Bellwoods Jelly King 473 ml - 24 Cans

Jelly King is the crown jewel of Toronto’s Bellwoods Brewery and arguably one of the most famous sour ales in Canada. It was born from a simple but ambitious goal: to create a beer that is equally sour and hoppy without the long wait of oak aging. It is a "mixed-fermentation" dry-hopped sour that delivers immediate gratification. While it serves as the base for a dizzying array of fruited variants (ranging from Raspberry to Five Citrus), the "original" Jelly King remains a benchmark for the style, loved for its bright acidity and tropical hop punch.

Beer Description

Jelly King pours a hazy, glowing sunshine-yellow with a frothy white head that dissipates at a moderate pace, leaving a light ring of lace.

Aroma: The nose is an absolute explosion of tropical fruit. It leads with dominant notes of fuzzy peach, pink grapefruit, and tangerine, followed by a subtle, "funky" lactic tang. Because it is heavily dry-hopped, it smells much more like a fresh NEIPA than a traditional European sour.

Palate: On the tongue, it is light-to-medium bodied with a sparkling, prickly carbonation that dances on the palate. It leads with a sharp, refreshing acidity that is balanced by a lush, juicy fruitiness. You will find flavors of pineapple, passionfruit, and lemon zest. The finish is remarkably clean and dry, with a very low, rounded bitterness that allows the tartness to remain the star.

Profile: It has a sturdy yet approachable ABV of 5.6% and very low bitterness, as the "hoppiness" comes almost entirely from late-stage dry hopping for aroma rather than boiling for bitterness.

Technical Notes: This beer is a "mixed-fermentation" marvel. It is soured with a proprietary 5-strain house blend of Lactobacillus, which provides a complex, multi-dimensional acidity. It is then heavily dry-hopped, typically with Citra, to layer those tropical aromatics over the tart base. The addition of oats and wheat to the grain bill gives it a soft, "pillowy" mouthfeel that prevents the acidity from feeling too thin or abrasive.