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Anderson Valley Brewing Company
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Blood Orange Gose
Mendicino-based Anderson Valley Brewing brings their newest release to San Francisco shelves this week. Blood Orange Gose is a 4.2 percent ABV German-style ale incorporating a fresh, citrus spin into a beer with more than 500 years of tradition.
Up until the early 1900s, Gose (pronounced "Gose-uh") was the most popular style of beer in central Germany. Unfiltered, and brewed with saltwater, malted wheat, and a touch of lactobacillus, its never been accused of being an "easy-drinking" beer. There is starchiness, there is saltiness; buttered popcorn is not an unfamiliar flavor comparison. If that doesn't seem particularly appetizing, it should come as no surprise that Goses have, until recently, struggled to find an audience among contemporary American beer drinkers.
But several high-profile craft breweries have found success in the States by tweaking the traditional recipe, increasing the accessibility of Gose. Anderson Valley, for one, recently made a splash with the release of its curiously titled The Yimmie, The Kink and The Holy Gose. What the beer lacked in titular brevity it made up for in drinkability. Turning down the brine and playing up the hay, funk, and tartness made the brewery's debut Gose an unexpected hit — so much so that the brewery decided to play it up with an even more approachable offering in its followup. After all, who doesn't love a good blood orange?
With their newest Gose, AVBC has achieved an even higher degree of drinkability. Sour tones have largely been replaced by the bright, citrusy tang of its namesake fruit. While purists might object to the marriage of a Gose with a fruit ale, it's important to note that what worked for the palate of a 16th century German may not be compatible with 21st century California. In 2014 San Francisco, Blood Orange Gose is a winner. Starting this week, you'll find it at Whole Foods, BevMo, and many local retailers, priced at around $10.99 for a six pack of 12 oz. cans.
