Beverage Industry logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Beverage Industry logo
  • NEWS
    • R&D News
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Reader's Choice Poll
  • CATEGORIES
    • Alternative Drinks
    • Beer
    • Bottled Water
    • Cannabis Beverages
    • Carbonated Soft Drinks
    • Energy Drinks & Shots
    • Juice & Juice Drinks
    • Plant-Based Beverages
    • Sports Drinks
    • Tea and Coffee
    • Wine & Spirits
  • R&D
    • Beverage R&D Features
    • Ingredient Spotlight
  • PACKAGING
    • New Packages
    • Packaging Equipment
    • Packaging Material
  • OPERATIONS
    • Distribution
    • Plant Focus
  • TOP LISTS
    • Beer Market Report
    • Executive of the Year
    • State of the Beverage Industry
    • Top 100 Beverage Companies
    • Truck Report
    • Wholesaler of the Year
  • MEDIA
    • eBook
    • Podcast
    • Polls
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Annual Manual
    • Contract Packaging Guide
    • Take a Tour
  • MORE
    • Classifieds
    • Channel Strategies
    • eNewsletters
    • Events
      • Membrane Technology Forum
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Market Insights
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archived Issues
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Commentary

Sour beers become increasingly popular within the craft community

Sour, tart flavors attract consumers

By Taylor Karg
Last Drop - Taylor Karg - Beverage Industry
February 13, 2019

The chewable candy Sour Patch advertises with the tag line “Sour. Sweet. Gone.,” to portray how people crave its sour, then sweet taste. Although a different type of consumable, sour beverages, and particularly sour beers, increasingly are becoming something consumers crave.

Sour flavors are more likely to be associated with drinking kombucha; however, an increasing amount of craft brewers are experimenting with sour and tart flavors, experts note.

In an October 2018 blog post titled “Will sour beers lead to sweet success?,” Jenny Zegler, associate director of Mintel Food & Drink, explains how even though the number of launches of sour-flavored beers remain relatively small globally, they are on the rise.

“Sour beers are appealing to those with adventurous flavor preferences, but the tart brews are also attracting attention for delivering refreshment suited for hot weather and post-exercise consumption,” Zegler writes.

The analyst uses Dogfish Head Brewery and its SeaQuench Ale Session Sour as an example. “According to Dogfish Head, SeaQuench Ale has become the fastest growing beer in the craft brewery’s 23-year history,” she writes.

SeaQuench was recognized by fitness magazines such as Sports Illustrated and Men’s Health magazine, which named it the Best Low-Calorie Beer in 2017 and 2018, she notes.

Sour beers also can target kombucha fans, Zegler writes. “In the U.S., kombucha is consumed by one-in-five older millennials and one-in-10 younger millennials,” she says. “More brewers can target kombucha fans by emulating kombucha flavors.”

To put this into perspective, Zegler references brewers who make “hybrid” products like Rogue Ale & Spirits who created Kulture Clash, an imperial blonde ale blended with kombucha tea from Brew Dr. Kombucha.

As sour profiles continue to become more popular in the beverage world, it will be interesting to see whether more craft brewers will hop on board the sour flavor train.

KEYWORDS: craft beer kombucha sour beer

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Taylor karg beverage industry
Taylor Karg, former associate editor of Beverage Industry, wrote and edited for the magazine’s print and online components. She also represented the magazine at events and trade shows. Taylor graduated with a Bachelor’s of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri – Columbia.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • top 100 beverage companies

    Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

    For the global beverage market, mergers and acquisitions...
    Beer
  • Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla shakes

    Classic flavors provide reliable, consistent results for beverage-makers

    Classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry...
    Ingredient Spotlight
    By: Chloe Alverson
  • Free Spirits Instant Bar Bundle

    Lifestyle trends drive growth for non-alcohol category

    As lifestyle trends continue to drive growth for the...
    Wine & Spirits
    By: Lauren Sabetta
Manage My Account
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Beverage Industry audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Beverage Industry or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Fourpeople toasting with cocktails made with low-sugar ingredients, celebrating healthier drink options.
    Sponsored byCargill

    What’s Hot in Sugar Reduction: Beverages

  • chocolate milk
    Sponsored byCargill

    Sweetening the Future for Dairy and Dairy-Alternative Beverages

  • woman pouring a drink
    Sponsored byFFP

    Building a Beverage System: Meeting Consumer Demand for Precision Wellness

Popular Stories

Sting Energy

PepsiCo, Sting Energy unveil global partnership with Formula 1

top 100 beverage companies

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

people drinking Wynk

Mindful drinking prompts growth for THC beverages

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

Events

April 16, 2025

2025 State of the Industry Series: Alcoholic Beverages

On Demand In Beverage Industry’s annual State of the Industry: The Alcohol Beverage Market, analysts at S&D Insights LLC delve into these trends and how they’re shaping the industry.

June 26, 2025

FAST. FOCUSED. FUELED: Delivering Energy Consumers Can Feel

Learn how to formulate products that deliver the energy experiences that people want, and keep them coming back for more.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Retail Coffee Segment

What retail coffee segments will fare well into the next year?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

See More Products

Related Articles

  • Boston Beer and Dogfish Head

    Boston Beer, Dogfish Head Brewery merge

    See More
  • Black elderberry beverage.

    Immune health ingredients increasingly popular in beverage formulations

    See More
  • Last Drop - Taylor Karg - Beverage Industry

    Margaritas a popular happy hour cocktail

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • beer.jpg

    The Chemistry of Beer: The Science in the Suds, 2nd Edition

See More Products
×

Elevate your expertise in the beverage marketplace with unparalleled insights and connections.

Join thousands of beverage professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing