The story
Gose takes its name from the Gose River, which runs through the town of Goslar in Lower Saxony, where the beer was brewed as early as the Middle Ages. Over time the style moved east to Leipzig, where it became hugely popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Leipzig was once home to dozens of gose taverns (Gosenschänken).
The twentieth century was brutal for gose. Wars, economic hardship and changing tastes pushed it close to extinction, and by the 1960s it had essentially disappeared. In the 1980s it was revived in Leipzig, and today it is brewed both in Germany and by craft brewers worldwide, who love it as a base for fruit and creative flavours.
What it tastes like
Gose pours a hazy, pale straw colour with a white head. The aroma is bright and unusual: lemon, coriander, and a hint of sea breeze. On the palate it is light, tart and refreshingly salty — not like seawater, but enough to make your mouth water. Coriander adds a gentle spice, and wheat gives a soft, bready body. The finish is crisp and dry, and it is incredibly refreshing on a hot day.
How it’s made
The grist typically includes at least half malted wheat, with the rest Pilsner malt. Brewers add coriander and salt, usually near the end of the boil. The sourness comes from lactic acid bacteria, either through mixed fermentation or modern kettle souring. Hops play a minor role. Traditional gose was top-fermented and often lightly carbonated, while modern versions are usually more effervescent.
Fun fact
In Leipzig, gose was historically sold in long-necked bottles without a cap. As the beer fermented, yeast rose into the neck and formed a natural plug that helped seal the bottle. Drinkers had to be careful to pour gently so the yeast plug stayed behind.