Brewing a Nostalgic Blend: The Milkshake Fruited Sour Ale Story

The beauty of Craft Beer is we get to create beer which remind us of things which are really close to our heart. There are some times when we want to rediscover the joys of our childhood experiences like a simple milkshake that brought a delight to us, and now we find that same joy in a meticulously brewed craft beer. We decided to make a fusion of these experiences resulting in a masterpiece known as the Milkshake Fruited Sour Ale.

As a Brewmaster based in Bengaluru, India, I teamed up with my friend Chaitanya from Igloo Craftworks to embark on this extraordinary brewing adventure. This creation had a base of a sour ale with a combination of Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Vanilla and Lactose in such beautiful harmony that the result was an ale that stood out with a unique flavor and amazing aroma as something really distinctively tasty.

While crafting this distinctive brew, we were presented with certain challenges as each fruit brought its unique complexity in flavor making us push our brewing skill to new heights, but the reward was however truly worth it! The tartness of the berries, sweetness from the vanilla, and the luscious mouthfeel from the lactose produced not just a flavorful beer but also a visually captivating one from the fruits used.

One of the really intriguing aspects of making this beer was our choice of souring method, we used an unconventional approach by using Yakult, a probiotic milk beverage which resulted in a fruity note which complemented the medley of berries splendidly. The final beer’s vibrant colour with a combination of flavors like fruity, tart and sour that it was delightfully compared to a Mixed Fruit Jam by a close friend of mine.

We launched this beer during one of our Beer Experience Tours at the brewery and it became the highlight of the event, the attendees were enthralled by its unique taste profile and vibrant appearance despite it being a sour beer. As a Brewmaster, my journey extends beyond just crafting the perfect brew. It’s all about innovating and pushing the envelope to bring beers with distinct flavors for the customers. The Milkshake Fruited Sour Ale embodies this pursuit to bring about a beautiful blend of art and science. This is just the beginning, I aspire to collaborate with brewers worldwide and create beers that challenge norms and enchant palates.