Pipeworks Ride The Gnar 4Pk

Pipeworks Ride The Gnar 4Pk is a fruited Berliner Weisse-style kettle sour brewed with peach and white grape at 6.6% ABV. Brewed in Chicago by Pipeworks Brewing Company, this sour ale has drawn comparisons to sparkling wine from reviewers, thanks to its bright acidity and delicate fruit layering that sets it apart from heavier, funkier sour styles.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.6%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Fruited Berliner Weisse / Kettle Sour  |  Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Pipeworks Brewing Company was founded in Chicago, Illinois, and has built a reputation for inventive, boundary-pushing small-batch beers. Ride The Gnar uses a kettle souring method, where the wort is acidified in the kettle before boiling rather than through extended barrel aging or wild fermentation. This technique produces a clean, predictable tartness without the funky, barnyard flavors associated with spontaneous fermentation, and it can be completed in the same timeframe as a standard ale. Peach and white grape are added to the process, contributing fruit-forward aromatics and a layered, vinous quality that distinguishes this release from more one-dimensional sours.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: White grape and ripe peach lead the nose, supported by a light, clean lactic tartness. The overall impression is bright and inviting, with subtle stone-fruit sweetness underneath.

Taste: The palate opens with a firm, focused tartness that grips immediately. Mid-palate, grape tones emerge prominently while peach plays a more subtle supporting role — one reviewer described it as "a scintilla of peach." The overall flavor profile has been compared to a dry sparkling wine, with the acidity driving the experience more than outright sweetness.

Finish: The finish is crisp and clean, with lingering grape character and a tart snap that refreshes. It dries out quickly, encouraging the next sip without any cloying residual sweetness.

How to Drink Ride The Gnar

Serve chilled between 38–45°F in a tulip glass or stemmed wine glass to concentrate the fruit aromatics. This beer drinks well straight from the can on a warm afternoon, but glassware reveals more nuance in the nose.

In the tradition of German Berliner Weisse service, try it mit Schuss — a small splash of woodruff or raspberry syrup to complement the existing fruit and temper the tartness. It also works as a base for a beer mimosa, replacing champagne at brunch with its similarly dry, effervescent character. For a longer drink, build a fruited shandy by combining it with fresh peach lemonade, which amplifies the stone-fruit notes already present in the beer.

Best For

• Warm-weather sessions where a lower-ABV, high-flavor option is needed
• Introducing wine drinkers to the world of craft sour ales
• Pairing with a brunch spread alongside lighter fare
• Stocking a cooler for cookouts and outdoor gatherings with adventurous beer drinkers

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ride The Gnar taste like? Ride The Gnar delivers a focused, clean tartness with prominent white grape character and a restrained hint of peach, finishing crisp and dry. Multiple reviewers have noted its resemblance to a dry sparkling wine rather than a traditional beer.

How does Ride The Gnar compare to Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale? Both are sessionable, fruit-accented sour ales, but they differ in construction — SeaQuench Ale is a blend of three styles (Berliner Weisse, gose, and kölsch) brewed with lime, sea salt, and black lime at 4.9% ABV, while Ride The Gnar is a pure kettle-soured Berliner Weisse with peach and white grape at a slightly higher 6.6% ABV. Ride The Gnar leans more vinous and fruit-forward, whereas SeaQuench emphasizes salinity and citrus.

Is Ride The Gnar good for sipping on its own? Yes — the clean kettle-sour method produces a smooth, approachable tartness that works well without any additions. Its 6.6% ABV keeps it sessionable enough for multiple cans while still delivering complexity.

Where is Ride The Gnar made? Ride The Gnar is brewed by Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois. Pipeworks is known for producing creative, small-batch beers across a wide range of styles.

What foods pair well with Ride The Gnar? Its bright acidity and fruit character make it a strong match for fresh goat cheese and arugula salads, where the tartness cuts through the creaminess. Grilled shrimp or ceviche complement the wine-like dryness. Stone-fruit desserts like peach cobbler echo the beer's own peach notes. Charcuterie boards with prosciutto and melon work well, as the salt and sweetness play off the sour backbone.

What sizes does Ride The Gnar come in? Ride The Gnar is available as a 4-pack, which is the standard retail format for this release.

Is Ride The Gnar worth the price? Ride The Gnar positions as a mid-tier craft sour ale, priced in line with other specialty fruited Berliner Weisse offerings from independent breweries. The kettle souring process and dual-fruit additions justify its placement above basic session sours, and it delivers a distinctly wine-like drinking experience that rewards the modest step up in investment.

Why Ride The Gnar?

What separates Ride The Gnar from the crowded field of fruited sours is its restraint — the peach and white grape additions enhance rather than overwhelm the base beer, creating a profile that genuinely evokes sparkling wine territory. The kettle souring method gives it a clean, stable acidity that avoids the unpredictable funk some drinkers find off-putting in wild or mixed-fermentation sours. At 6.6% ABV, it sits in a sweet spot between lightweight session sours and bigger, more demanding sour ales, making it versatile enough for casual drinking while still offering enough depth to hold your attention. Pipeworks' reputation for inventive, well-executed small-batch releases is well represented here.