certified Beer Server.
They’re salty. They’re sour. They’re oddly refreshing. And, yes, they are an acquired taste. I’m talking about beers called goses.
Originally popular in pockets in Germany for hundreds of years, goses began to fall out of favor in the 20th Century until they had a short renaissance after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Much more recently, the beer that was conceived in the town of Goslar and later became synonymous with the city of Leipzig, has been embraced by craft brewers in the United States.
With palates expanding from the amber ales of early craft brewing to the ubiquitous hoppy IPAs to sour beers, brewers have begun looking for styles outside of the Belgian sour brown and lambic for inspiration. I’d written a couple of times about the Berliner Weisse, another German sour variety, but I hadn’t yet waded into the salty waters of the goses.
Goses are sessionable wheat beers, complete with coriander which adds a peppery spice, that are brewed with Lactobacillus (for the souring) and salt. Often fruit is added, just as in other sours, to enhance the flavor, but traditionally they are unflavored in the brewing process.
A 2015 article on thrillist.com claimed that the gose killed craft beer. No way! What it is, however, is another example of the wonderful way that American craft brewers are reviving historic and once regional-only styles so that many more beer drinkers can enjoy them. While goses are growing in popularity, there is no danger that they’ll replace your favorite style for good. Enjoy these funky, spicy and salty brews while they’re around.
Victory Brewing Company Kirsch Gose (4.7% ABV)
Victory brews this ruby red tart beer as their Spring seasonal and it’s one to look for. The aroma is a subtle blend of alkaline and acerola cherry — giving the distinct impression that sourness will follow. More tart than sour, the flavor starts with bold, real sour cherry followed by a baking soda bite where you’ll get the saltiness. About midway through the sip is a slight sweetness, much like in freshly picked sour cherries. Every year, my family and I love to pick sour cherries — they make great pies — and eating the occasional cherry is part of the pitting process. There’s always the shock of tartness followed by a sneaky sweetness. That’s Kirsch Gose.
