Photo credit: Tyler Nelson
MobCraft is a clever brewery. Their brewers will never suffer from writer’s block with their crowdsourced recipe business model where anyone can suggest potential future brews. They’re also pretty clever when it comes to naming the beers in their Wild and Sour program: Low pHunk. Sours are all the rage right now in the brewing industry and have become regular sights on drink lists all over. The brewery will host its second annual Sour Fest on Saturday, March 28 at their taproom and brewing facility in Walker’s Point at 505 South 5th Street.
Photo credit: Tyler Nelson
Low pHunk … get it? Nothing gets more laughs than a chemistry joke. Speaking of science, there’s a standout wild yeast responsible for most of the sour beers out there today: Brettanomyces, which is a non-spore forming genus of yeast in the family of Saccharomycetaceae. Colloquially known as “Brett” in the brewing world, it used to be referred to as “horse blanket,” because of its not-so-fresh smell. Brett is responsible for the flavor and aroma of sour beers, but the acidity comes into play when paired with bacteria like Lactobacillus and Pediococcus.
The festivities take place from noon to midnight on Saturday, March 28. Sour Fest itself is held inside the taproom and is free to the public. MobCraft will be pouring over 20 of their own wild and sour beers. In the brewing area, over a dozen other Wisconsin breweries will be participating in the Wisconsin Wild and Sour Sampling Sessions. VIP access to the unlimited samples goes from 12–3 p.m. and costs $60 but also allows ticket holders access to the pop-up bottle shop a half hour before it opens to the public. Two other sessions are also going on from 1–3 p.m. and 4–6 p.m. and cost $40, which gets guests unlimited samples and a commemorative glass.
Following the tasting sessions, there is a dance party in the brewing area which goes until 11, but the taproom stays open for the public until midnight. Even if you don’t pay to participate in the tasting sessions, you can still purchase select bottles from participating breweries on site at the pop-up bottle shop.
The festival coincides with a beer release from MobCraft. At the fest, they’ll be unveiling the latest version of their Gold Medal-winning Sour Golden Ale. The beer took home the prize from the Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers (FOBAB) in Chicago last year.
Other Wisconsin breweries participating include: 1840 Brewing Company, Ahnapee Brewery, Black Husky Brewing, Company Brewing, Component Brewing, Indeed Brewing Company, Lion’s Tail Brewing Company, O’so Brewing Co., Pearl Street Brewery, PUBLIC Craft Brewing Co., Sahale Ale Works, Stock House Brewing Co. and Vintage Brewing Co.
