# Complex Cherry Beer The Almanac Beer Co.'s 'Dogpatch Sour' is a Sophisticated Fruit Beer By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2015-06-11 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fruit-beer References: [sanjose](http://www.sanjose.com/2015/06/03/almanac-beer-co-releases-several-new-fruit-flavored-summer-brews/) & [almanacbeer](http://www.almanacbeer.com/ourbeer/dogpatch-sour/) As part of its Farm to Barrel series, the Almanac Beer Co. released a new [fruit beer](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fruit-beer1) that's been branded as 'Dogpatch Sour.' The beer pays tribute to the Flanders Red Ale by aging it in wine barrels with local California cherries, wild and [sourdough yeasts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sourdough-summer-ale), plus bacteria. The name of the ale comes from the company's own San Francisco neighborhood and California farms. Like all in the Farm to Barrel beer collection, once bottled, the beer continues to be "alive" and ages for about three years. Described as a "complex ale," Almanac Beer Co. describes that it's best paired with ripe figs, blue cheese and seafood bouillabaisse. Dogpatch Sour is just one of the quirky names the Almanac Beer Co. has assigned to its products. Other unusual ways the company brands its beer include names like: Heirloom Pumpkin, Valley of the Heart's Delight, Devil's Advocate, Valencia Gold and even one that makes reference to Belgium's eccentric 19th century Emperor [Norton](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/trellis-red-wine-vinegar). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.0/10 - Popularity: 48% | Activity: 34% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Drinking](https://www.trendhunter.com/drinking) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Fruit Beers:** Opportunity to create unique and sophisticated fruit beer flavors using local ingredients. - **Aging in Wine Barrels:** Potential for infusing beers with complex flavors by aging them in wine barrels. - **Quirky Beer Branding:** Disruptive opportunity to attract consumers with creative and unconventional beer names. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Craft Brewing:** Craft breweries can explore the creation of fruit beers and experimental aging techniques to differentiate their offerings. - **Food and Beverage:** Restaurants and bars can promote unique beer and food pairings, leveraging the complexity of fruit beers. - **Marketing and Advertising:** Opportunity for marketing agencies to help breweries develop distinctive branding strategies for their products. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Adventurous Limited-Release Craft Beers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wild-plum-sour.md) - [Women-Celebrating Sour Beers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/womencelebrating-sour-beers.md) - [Rose-Inspired Sour Beers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roseinspired-sour-beer.md) - [Cocktail-Inspired Sour Beers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/death-by-amaretto-sour.md) - [Zesty Citrus Sour Beers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sour-beers.md) - [Playful Monster-Inspired Beer Labels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wind-and-waves.md) - [Mango-Infused Sour Ales](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sour-ales.md) - [Florally Flavored Sour Ales](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/florallyflavored-sour-ale.md) - [Spontaneously Fermented Beers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spontaneously-fermented-beer.md)