Shared Waters

Shared Waters by Coronado Brewing Co. was judged as a European Sour Ale: Lambic (23D), though it would have faired equally well as a Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer (28B). This beer has a sour aroma of slightly funky straw and spice/acidity with a backing of wheat. The color is gold with a hint of orange, and it is somewhat hazy. Streams of carbonation filter up in the glass, but no head rests on the beer. The yeast becomes lively and goes into suspension on secondary pouring, so be careful and try to pour the entire bottle gently to enjoy it without the yeast floaters. The flavor is intensely sour with a pronounced tart orange character. The malt flavors are subtle, likely from a very efficient breakdown of the starches by the wild yeast bugs in the fermentation. Despite the tart and puckering finish, some residual sweetness provides a nice offset to the sourness. The body is medium, and the acidity has a lingering quality and provides a little heat in the back of the throat. Despite the huge sourness in this beer, there is still an enjoyable complexity provided from the tart citrus component and the wheat malt fullness and flavor. If sour beers are your thing, you will like this one because of the degree of wild yeast development, and you should give it a try if you are lucky enough to find it.