13/08/2020
Been a while, folks, but Buzz and Bumble still occasionally grab a beer or three. In Summer we got into sours a bit and really like them. Here are a few we tried.
SOUTH WEST SOUR: Colonial Brewing Co.
Margaret River WA
As sours go, this is becoming pretty iconic locally as a go-to sour and is worth the position it has taken. Very approachable and balanced which isn’t going to ostracise casual sour fans, but also doesn't have the exciting creativity some of the others have shown. Love the big mouth can.
4.6%, 375ml can
SALTED LEMON GOSE: OCHO (Miners Gold Brewery) with Blackhearts & Sparrows (collaboration)
Beaconsfield TAS
Uses North African-style preserved lemons. Very refreshing with the sour and sweet flattened slightly. In no way overpowering but also lacking anything outstandingly distinctive, which results in a very sessionable gose. We could easily drink a lot of this.
4%, 375ml can
LIME SWEET ART SOUR ALE: Bright Brewery
Bright VIC
Wow, that lime really punches well! First sip gives that Bickfords lime and soda taste, but very quickly the real citrus oils come through. As fans of lime in general, this delivers the goods. When a good sour drink hits the back palate your instinct should be to keep wanting to swallow; it's a force of will to stop swallowing this.
4.3%, 375ml can
ROSIE'S RASPBERRY SOUR ALE: NOMAD Brewing Co.
Brookvale NSW
More peachy in colour than raspberry, but there’s no mistaking that sharp and tangy berry nose. However, this is a spritzer fan’s raspberry quencher as the expected sweetness of most raspberry drinks is deliciously absent. Tart and lacking sweetness, just like real raspberries. Just as good as the Lime Sweet Art.
3.8%, 330ml can
THE GATHERER: Stone and Wood
Byron Bay NSW
When cold this is quite crisp and lovely, but be careful; if you leave it to warm up a little it becomes a bit bitter. The cucumber overpowers the watermelon in the end. Nice, but not thrilling.
4.2%, 375ml can
MISS PINKY: Boatrocker
Braeside (Melb) VIC
Once again with that unmistakable raspberry nose and yet again a lovely drop (sour berliner-wiesse with a tart punch) but somehow this is a bit tamer than NOMAD’s offering. I think it has to do with a less satisfying finish which loses the tartness. Very good, but in comparison it suffers (so very slightly). Very hydrating in the sense that the aftertaste makes me feel like I’ve washed my mouth out with water. These all sound like complaints, but it’s great. Could drink a lot of this, and at that percentage it wouldn’t be sneaky and deck you.
3.4%, 375ml can
PEACH MELBA PAVLOVA CREAM SOUR: Sailors Grave Brewing
Orbost VIC
The flavours here come in waves and at least three or four of them. The big star is a mid palate peachiness which is swiftly followed by a yogurt afterwash, but as adorable and unique as these are the final bitterness sweeps those dessert flavours away and even serves to counter them in later gulps. When you’ve got such a vibrant and interesting taste, it seems a disappointment to upstage it. Cute artwork.
4.8%, 355ml can
