The folks at Avery Brewing in Boulder are well known for their specialty barrel aged and sour beers. Now they are taking their craft to new levels by releasing 4 new sour beers in what they are calling their “Sour Spring.” All four have recently arrived in the store. Let’s take a look at each.

Tectum et Elix is the first of the four releases. It is a sour beer that is aged in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. While this has been done before, Adam Avery explains why this beer is new and unique:

“Rather than using our house strain of Brettanomyces, we used multiple Brett and Saccharomyces strains, which created a much funkier beer. It’s earthy, it’s rustic, and it’s delicious.”

Latin for “roof and boiled”, the name Tectum et Elix is a subtle nod to Avery’s brand new brewery which recently opened in Gunbarrel, north of Boulder.

5.5% ABV

$13.49 for a 12oz bottle.

The second release is Insula multos Collibus, a sour ale aged in bourbon barrels with cherries added. Latin for “island with many hills”, this beer’s label states:

“A zymurgical ode to one of the classic – and one of our favorite – cocktails. Fancy a guess?”

The cocktail in question is The Manhattan. While I get the idea, and was able to discern the cherry and bourbon notes in the beer, the sourness of the beer kept it from tasting like a true Manhattan for me. However, if you are a fan of sour beers, this one is certainly worth a try.

9.1% ABV

$13.49 for a 12oz bottle.

The third release comes in a 22oz bottle, perfect for sharing. It is Avery’s Raspberry Sour, aged in oak barrels. While I expected this beer to be tart, it goes beyond that, and is truly sour. The raspberry and oak notes are readily apparent, and this beer would pair well with a nice meal. I had it with enchiladas, and the sour and spice played well off of each other.

6.5% ABV

$13.99 for a 22oz bottle.

Finally we have Avery’s Fortuna, a sour ale aged in Suerte tequila barrels, with lime zest and salt added. The lime and tequila are there in the nose; and while sour, this beer isn’t quite as puckering as the others. In fact it is a bit more balanced. Using the Suerte barrels is also a nice nod to the fellow Boulder based company.

8.1% ABV

$13.49 for a 12oz bottle.

Pucker up and enjoy!

Chip Bartsch