Gose

De Molen Angst & Beven

Posted on by lauriepatricksmith

image

One of Bodegraven, Netherlands most inventive craft beers is Angst & Beven aka Fear & Trembling. Before fully introducing the beer itself I should mention that lambic and Berliner weisse are not the only sour beers brewed in history. One of the styles to survive through beer folklore is the Gose a slightly sour and salty wheat beer. Angst & Beven is described as being a Gose-ish ale barrel aged with a whopping 12.2% ABV. My only previous experience with the gose beer style is a seasonal brew produced by Calgary’s Wild Rose craft brewery.

Pouring out a dark amberish gold with a steadily growing plume of off white head Angst & Beven looks like an amber ale by all appearances. The head settles slowly to a thin cap of a few bubbles showing both the high alcohol content and the barrel aging. The nose is crisp with toasted wheat malt as well as fruity with a light acetic fruity note and mild citrus punches. A mild mannered, malty mid section with a slight salty sourness approaching near the finish. A rich, earthy barrel presence overcomes the mild sour note and lingers into the aftertaste with a bit of boozy warmth. At no point does this seem like a 12.2% beer showing off more barrel and gose flavours.

Price: $8.99
Grade: 90/100

Advertisement

Wild Rose Gose Rider

Posted on by lauriepatricksmith

My local craft brewery Wild Rose is celebrating summer with a slightly sour salted beer infrequently seen anywhere on the planet. Of all the traditionally sour styles only Berliner Weisse and Lambic’s haved survived. One to go the way of the buffalo is Gose a salted sour wheat beer once brewed in areas of Northern Germany. Grodziskie and Lichtenhainer are similar but smoked styles even less frequently seen. With the recent craft beer rennaisance in North America, Gose is a style that has started to crop up from time to time as seasonal beers. To me Wild Rose is a brewery who generally doesn’t try anything to crazy despite recently creating a Belgian IPA, Rye Saison and Kellerbier (unfilitered pilsner) so attempting a Gose is courageous and intimidating at the same time. Gose Rider is brewed to 4% ABV with wheat, barley, Saaz hops, coriander and salt.

Gose Rider pours a murky golden yellow with a hazy body and a beautiful finger of bright white head and a ton of tin bubbles ascending towards the head to start. The nose is incredibly unique and unlike anything I can recall with definite funky sourness albeit light and subtle. Coriander and crisp wheat aromas accompany a light toasted bread malt. The flaovur lacks sourness on the first sip until swallowing where a moderate and monotone sourness hits the palate. Sweet toasted wheat malts and a light honey or caramel sweetness pervades the sourness and salty flavour. After I had about half the bottle I noticed a tart lemony zest on the finish with lingering coriander. Gose Rider is like an incredibly easy to drink and sessionable wit with less wheat and a salty flavour. This is an incredibly refreshing and crisp brew which is perfect on a hot summer day (or really any day).

Grade: 90/100

Price: $6.39