Destihl Wild Sour Series 4Pk

Destihl Wild Sour Series 4Pk is a rotating collection of wild-fermented sour ales from DESTIHL Brewery in Normal, Illinois, sold as a 4-pack at approximately 5.2% ABV. The series has earned multiple medals, including a Gold at the Great American Beer Festival for Counter ClockWeisse in the Berliner Weisse category, underscoring the brewery's command of tart, lactic-driven styles.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~5.2%  |  Origin: Normal, Illinois, USA  |  Style: Wild Sour Ale / Leipzig-Style Gose  |  Brewery: DESTIHL Brewery

Production & Heritage

DESTIHL Brewery, based at 1200 Greenbriar Drive in Normal, Illinois, takes a distinctly old-world approach to its Wild Sour Series. Rather than purchasing commercial Lactobacillus cultures from a lab—standard practice at most American craft breweries—the DESTIHL team developed and maintains its own wild, indigenous culture collected from multiple sources near the brewery and from the open air of central Illinois. This house culture drives spontaneous and lactic fermentation processes reminiscent of Belgian Gueuze and Lambic traditions, producing a range of kettle-soured ales built on a Leipzig-style Gose foundation with sea salt and coriander additions.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Sharp lactic sourness greets the nose first, followed by bright lemon and lime citrus. Beneath the acidity sits a subtle floral and grassy hop character, along with a faint leathery funk contributed by the wild yeast culture.

Taste: The entry is immediately tart, with a clean lemon-lime acidity that sharpens across the mid-palate. Grapefruit citrus and touches of tropical fruit emerge as the beer opens up, balanced by the spicy bite of coriander and a distinctive mineral mouthfeel from sea salt. Depending on the specific variety in the rotating lineup, fruit additions like dragonfruit or mango may shift the flavor profile toward sweeter, more tropical territory.

Finish: The finish is crisp and refreshing, with lingering grapefruit bitterness and a grassy, slightly floral hop note. A trace of wild-yeast funk and salt minerality carries through, keeping the palate clean and encouraging the next sip.

How to Drink Wild Sour Series

These sour ales are best served cold, around 40–45°F, in a tulip glass or standard pint to let the aromas open. The sharp acidity and low ABV make them ideal session beers on their own, but they also shine in beer cocktails. A Berliner Shandy pairs the sour base with fresh lemonade for a double-citrus refresher. A Radler-style serve with grapefruit juice amplifies the existing citrus notes without overwhelming the wild funk. For something unconventional, use it as the sour component in a Beer Margarita, where the salt and lime character in the Gose mirrors the classic cocktail's framework.

Best For

• Introducing friends to sour beer styles without an overwhelming funk barrier
• Hot-weather backyard sessions where refreshment and low ABV matter
• Pairing alongside a seafood boil or taco spread
• Gifting to a craft beer enthusiast who values wild fermentation and terroir-driven brewing

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Wild Sour Series taste like? The dominant profile is a sharp, refreshing lemon-lime sourness balanced by coriander spice and sea salt minerality, with background notes of grapefruit and subtle wild-yeast funk. Specific varieties in the rotating lineup may add tropical fruit or other flavors on top of that tart foundation.

How does Wild Sour Series compare to a traditional Berliner Weisse? Tasters frequently note that the Wild Sour Series, particularly Here Gose Nothin', bears a closer resemblance to a straight Berliner Weisse than a classic German Gose due to its pronounced clean lactic acidity. The key difference is the addition of coriander and sea salt, which give the DESTIHL versions a mineral, savory dimension that a pure Berliner Weisse typically lacks.

Is Wild Sour Series good for sour beer beginners? Yes—the approachable 5.2% ABV, clean lactic tartness, and citrus-forward flavor make this an accessible entry point into sour ales without the intense barnyard funk found in many spontaneously fermented Belgian styles.

Where is Wild Sour Series made? Wild Sour Series is brewed at DESTIHL Brewery in Normal, Illinois, located in the central part of the state. The indigenous wild yeast culture used in fermentation is sourced directly from the surrounding environment near the brewery.

What foods pair well with Wild Sour Series? Fresh ceviche, where the beer's acidity mirrors the citrus in the dish. Soft goat cheese or feta, whose creaminess contrasts the tart bite. Fish tacos with lime crema, complementing the salt and citrus notes. Thai papaya salad, matching sourness with sourness for a layered effect. Fried calamari, where the carbonation and acidity cut through the oil.

What sizes does Wild Sour Series come in? The Wild Sour Series is commonly available as a 4-pack of cans, which is the standard retail format for this lineup.

Is Wild Sour Series worth the price? Wild Sour Series positions as a mid-range craft sour, but the use of a proprietary wild indigenous culture rather than lab-purchased bacteria adds genuine production complexity that many similarly priced sour ales do not offer, making it a strong value within the American sour category.

Why Wild Sour Series?

What separates DESTIHL's Wild Sour Series from the crowded American sour ale market is the house wild culture—collected from the air and environment of central Illinois and maintained by the brewery over years of continuous use. This is not a shortcut kettle sour dosed with commercial Lactobacillus; it is a living culture that imparts a genuine sense of place into every batch. The series' medal count, including Gold at the Great American Beer Festival and a Silver at the Los Angeles International Beer Competition, confirms the consistency and quality of that approach. For drinkers interested in American sour ales that bridge the gap between clean, modern tartness and old-world wild fermentation character, this 4-pack delivers an uncommon depth of technique at an everyday price point.