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Lab Rat

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Lab Rat is the sour beer of the Rat line and one of the five beers the range started with in March 2025. The base stays the same from release to release: extra pale malt, flaked wheat and jumbo oats, soured to a sharp, lip-puckering acidity and rounded off with milk sugar, which gives a thick, creamy body and a sweet counterweight. On top of that the brewery sets a different fruit in every edition, usually styled after a dessert, so the fruit character changes while the sweet-and-sour, creamy profile remains. Bitterness plays no role.

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Mild
SRM
golden5
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
sourfruitytart
sour
fruity
tart
wheat
Aroma
The nose leads with bright, tart acidity that immediately signals the soured character.
not found:hoppy,caramel,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Lab Rat

◎ Appearance

Lab Rat presents a pale straw to pale gold hue, reflecting its extra pale malt base and very light colour specification. The beer displays excellent clarity with bright, clean transparency, while a modest white head forms and recedes with gentle lacing along the glass. Fine carbonation creates an effervescent, inviting surface.

pale straw goldbright, cleanfine carbonationdelicate lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with bright, tart acidity that immediately signals the soured character. Underlying this are soft notes from the pale malt and flaked wheat base, with a subtle creamy sweetness from the milk sugar beginning to emerge. The fruit character of each edition floats above this foundation—expected to evoke dessert-like qualities depending on the seasonal offering.

sharp aciditypale malt sweetnesscreamy notesdessert fruit

◐ Taste

The palate opens with a pronounced, lip-puckering sourness balanced immediately by milk sugar's creamy sweetness, creating a pleasant sweet-and-sour interplay. The oat and wheat blend contributes a soft, full-bodied mouthfeel that sits comfortably at the lower ABV. Bitterness remains entirely absent, allowing fruit character to shine in the mid-palate without hop interference.

lip-puckering sourcreamy mouthfeelsweet-sour balanceno bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is refreshingly tart, with acidity lingering gently on the tongue while sweetness fades more quickly, leaving a clean, dry sensation. The aftertaste remains true to the sour profile without becoming harsh or astringent.

tart finishclean aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
80
Appearance
77
Finish
78
Serve at 6–9°C

Serve at 6–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Lab Rat

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About Fruited Sour

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Fruited Sour?

Fruited Sour is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Fruited Sour

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same sour, fruity, creamy character as Lab Rat will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →