Sour Face Strawberry

Sour Face Strawberry is a fruited sour beer brewed by Esplanda in Massachusetts. The listing gives no ABV, IBU or ingredient list, so what follows describes how strawberry sours as a style usually behave. Expect a pronounced, clean lactic tartness up front, with ripe strawberry coming through as both aroma and flavor and a juicy, slightly jammy sweetness sitting under the acidity. Hop bitterness in this style is normally kept very low so it doesn't compete with the acid or the fruit, and the body tends to run light to medium with a quick, dry-leaning finish that makes you want another sip. The tartness is the main thing to plan around. Sours of this kind pair well with foods that have richness or salt to absorb the acid: fresh goat cheese, brie, or a salad with feta and balsamic. Fried food such as chicken wings, fish and chips or tempura vegetables also works, because the acidity cuts through the oil the way a squeeze of lemon would. Spicy dishes, including Thai salads or tacos with a fruit salsa, handle the fruitiness well. For dessert, try it beside cheesecake, vanilla panna cotta or shortbread, where the strawberry and the cream echo each other. Serve it cold, around 40 to 45°F (4 to 7°C). Straight from a very cold fridge, the fruit aromatics can go muted, so let the bottle or can sit out for a few minutes. Warming it further tends to soften the tartness but also flattens the fresh-berry character. For glassware, a tulip or a stemmed teku-style glass concentrates the fruit aroma and gives a tart beer room to open up. A wine glass or a stemmed pilsner flute also works. If the beer pours with a pink-tinged head, a narrower glass will help keep it intact. Pour gently, leave any yeast or fruit sediment in the bottom if you prefer a clearer pour, and drink it within a few minutes of opening, while the carbonation and strawberry aroma are at their brightest.