Epic Brewing Introduces Tart ‘n Juicy Sour IPA

There’s no two ways about it, bacteria are fickle, funky little bugs and getting them to work hard is hard work

itself. The brewers at Epic spent over 18 months developing their latest offering, Tart ‘n Juicy Sour IPA, a unique

fusion of puckering tartness & an abundance of juicy, citrus-driven hops.

Tart ‘n Juicy is a 4.5%, fresh, kettle

soured, India Pale Ale with bright

notes of grapefruit, agave,

tangerine and passion fruit.

Normally “sour” and “India Pale

Ale” would be contradictory terms

because the flavor combinations

can be tough to bring together in

just the right way. Traditionally,

sours are aged for a very long

time, whereas hops should be

enjoyed as fresh as possible. Plus

there’s the fact that sour

producing bacteria, like

Lactobacillus and Pediococcus,

don’t usually thrive in hoppy

environments due to the hops’

natural antimicrobial properties.

What does all this mean? Just that

Tart n’ Juicy was a challenge to

create and the beer is probably like nothing you’ve ever tasted before.  In order to harmonize the flavors in the

beer, Epic’s team had to turn its attention to beer souring bacteria.

“We spent a lot of time working with different strains and understanding their strengths and limitations,” said

Kevin Crompton, Brewmaster at Epic Brewing, “Bacteria strains are like sheep, they need a lot of care and

looking after while brewer’s yeast is much more robust and aggressive – they’re more like a Velociraptor.”

Tart ‘n Juicy Sour IPA is the latest addition to Epic’s growing sour beer program. Their facility in Denver now

house 12 foeders and over 2000 oak barrels to produce traditionally soured beers like Sour Brainless on

Peaches, but Epic also sees the power of innovation and a role for kettle soured beers.

“Kettle souring is an emerging technique in sour beer and we see it as another tool in our arsenal,” said Kevin

Crompton. “It produces a different, cleaner, more lactic flavor profile than the bigger, more complex flavors of

barrel-aged souring.  We want to use both to create unique beers that push the boundaries of peoples’ palates.”

Whether it’s the slow and delicate art of aging and blending or cutting edge techniques of kettle souring, Epic

has a passion for style even if it means crafting its own.