Introduction

It was not by luck that the Newburgh Brewing Company began in the frank, no-nonsense town of Newburgh, New York. It’s still necessary to lace up your boots in the morning and get to work if you want to survive, and that attitude is precisely what the crew was born into and looking to put in each bottle of craft beer. Simple, straightforward beers for the folk of Newburgh, no matter their collar. Started in 2012, NBC has grown to include a half dozen permanent beers on their slate, all of them following old-world styles and expectations for quality. But while the recipes may be based in the old, the brewers embrace all that has evolved in the craft world over two and a half centuries. Checkpoint Charlie was the place where East and West Berlin met and the people were able to cross into one another’s worlds during the cold war. It was a sour time and this beer is a sour berliner to reflect on it. Serves well at 8°C and can cellar for six months.

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How it looks

Pours a pale straw colour with light body and medium carbonation.

How it smells

The aroma is slightly funky on first whiff, but you’ll also detect soda crackers, a touch of lemon zest and flesh, a crackling yeasty sensation, and vague table spices.

How it tastes

From the opening bell to the last call this beer is tart and it doesn’t want you to forget it. The sourness is quite strong and may be too much for some, but if sour is your game, you’re right in. The fruity citrus flavour punches up and taste fresh, and the funkiness is alive on the palate and wakes up your sinuses with a bang. The wheat base keeps things relatively in check before finishing off with a clean, dry mouthfeel.

Recommended food pairing

Fresh bratwurst on a roll with mustard and you will be transported through time and space. Onions optional.