If you have never seen a bottle of Gose from Leipzig, you are missing one of the most distinctive vessels in the brewing world.  Were it purely a 2-dimensional object, you could imagine stretching strings from the base to the head of this miniature, banjo-shaped instrument, with pegs on either side at the top of the neck, where the swing-top sits like a crown.  Better yet, picture a bottle of Mateus – a round, flattened flask with a narrow neck, 8-inches in length.  A classic, old-world label depicting a stylish derby-bedecked European gentleman adds to the charm of Original Leipziger Gose.  These vessels were originally designed in Italy by glassmakers who understood the intense pressure produced during bottle re-fermentation.

Originally, Gose was bottled in this type of vessel - not with a cap, but with a yeast plug as its sole closure, allowing it to carbonate under the most natural conditions.  The idea was borrowed from the fermentation rituals of the ancient Greeks and Romans circa 1000 b.c., whose narrow-necked amphorae of fired clay were protected from the air by natural yeast - protected, yet constantly infused, with the unknown wild flora that created its magic potency.  

Antique Gose Flask: Photo courtesy of Hans Peter Haack
Gose, (pronounced to rhyme with ‘rose’, with ‘ah’ at the end) not to be confused with the gueuze of Belgium, is a style of top-fermenting ale with origins dating back to the German Empire of Emperor Otto III in the late 10th century.  Its name may be traced to the Gose River, although most accounts refer to it being named for the brewing center of Goslar in Lower Saxony, where it was born using the mineral-rich, saline water pumped from wells throughout this mining region.  By 1738, this popular style of beer had spread to Leipzig, the capital of Saxony, and became so well rooted in the region that over 80 licenses to brew this style were in existence by 1900.

In the meantime, Josef Groll had introduced the brilliant clarity of Pilsner in 1842 in an area far to the south of Leipzig, on the banks of the Radbuzza River in Bohemia.  This Pilsner style would eventually spread as the preferred style throughout Europe and the world, threatening the existence of Gose.  

With the upheaval of the political climate and destruction of European economies during the 20th century, the production of Gose dwindled to one producer, Rittergutsbrauerei Döllnitz, closed in 1945. The style was resurrected four years later by Friedrich Wurzler, who had worked at Rittergutsbrauerei Döllnitz.  Wurzler, and eventually his stepson Guido Pfnister, brewed Gose until 1966 when the style entered extinction for the next 20 years.  

Joel Armato with Leipziger GoseIn 1986, businessman Lothar Goldhahn championed the re-birth of Gose in concert with the restoration of Ohne Bedenken (“Without Doubt”), well known as a former Gosenschenke, or Gose Tavern.  He interviewed those who had been avid drinkers of Gose to determine an accurate profile; then, contracted Schultheiss Berliner-Weisse Brauerei in East Berlin to produce it.  Currently, the beer connoisseur may find the closest renditions at Gasthaus & Gosebrauerei Bayerischer Bahnhof in Leipzig and Brauhaus Goslar, in Goslar.  Both are in Germany.  The sample I used for my tasting notes was Original Leipziger Bier Spezialität, brought to the USA by Mark Kleckner, a member of my tasting group.           

The use of saline water – now, more precisely, salt and coriander added during the boil - is what makes Gose different from other styles of beer.  The grist is made of 50-60% wheat, with the balance using Pilsen malt along with a very small portion of Munich malt.  Variations on this style include oats to produce a silkier mouthfeel.  Ground coriander seeds and hops are added, along with Weihenstephan wheat beer yeast and lactobacillus.  Under normal circumstances, this style would not be acceptable under the rules of Reinheitsgebot, the Bavarian Beer Purity Law of 1516.  Gose, being a regional specialty from Saxony, however - and not Bavaria – was not scrutinized under the law until the unification of Bavaria with Prussia in 1871.  Regional identity remained an important part of the unification with Prussia who retained its own postage stamps until 1920, along with the identity with her long-standing style of beer.

What does a salt-infused beer taste like?

Original Leipziger GoseThe correct serving glass for Gose is a stange, a tall, slender, cylindrical glass of German origin, used to enhance the properties of delicate beers.  Upon the pour, the unfiltered body glows with a golden-orange haze.  The firm, white head, plumped-up by the proteins in the wheat, sits proudly above.  Aromas of lemon and herbal spices filter through the air.  If you are familiar with coriander, you will immediately identify its pungent profile.  On the tongue, a light effervescence is felt, while the tart liquid rolls across the palate.  I thought it similar to Berliner Weiss, but with a more temperate, lactic sourness.  The profile is crisp and refreshing, a fitting beer for light summer fare.

You must be curious about the addition of salt.  If the server were to reveal the “salt factor,” my guess is that most tasters would assert their recognition of its presence.  Done blindly, however, it is imperceptible.  The salt serves to enhance the flavor profile as it does when used in cake recipes, soups, or a delicately-turned omelet.  The fruity esters and lactic character acquire a tang that subtly enhances its flavors.  

At its source in Germany, Gose is offered with flavorings in the same spirit as Berliner Weiss.  Raspberry syrup, woodruff, Kummel Caraway liqueur, Leipziger Allasch Almond Caraway liqueur, and Heering Cherry liqueur may be used to produce Sonnenschirm, or sunshade drinks, popular as summer quenchers.

Cheers!

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