DURHAM (NC) - The Glass Jug and Sam's Bottle Shop, two of the Triangle area's premiere craft beer retail destinations, are partnering up to put on their second annual 2-day festival of wild-fermented and sour ales. "Where the Wild Beers May Potentially Be," first held in 2015, is the brainchild of the two stores, where each location features at least a dozen different wild and sour beers on draft. These specialty drafts will include local brews, as well as beers from across the US and abroad. This year's event will start at Sam's Bottle Shop on Saturday, then continue to The Glass Jug on Sunday.
There is no cover charge to attend the event. Beers will be sold individually, throughout the day, at each location.
Beers considered "wild" are fermented with non-traditional yeast or bacteria. Instead of pitching a culture of Saccharomyces, which is the standard yeast used to produce everything from pale ales to porters, wild ales are fermented using a blend of different yeasts, which often include Brettanomyces, also known as "Brett."
Not all wild beers are sour, however. Sour beers get their acidity from a fermentation that utilizes various probiotic bacteria, such as lactobacillus, pediococcus, and acetobacter. These bacteria consume the sugars in the beer, creating alcohol and carbon dioxide, just like yeast. However they also create acid, lowering the pH of the brew, and creating flavors that range from lemon-lime to vinegar.
"We're seeing a growing demand for sour and wild beers," said Chris Creech, co-owner of The Glass Jug. "We always keep two sours on draft, but this event lets us really show the variety of wild beers that are out there - from the mildly funky and tart to mouth-puckeringly sour ales. It's a blast to see people experiencing this realm of craft beer."
The list of beers that will be on draft at the 2-day event is still being finalized. However, Creech did say that The Glass Jug would be featuring the following beers, plus some that are yet to be announced.
Allagash - Nancy Bond Brothers & Modern Romance - Crush Me Gose Bear Republic - Tartare Rouge Burial Brewing - Garden of Earthly Delights Saison Green Flash - Blanc Tart Barrique BFM - Abbaye de St Bon Chien
Sam's Bottle Shop will be featuring beers from D9 Brewery, Steel String Brewing, Prairie Artisan Ales, and GRIMM Ales, among others.
"I'm really excited about the line-up of beer that will be on draft. There are some very rare and delicious beers at both shops, and altogether we'll be featuring over 25 different sour or wild ales, which is pretty cool," added Creech.
Sam's Bottle Shop, located at 1112 Hwy 54, is open from 9 AM - 10 PM on Saturday, May 14th.
The Glass Jug, located at 5410 Hwy 55, in the Greenwood Commons shopping center, will be serving their wild ales from 12 PM - 9 PM on Sunday, May 15th.
