How to make Sours Sour

Sour beers are a bit of a flavour adventure. They’re bright, tangy, often fruity, and usually poured looking vibrant and hazy in the glass. In the UK, they’ve carved out a loyal following, especially among drinkers who want something refreshing and a little different from the usual pint. Think sharp citrus, tropical punch, and a crisp finish that keeps you coming back for another sip.

Our new sours are super sour and are made with a collaboration between Mad Squirrel and Electric Bear - a combination that was always going to be big on taste and big on attitude.

For this brew, the goal is simple: make sours that are properly sour. Not just a gentle tartness, but bold, juicy acidity that really stands out.

We start with a light, clean base using pale malt and oats. This keeps the beer soft and smooth underneath, so when the sourness hits, it feels balanced rather than harsh. From there, we take a slightly unusual route, no hops at all. Over time, we’ve found that hops can dull the bright, fruity edge we’re after, so we leave them out and let the acidity and fruit do all the talking.

After brewing, we split the batch into two. One becomes a passionfruit sour, the other a lemon version with a slightly lower strength. Same base, two different directions.

The real trick is in fermentation. The yeast we use naturally creates that sharp sourness as it works, building the flavour from the ground up. Halfway through, we load in the fruit, big, juicy additions that bring both sweetness and bite.

It’s not the most traditional method, but it works. The result is exactly what we’re after: sour beers that don’t hold back.