Crooked Stave Petite Sour
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Tasting Notes
The aroma opens with bright lactic tartness, white wine-like funk, and faint stone fruit — hallmarks of Crooked Stave's house mixed-culture character. On the palate, the acidity is the central feature: clean and mouthwatering rather than harsh, with light grain sweetness underneath providing balance. The body is lean and dry, which makes sense given the lower ABV, and the finish trails off with a gentle lemony pucker. It's a restrained, well-integrated sour rather than a face-shredding one.
About the Brewery
Crooked Stave is a Denver, Colorado brewery founded by Chad Yakobson, whose master's thesis on Brettanomyces fermentation became the conceptual backbone of the entire operation. They specialize in barrel-aged and wild-fermented ales, with a particular focus on Brett-driven and mixed-culture sour beers. Their lineup spans everything from fruit-forward kettle sours to complex, long-aged barrel programs, and they're widely regarded as one of the more technically serious sour programs in American craft brewing.
Food Pairings
The bright lactic acidity here cuts well against rich, fatty foods: a creamy chèvre or fresh goat cheese lets the sourness act as a palate cleanser between bites. Charcuterie — especially cured pork like prosciutto or soppressata — benefits from the tartness in the same way a squeeze of lemon would. Grilled fish with a citrus-herb preparation mirrors the beer's own fruity, tangy character rather than competing with it. Lighter grain-based dishes like a simple risotto or farro salad won't overwhelm the beer's delicate body, letting both coexist without one flattening the other.
Style Guide
American Wild Ale is a broad, loosely defined category covering beers fermented with non-standard yeast or bacteria — typically Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, or some combination — outside the traditional Belgian appellations. The hallmark is controlled sourness and funk, ranging from gently tart to intensely acidic, with ABVs that span a wide range though session-strength versions like this one are common. It differs from Belgian Lambic in that it isn't spontaneously fermented or geographically restricted, and American producers often use more intentional, repeatable mixed-culture pitching rather than open-air inoculation. The category rewards brewers with strong microbiological knowledge and patience.