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BEER


                                                                      An interesting characteristic  of this beer is  how
                                                                      it  was  conditioned.  Historically,  these  beers  were
                                                                      fermented  and  delivered  still  fermenting  to  local
                                                                      taverns. From there, the taverns would put them in
                                                                      long-necked bottles where the yeast would clog up
                                                                      the long-neck and act as a natural cork. It was then
                                                                      conditioned and usually ready to serve in a week’s
                                                                      time. After three weeks, the beer typically turned to
                                                                      vinegar, so it was consumed young.
                 From The Brewer......
                                                                      This  secondary  conditioning  may  have  provided
                                                                      extra  opportunities  for  the  lactic  acid  producing
                                                                      bacteria  to  go  to  work.  A  source  from  1927  says
                                                                      “Gose is a Leipzig speciality. It is similar to Berliner
                                                                      Weisse, but sourer and not to everyone’s taste. (Pour
                                                                      the bottle slowly.)”

                                                                      This beer originally derived its distinctive saline flavor
                      We’re reaching the dead of summer, and you may be  from the salinity in the waters around Goslar. That,
                      reaching for that perfect, thirst-quenching beverage.  coupled with a light, wheat grist (typically 60% wheat
                      Look  no  further.  Germany  has  been  brewing  and  and 40% pilsner malts), and intense sourness makes
                      perfecting  this enigmatic beverage  for the better  this style sessionable and incredibly thirst quenching.
                      part of 500 years. You may be thinking, “yeah, yeah,  The aroma profile should be slightly floral/spicy from
                      I know about the Pilsner, or Kolsch.” While those are  the hops and coriander that is used. Citrus, lemon
                      fine  German  brews,  and  thirst  quenching  at  that,  and grapefruit should be present from the lactic acid
                      they are very different beers than that of the Gose  bacteria. The mouthfeel should be dry, light bodied,
                      (pronounced Goes-Uh.)                           and highly carbonated.

                      This  brew  was  first  made  where  the  Abzucht  and  You  may  be  asking  yourself  ‘what  about  the
                      Gose rivers meet in the German city of Goslar. The  Reinheitsgebot  and  how  was  a  sour,  saline,  beer
                      city itself was founded in the 10th century after silver  made  with  coriander  allowed?’  Well,  the  area  in
                      deposits were discovered nearby. Along with silver,  which  it  was  originally  brewed  was  not  part  of
                      the area became a mining town for copper, zinc, lead  Bavaria, which enacted this law. Later, when Germany
                      and salt. Soon after, brewers set up shop and started  became unified, exemptions were made for this and
                      making beer. It isn’t until the late 15th century that  other  historical  styles  of  beer  to  continue  being
                      we first see the appearance of this style of beer under  produced. While Gose is still an under-brewed and
                      the name Gose.  And it wasn’t until the 18th century  more difficult style to find, there are many American
                      that it became incredibly popular.              breweries now making it.

                      As its popularity grew, it began to migrate to larger  However, many of these American examples are not
                      cities, eventually making its way to Leipzig, which is  brewed using traditional processes, specifically co-
                      roughly 110 miles away. It became so popular that,  fermentation (see the May article on Berliner Weisse.)
                      by the end of the 1800s, it was considered the local  Many  of  today’s  examples  are  not  intensely  sour
                      style of Leipzig. That’s why we now know this style  like they were; instead, the salinity tends to round
                      as Leipziger Gose. Thankfully for us, too, because the  out a light sourness and give way to an incredibly
                      beer almost completely went extinct for a number of  drinkable  beer.      Probably  the  most  commercially
                      reasons, including the rise of Lagers, World War II,  available example of this style is Anderson Valley’s
                      and the subsequent communist regime in the area.  line. Their Briney Melon is tart with balanced salinity
                      But Leipzig kept the style alive and well, even when  and has notes of sweet melon. At 4.2%, it is a great
                      it fell out of popularity in the town after which it was  summer beer.
                      named.

                      By 1945, the last Gose brewery had closed. Although
                      it made subsequent comebacks throughout the next          By Roger Phelps,
                      couple of decades, it wasn’t until Lothar Goldhahn      Owner & Influencer of
                      re-opened one of Leipzig’s most famous breweries,       Microbial Reproduction
                      Ohne Bedenken, that it started to make a true come       Eight-Foot Brewing
                      back. After various test batches, the first was brewed   4417 SE 16th Pl - Cape Coral, FL
                      in 1986 and returned Gose to Leipzig.

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