Sierra Nevada Wild Little Thing 6Pk

Sierra Nevada Wild Little Thing 6Pk is a fruited slightly sour ale from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., sold as a six-pack of 12 oz cans at 5.5% ABV. What distinguishes this beer from the crowded sour category is its partial kettle-souring technique — only about 10% of the wort is soured with lactobacillus and then blended back into the full batch, producing a gentle tartness rather than a face-puckering wallop.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.5%  |  Origin: Chico, California  |  Style: Fruited Slightly Sour Ale  |  Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Production & Heritage

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., founded in 1980 by Ken Grossman in Chico, California, is one of the original craft breweries in the United States and remains independently owned. Wild Little Thing uses a grain bill of two-row pale malt, oats, and wheat, hopped lightly with Cascade. The souring process begins by creating a separate wort without hops, boiling it, cooling it, and introducing lactobacillus culture. This soured portion — roughly 10% of the total volume — is then blended back into the main batch, a controlled approach that delivers consistent, restrained acidity without the unpredictability of barrel-aged or fully kettle-soured methods.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Guava dominates immediately, noticeable even before the glass reaches your nose. Tropical fruit juice, a faint cherry juice-box sweetness, and a subtle tart edge round out the first impression.

Taste: The palate follows the aromatic promise with bright tropical fruit up front, shifting into tart hibiscus at mid-palate. Sweetness is surprisingly minimal — this leans dry and refreshing rather than cloying. A light wheat and oat body provides just enough structure to keep it from feeling hollow.

Finish: The finish is quick and highly carbonated, with a faintly sugary trail and lingering effervescence. It closes clean, encouraging another sip without lingering heaviness.

How to Drink Wild Little Thing

Serve cold, straight from the can or poured into a tulip glass to amplify the tropical aromatics. At 5.5% ABV, it drinks easily on its own but also works in beer-based mixed drinks. A Berliner Radler — half Wild Little Thing, half lemonade — doubles down on the tart-citrus profile. A Sour Shandy with ginger beer and a squeeze of lime plays well off the hibiscus tartness. For a low-ABV spritz, try it topped with a splash of elderflower tonic over ice.

Best For

• Introducing a craft-beer-curious friend to the sour ale category without overwhelming them
• Backyard cookouts and warm-weather sessions where low ABV and high refreshment matter
• Stocking a mixed cooler alongside seltzers and lagers for guests who want something more flavorful
• Pairing with spicy or smoky grilled food where a tart, fruity beer can cut through richness

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Wild Little Thing taste like? Wild Little Thing delivers bright guava and tropical fruit flavors with a mild tart hibiscus note on the mid-palate, finishing clean with high carbonation and very little residual sweetness.

How does Wild Little Thing compare to hard kombucha? Multiple reviewers note that its light body, high effervescence, and restrained sourness give it a character closer to hard kombucha than to traditional barrel-aged sour ales, though Wild Little Thing has a fuller grain backbone from its oat and wheat malt bill.

Is Wild Little Thing good for sour beer beginners? Yes — its partial kettle-souring method produces a gentle tartness that reads as approachable rather than aggressive, making it one of the more accessible entry points into sour styles.

Where is Wild Little Thing made? Wild Little Thing is brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. at their original brewery in Chico, California, where the company has operated since 1980.

What foods pair well with Wild Little Thing? Grilled shrimp tacos benefit from the beer's tartness cutting through char and spice. Fresh goat cheese and the beer's acidity complement each other naturally. Spicy Thai green curry finds balance against the fruity, effervescent profile. A summer fruit salad with watermelon and mint echoes the tropical aromatics. Smoked pulled pork lets the carbonation and light sourness cleanse the palate between bites.

What sizes does Wild Little Thing come in? Wild Little Thing is widely available in 6-packs of 12 oz cans, and Sierra Nevada also distributes it in 12-packs and single 19.2 oz stovepipe cans in some markets.

Is Wild Little Thing worth the price? Wild Little Thing positions as an everyday, session-friendly sour ale at a price point consistent with mainstream craft six-packs, delivering more flavor complexity than hard seltzers in the same range without a premium craft-sour markup.

Why Wild Little Thing?

The partial kettle-souring technique — blending just 10% soured wort back into the full batch — is the defining production choice here, and it pays off in drinkability. Where many fruited sours rely on heavy fruit purée additions or barrel character to build complexity, Wild Little Thing achieves its tropical, lightly tart profile through fermentation control and a well-chosen grain bill of pale malt, oats, and wheat. Backed by Sierra Nevada's four-decade brewing pedigree and their reputation for consistency at scale, this is a sour ale engineered for easy repeat drinking rather than cellar collecting. For anyone seeking a sessionable, fruit-forward beer with genuine sour credentials and no gimmicks, it fills the gap between bland seltzer and intimidating wild ales.