Beer of the Week: Puckeur Factor

From the Beer Writer: From the Beer Writer: I remember the first time I had a Berliner-style weisse back in 2012. A wheat ale of German origins rendered lightly tart care of lactic acid, it was right up my alley. I had really gotten into barrel-aged sours a few years prior and delighted in the idea of having access to a fresh, readily available, affordable non-special-occasion form of sour beer. Since then, such “kettle sours” have become extremely popular. Nowadays, you can find them just about everywhere. They are almost always fruited and, sadly, are almost always too fruity, too sweet or, more often than not, way too tart. It’s so common that even many seasoned craft-beer drinkers have no idea what an exceptional version of a kettle sour really tastes like. Those seeking a reference point should check out this week’s featured beer, Puckeur Factor from Carlsbad-based Rouleur Brewing. Despite its name, this fruit- and tea-infused Berliner weisse is one of the most balanced I’ve come across in a long time. Initial flavors akin to pomegranate and cranberry segue to a dry, almost tannic finish. There’s no vibrant burst of acidity. Instead, like any quality interpretation of this Old-World style, there’s a minor undercurrent of tartness running from sip to swallow. It doesn’t get in the way, induce salivation or attack one’s fillings. Instead, it is but one facet contributing to a well-rounded, rather delectable taste experience.

From the Brewer: “Our Puckeur Factor sour uses a Berliner-weisse base and has been in our portfolio for a few years now. Of all our beers, it has evolved the most from batch-to-batch. We worked on everything from lactobacillus strains, target-ABV (alcohol-by-volume), flavoring methods (real fruit versus fruit purée versus dried fruit and tea). After several batches, we settled on the version we regularly offer now, a 5.3% sour with a pH of 3.4, with flavor and color derived from a custom blend of dried fruits and teas that we have manufactured for us. The blend creates a pinkish-red color and offers flavors reminiscent of lemongrass, orange peel, hibiscus and cranberry. It’s a truly complex and very drinkable beer. Just recently, we started offering it in 16-ounce cans and have seen it grow steadily in the market.”—Rawley Macias, Owner & Brewmaster, Rouleur Brewing