Beer Profiles

Style snapshot: A guide to the margarita-like gose

Crystal Luxmore •
Yacht Rock gose from Stone City Ales. Supplied photos

WHAT IS IT?

A bright sour beer with a lick of salt in the finish and lots of champagne-style bubbles.

SAY IT LIKE

“goes-UH”

GLASS

Stemmed pilsner

STYLE STATS

ABV: 4.2-4.8%
IBU: 5-12
Colour: Hazy sunshine
Body: Medium
Bubbles: Very high

ORIGIN STORY

It began around the year 1000 in the salt-mining town of Goslar, Germany. Harnessing the town’s salty river water, brewers added lactobacillus (the bacteria that sours yogurt) for acidity, wheat for body, next-to-no hops and coriander seeds to spice it up. Nearly extinct, the style was popularized by American craft breweries in the early 2000s. These days goses are often fruited or dry-hopped. 

DRINK WITH

• Nachos & guacamole
• Ceviche
• Indian curries

What’s the diff between a gose and a gueuze?

A gueuze is a spontaneously-fermented lambic-style ale from the Brussels region of Belgium. Made with wild yeast, it’s dripping with funky barnyard flavours. It’s pronounced “gooze.”

Gose Cuervo from People’s Pint. Supplied photo

Six must-try Ontario goses

Cucumber & Lime Gose, Nickel Brook Brewing

Gosé Cuervo, People’s Pint Brewing

Little Wizards, Lil’ Beasts Brewing

Raspberry Gose, Stonehooker Brewing

Umi, Godspeed Brewing

Yacht Rock, Stone City Ales

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Crystal Luxmore

Crystal Luxmore is the Co-Editor of The Growler Ontario. A three-time award-winning beer writer, Crystal is also an Advanced Cicerone® and BJCP Judge. She runs Beer Sisters Inc., a beer tastings and consultancy company, which she runs with her sister, Tara, a Certified Cicerone®, in Toronto.

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