Firkin Around....
The Blog of King of Prussia Beer Outlet

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Roy Pitz Sour Hound Review: Liquid Art?

by Ryan Gerstel

Roy Pitz, a brewery located in Chambersburg, PA, prides itself on combining stylistic, modernist art with quality craft beer. The result is the phrase, "Liquid Art," which currently reads as the brewery's tagline.

Below are some examples of Roy Pitz's stunning bottle art:



Clearly, Pitz puts a lot of work into their bottle art. But what about the liquid that the bottle art conceals?

Their sour ale, "Sour Hound," is the only brew I've had the opportunity to sample. Traditionally, sour ales require more of an acquired taste than most beer styles, and to be frank, it's probably my least favorite style, at the moment.

Luckily, "Sour Hound" is one exception. As far as sour ales go, "Sour Hound" is on the milder side, making it a good entry-level sour beer for drinkers new to the style.

Sitting at an even five percent ABV and a minuscule 11 IBUs, "Sour Hound" is extremely sessionable and not necessarily a sipping beer, unlike most sours.

Hound poured a dark and murky penny copper with a razor thin foam head that wastes no time in retreating immediately after pouring. There was almost zero lacing around the glass.

The aroma was interesting. While I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was I was picking up, there were subtle sour notes peppered with grapefruit zest and pear.

I was pleased to take a sip and not taste the usual funk present in other sour beers. Instead, I got mild sourness up front with a bready malt backbone, and some of the grapefruit and pear I picked up in the aroma, on the back end. Nice and dry on the finish, and the result was a nice sessionable, entry level sour beer.

While "Sour Hound" is the only Roy Pitz brew I've had, it made a good first impression and has me wanting to explore other sours on the market. While I won't go as far to say it's "liquid art," it seems Pitz puts as much work into the liquid as they do the art that conceals it. 

*FYI: Roy Pitz will be at the store for a tasting on Thursday, June 9th from 4-8pm.


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