Some people go crazy over the hoppiness of IPAs. But I’ve always loved the puckery, tart taste of sours.
Which led to researching the best sour beer breweries in the Columbus area. Here’s what I’ve discovered.
Sour Beer Focused Breweries in Columbus:
- Antiques on High
- Random Precision Brewing Company
- Pretentious Barrel House
You will notice a lot of the beers listed below mention fruit. And that’s because many breweries use fruit puree of actual fruit to add the tanginess they wish to achieve.
This fruited approach typically allows brewers a bit more control than the other option of using wild yeast in the brewing process to get the sourness.
As you can imagine, using wild yeast, while fascinationg also has much less predictable results and has the risk of contaminating an entire batch.
OK, now that we know a bit more about sour beer, let’s take a closer look at some Columbus breweries who excel at making them.
Antiques on High
Antiques on High is the sister brewery of Seventh Son and focuses a great deal on sour beers.
Located in the brewery district, it has a cozy bar area with live edge comunity tables and booths. There’s also an incredible rooftop area with plenty of seating and a fireplace for those chilly nights.
In addition to their beer, Antiques on High also serves some terrific craft cocktails.
Highest Rated Sours on Untappd:
- Razzle Dazzle – Fruited Sour, 6.8% ABV, 4.10 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- Crushed Velvet – Blended Sour Ale aged on black and red raspberries, 7.2% ABV, 4.06 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- Cling Free – Sour (other), 8% ABV, 4.01 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- Honest Wear – Sour Blond Ale with Ohio La Crescent wine grapes, 8.4% ABV, 4.01 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- Turning Violet – Sour Blonde Ale aged on blueberries, 7.4% ABV, 3.95 average rating (on a scale of 5)
Random Precision Brewing Company
Random Precision is a rare brewery who specializes exclusively on those wild yeast/wild bacteria sours.
They also barrel age some of their beers, which can add an additional level of complexity to the taste.
Lcated in northwest Columbus in the Linworth neighborhood, their taproom is no nonsense. But that lets you focus on their awesome sour beer selections rather than the atmosphere.
Highest Rated Sours on Untappd:
- Hiding in Plain Sight with Blueberries – Sour Gose, 5% ABV, 4.00 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- Unforseen Consequences with Apricot – Golden Sour Ale, 6% ABV, 3.90 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- Unforseen Consquences with Red Raspberry – Golden Sour Ale, 6% ABV, 3.85 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- Passage of Time with Red Tart Cherry – Red Sour Ale, 6.4% ABV, 3.83 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- Obscuration with Cherries and Vanilla Beans – Sour Stout, 8.1% ABV, 3.80 average rating (on a scale of 5)
Pretentious Barrel House
Pretentious Barrel House has a fun tagline: Making Sour Beer on Purpose. They focus exclusively on barrel aged sour ales.
Their taproom is located in the near east side of Columbus in an industrial park area. They have a bar and a small seating area for enjoying a pint of a sour or tasting flights. Don’t let the name Pretentious intimidate you – their taproom is very casual and approachable. They also have a larger event space.
Highest Rated Sours on Untapped:
- MMATPT – Sour (Other), 5.2% ABV, 4.72 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- Hates Peach – Sour (Other), 5.2% ABV, 4.65 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- Troll Call – Sour (Other), 5.2% ABV, 4.62 average rating (on a scale of 5)
- The One With the Blackberries – Fruited Sour, 5.5% ABV, 4.56 average (on a scale of 5)
- Bedizened Con Fuego – Fruited Sour, 5.5% ABV, 4.56 average (on a scale of 5)
Sour Beer in Columbus
While some Columbus breweries add in a sour to their rotation here and there, its great to have some establishments who specialize in perfecting this style. Sours aren’t for everyone, but those who like them are bound to enjoy the wide range they can enjoy in central Ohio.
Do you have a favorite sour?