As the craft beverage industry exploded across the East Coast during the past decade, a number of flavors jumped out as favorites, such as bold IPAs, classic lagers and flavorful imperial stouts.
Sour beers have recently become the “it” flavor in the brewery world. For starters, sours don’t taste like a traditional beer, which makes the social drinkers happy. The multiple layers of flavor keep the beer connoisseurs coming back for more.
For those that crave this tart taste, one of the best spots to go to find a wide variety of acidic flavor is the Vermont-based Hermit Thrush Brewery.
The Brattleboro business, founded in 2014, only produces sour beers using local mixed culture yeast. Named for the state’s bird, the moniker is fitting given the Hermit Thrush has two voice boxes allowing it to take on complex songs while the brewery dives into layered sour flavor profiles.
Their selection includes unique creations such as Caulk the Barrel and Float It Across, in brown, amber and dry-hopped versions, aged in French oak barrels for 18-30 months. Jolly Abbot is a barrel-aged sour barley wine ale, fermented with Brattleboro mixed culture and aged in red and white wine barrels for 12-18 months until tart and very dry. Brattlebury is a sour golden ale aged in an oak foudre for 18 months with Dutton Farm raspberries and apples, fermented with Brattleboro wild mixed culture.
The brewery’s kettle-soured inventory consists of flavors such as wild ales Party Jam Peach and Party Guy and pale ales Po Tweet and 40 Mile Fun Zone. Their Sunset Lake series of hard seltzers is also a must try, with flavors such as grapefruit and rosemary, raspberry and spruce and peach and ginger.
When you visit the brewery know that seating is outdoor only. So, if it is cold — as it tends to be in Vermont — dress warmly. Friendly dogs are welcome to visit, too. A limited food menu is available, and visitors are allowed to bring their own if they wish.
by Gina Gallucci-White
All article photos are courtesy of Little Pond Digital