Brewery: Vault City | Location: Edinburgh| Find them: Vault City Brewing
Vault City is a Scottish brewery that specialises in modern sours.
Traditional sour beers, such as lambics, usually get their sour flavours from wild yeasts and bacteria, mixed cultures, and/or the wood they are aged in (and occasionally fruit added during fermentation).
Modern sours (often referred to as quick sours or kettle sours) get their sourness from added lactobacillus and/or tart adjuncts (such as fruit purees). You can also manipulate the water chemistry to alter the pH.
We’ve tried a fair few Vault City sours, and there have been some really good ones (as well as a couple we weren’t so keen on).
This selection included ten sours, plus an imperial stout (Gingerbread Latte). We decided to spread them over three consecutive nights.
Session one:
Peach Ice Tea: Table Sour 3.4%
I’m not a huge fan of peach-flavoured things usually, but this was excellent. It smelt like peach ice tea and had a long-lasting flavour. It was tart and juicy, with a lot of body and flavour considering it was only 3.4%. It was very moreish and you could happily have a couple of these in one session.
Brewer’s note: Our first ever table beer comes in the form of a super-crushable peach iced tea sour, conditioned on sweet, juicy peaches and steeped black tea. Refreshing, dry and sensationally balanced.
Strawberry Fields: Modern Sour 4.5%
This one had a much sweeter aroma and flavour. It smelt like fruit sorbet and vanilla ice cream. The strawberry flavour hit you first - sweet and jammy - then the vanilla flavours came through, followed by a tart finish. It was a nice beer, but perhaps a bit too sweet to have more than one in a session.
Brewer’s note: We’ve paired fields of fresh, locally sourced Scottish strawberries and sweet vanilla with our tart, mixed fermentation base beer to create a dreamy strawberry sour that’s juicy, bold and mouth-wateringly moreish.
Rhubarb & Custard: Modern Sour 4.7%
This is the only one of the selection that we have tried before and we enjoyed it both times. It smells and tastes just like hard-boiled rhubarb and custard sweets, but with a lovely hit of tartness on the finish that leaves you wanting more. It was a bit thinner than the first two, which was surprising given it’s slightly higher abv.
Brewer’s note: Once again, your favourite childhood sweets become the inspiration for our latest session sour; Rhubarb & Custard. Our full-bodied dessert sour combines the fruity tang of rhubarb with luscious, creamy vanilla custard notes.
Caught in the Rain: Piña Colada Sour 7.8%
We do like a good Piña Colada and this beer certainly smells like one. It tastes good too. The creamy coconut flavours hit first, followed by juicy pineapple. Not much tartness, and a very enjoyable beer.
Brewer’s note: If the mere sight of this beer’s name doesn’t have you singing, then a few sips definitely will. That’s right, you can’t escape the flavour of our Pina Colada sour. Made with all the trademarks of the classic cocktail, we’ve blended juicy pineapple puree with rich coconut to create that tropical taste you’re looking for.
Session two:
Tropical Twist: Modern Sour 4.5%
This one smells like melted ice lollies, with the strawberry coming through and maybe a bit of orange. Good body and lots of tartness from the lime, but also a flavour a bit like orange cordial. Not bad, but not as good as some of the others.
Brewer’s note: You can almost feel the sun on your face with every refreshing sip of our ice lolly inspired sour beer. A fruity fusion of ripe strawberries, tropical pineapple, and zesty lime twisted with a sweet vanilla swirl.
Jungle Juice: Modern Sour 6%
Looks and smells like sweetened fruit juice - maybe Um Bongo or Five Alive. Thick consistency, like a nectar drink, with prominent mango flavours and a bit of tartness.
Brewer’s note: A tropical taste from the jungle! Our blend of exotic fruit pairs Alphonso mango, guava, kiwi and pineapple for a modern sour beer that’s rich, thick, and juicy.
Coconut Concrete Jungle Juice: Modern Sour 6.6%
There was lots of coconut on the aroma but the upfront taste was pretty confusing. It wasn’t unpleasant, but if you had served it to me without telling me what it was, I wouldn’t have guessed it was a beer.
Brewer’s note: A tropical taste from the concrete jungle. Our blend of exotic fruit pairs Alphonso mango, guava, and pineapple with creamy coconut for a modern sour beer that’s rich, thick, and juicy.
Blackcurrant Kir Royale: Modern Sour 8%
This was the best beer of session two, with a lovely blackcurrant aroma. Thick, rich, and gloopy with not too much tartness and nicely balanced with plenty of blackcurrant flavour. A good sour beer.
Brewer’s note: We’re revisiting one of our highest rated releases, inspired by the classic French cocktail. Our take on the Kir Royale combines juicy Scottish blackcurrants and white wine grapes creating an ultra-refreshing sour beer with champagne elegance.
Session three:
Last Christmas: Wham Inspired Sour 4.1%
Lots of raspberry aroma and flavour with a good hit of tartness. Tastes like a liquid Wham bar. And, no, we didn’t play Last Christmas as we tried it because a) it was April and b) I can’t stand that song.
Brewer’s note: WHAM! From the first sip you’ll get nostalgic notes of sharp raspberry and fizzy tang taking centre stage in our iconic chew-bar-inspired sour. Pair with 80’s Christmas music and give it to someone special.
Winter Berry Crumble: Modern Sour 6%
Lots of cinammon on the aroma and taste, with jammy fruit flavours. I’m not a big cinnamon fan, but this was a nicely balanced beer, with only a little bit of sourness.
Brewer’s note: A silky-smooth seasonal sour with a vibrant mix of winter fruits combining ripe pear, tart sloe berries, jammy strawberries and juicy blackberries with warming pastry spice.
Gingerbread Latte: Imperial Stout 11%
After so many sours, this made a nice change and it was a lovely beer. It’s the first time we’ve had a stout from Vault City and we were impressed. Didn’t get a lot of aroma, but plenty on the taste. Notes of coffee, vanilla and warming ginger, with none of the flavours overpowering each other. A lovely stout.
Brewer’s note: A smooth, full-bodied stout fit for the season reaturing chocolate malt, oats and creamy vanilla for a luscious, velvety mouthfeel. Additions of brown sugar creates delicate sweetness while subtle coffee notes meld with cosy, warming spices of cinnamon and ginger.
