Gose is a style steeped in tradition, but was almost lost to history on a number of occasions. Originating in the town of Goslar (hence the name), Gose was first brewed in the 16th century and caught on so much in the town of Leipzig that many confuse that as the original home of the style. Leipzig became the home of Gose well into the 20th century, when WWI brought production of the style to a screeching halt. After being revived in post-war times, the style failed to achieve much of a market and was almost lost again in 1988 when the last Gose brewery in Leipzig shut down. Lucky for all of us, the style has been revived in Leipzig and beyond! In fact, you can still buy the Leipziger Gose in bottles to this very day (more on that later).
It is thought that the saltiness of Gose originated from a mineral deposit near the water source of the brewery in Goslar that first brewed the style. Whatever the case, the salt brings an interesting flavor dimension to the style that really sets it apart from its beer cousin, Berliner Weisse. Like Berliner Weisse, Gose is brewed with a combination of ale yeast and lactobacillus bacteria to create a sour flavor in the beer. Gose is primarily brewed with wheat, giving it a pale straw color and a bit of cloudiness and is usually fermented to be very dry. I love a cold Gose on a warm summer evening. Unique and refreshing!
Less talking, more drinking!
Fine - want to try the original Gose? Bottles of the famous Leipziger Gose are usually available (maybe not in stock, but by special order for sure) at finer bottle shops around Maine. Look for the distinct bottle with the long, thin neck. Also, keep your eyes peeled for Leipziger on tap at Nocturnem, as it tends to pop up there from time to time.
For a more local experience, look for a 4-pack of cans of Rising Tide's Pisces. Rising Tide in Portland makes their Gose using seawater to introduce the salty flavor. They then use a lactobacillus strain to create a sour flavor and a touch of coriander to round out the flavor. Pisces is definitely an example of the Gose style.
Also fairly local and new to Maine is Lost Nation's Gose. Lost Nation is based in Morrisville, Vermont, and have achieved a cult-like following mostly because of their Gose. Cans of Lost Nation Gose first came to Maine last month, so look for it at a bottle shop near you soon!
One other local example of Gose is being made at Tributary Brewing in Kittery. They take a slightly different approach, still using salt and souring the beer, but they use Meyer lemons instead of the coriander which I find bring a very nice brightness to the beer.
Long story short? Don't be salty, but drink salty beer!
