As I've written elsewhere on Bowden Brewing's page on Crafty, the brewers do rather enjoy spreading their search far and wide when it comes to souring ingredient and ideas for their sours. Case in point: this collaboration with Thai restaurant Soi 38. The Tom Yum Sour is inspired by the venue's flagship cocktail and features ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, hibiscus and salt alongside the traditional water, hops, malt and yeast.
Thanks to the hibiscus it looks looks like rose water or Irn Bru in the glass, albeit with a white head, and is best described as fragrant: like freshly opened flowers or crushed petals scattered throughout a herb garden. The lacto sourness still comes through clearly, while texturally it's cleansing rather than puckering. There’s a tickle of heat, presumably from the ginger, and saltiness aplenty, all of which combines for a beer I still find hard to believe registers as 6.2 percent ABV.
James Smith
Published June 1, 2022 2022-06-01 00:00:00
