The Bruery is one of the many local breweries that have, in the last five years or so, popped up all over LA and Orange County. LA has gone from a craft beer wasteland to, arguably, the best, or at least fastest-growing, craft beer area in the country.
One of the more unusual craft beer concoctions is the sour beer. Sour beers are exactly what they sound like: beers that taste sour. Often, so sour that you wince afterward, as if you'd had a sour ball candy.
Sour beers are not for everyone, and can be hard to find. When you do find them, they tend to cost double to triple what a regular beer would cost.
Back to the Bruery, they are known for fairly exotic beers and unusual creations. Their "Windowsill" was inspired by the host of KCRW's "Good Food." He had just had a rhubarb raspberry pie, and thought a beer that tasted like a pie would be a good idea. I guess he knew the folks at the Bruery, because they got together and cooked up this batch of "Windowsill," named so because one might set a pie on the windowsill to cool.
I had Windowsill at the Beachwood BBQ Sour Fest (a very popular festival held once every two years down in Seal Beach.) It was very strong and very good. Most sour beers are average to light in alcohol strength; this one is up around 10%. I think it is the strongest sour beer I've encountered.
How does Windowsill taste? It sounds fairly disgusting, but it's in fact quite good. So good that I've searched out the last remaining bottles, very much hoping this isn't a one-time collaboration.
So, if you're feeling adventurous, and like pie, try a Windowsill, if you can find a bottle....
