Gose

From The German Beer Institute

Emperor Otto III who ruled Germany between the years 983 and 1002 was known to sing the praises of this most unique and refreshing brews.  The otherwise strict enforcement of Reinheitsgebot was waived in light of the delicate flavor and robust history behind the tall cylindrical glass of Gose.  And the town of Goslar which was once one of the wealthiest and significant in all of the German Empire is better known for it’s brewers’ namesake creation than anything else. 

Gose (pronounced Goes-uh) is an ancient ale developed by the brewers of Goslar, an important mining hub on the river Gose, in the German state of Saxony.  Traditionally, it was brewed with 50% malted wheat and 50% malted barley, very little hops, and a touch of ground coriander for spice.  Salt was contributed by the naturally saline water in the mineral rich aquifers surrounding the mining community.  As history has seen many times before and since, when the mines were stripped of their economic value the town of Goslar began a steady decline.  And with it went its famous Gose Houses.  The brewers in the capitol city of Leipzig, just 100 miles to the West, took notice of the declining supply and quickly adopted the style as their own.  By 1900, Gose was the most popular style in the region, with over 80 licensed Gose houses operating in Leipzig alone.  Due to this revival, the style is more commonly associated with the Saxon Capitol than with it’s true city of origin, and is often referred to as Leipziger Gose.  The style was nearly lost to history a second time when, in WWII, bombing raids wreaked havoc on German brewing facilities and the War’s resultant economic turmoil required that all grain be reserved for bread production.  It wasn’t until the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 that this unique, delicate and nuanced style could enjoy a slow, steady, and well-deserved return to prominence. 

Gose (pronounced Goes-uh) is an ancient ale developed by the brewers of Goslar, an important mining hub on the river Gose, in the German state of Saxony. Traditionally, it was brewed with 50% malted wheat and 50% malted barley, very little hops, and a touch of ground coriander for spice. Salt was contributed by the naturally saline water in the mineral rich aquifers surrounding the mining community. As history has seen many times before and since, when the mines were stripped of their economic value the town of Goslar began a steady decline. And with it went its famous Gose Houses. The brewers in the capitol city of Leipzig, just 100 miles to the West, took notice of the declining supply and quickly adopted the style as their own. By 1900, Gose was the most popular style in the region, with over 80 licensed Gose houses operating in Leipzig alone. Due to this revival, the style is more commonly associated with the Saxon Capitol than with it’s true city of origin, and is often referred to as Leipziger Gose. The style was nearly lost to history a second time when, in WWII, bombing raids wreaked havoc on German brewing facilities and the War’s resultant economic turmoil required that all grain be reserved for bread production. It wasn’t until the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 that this unique, delicate and nuanced style could enjoy a slow, steady, and well-deserved return to prominence.