faq:

Can i bring _______ beer?

If it is a sour/wild ale that is brewed in a commercial brewery, then yes. If you are a brewery that produces wild beers and would like to contribute, we'd certainly welcome your participation.

The organizer may decide to reject particular manually entered non-listed beers if it does not meet the focus of this event.They will be in contact directly if there is any problem.

What is wild/sour beer?

Sour or wild beer is beer that has been exposed to "wild" yeast or bacteria rather than exclusively fermented with "pure" yeast. The resulting beer is generally sour or tart in nature, though the intensity varies greatly by style, extent of exposure, and producer. The wild yeast/bacteria could be the dominant part of the fermentation or merely ancillary. The flavors and aromas produced are very complex; from intensely acidic, to rich fruity "cherry pie", pineapple, "barnyard", or lactic.

Traditional examples are quite dry, as nearly all residual sugar in the beer is consumed by the yeast and bacteria. Occasionally sour beers are blended with older vintages of the same beer or with fruit, such as tart cherries or raspberries, to add complexity. To make the beer more widely marketable, some producers stunt fermentation by pasteurizing and sweetening to mask the natural sourness, though this practice is shunned by most purists and labeled "nontraditional".

Are sweetened examples from breweries such as Lindemans or De Troch allowed?

The focus of this tasting event is to promote traditional sour ales. However, we will allow a limited amount of sweetened examples to be shared in an effort to educate participants on the differences between traditional and nontraditional products. Please be aware that most breweries that produce sweetened examples also have some traditional ones available, search those out. E.G. Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René or De Troch Chapeau Oude Kriek. HINT: For lambics, the designation of "Oude" in the name implies that the product is traditionally produced (at least most of the time).