Elm Creek Rare Candy Sour Ale 4Pk

Elm Creek Rare Candy Sour Ale 4Pk is a 6% ABV kettle-soured American sour ale from Elm Creek Brewing Company in Minnesota, sold in a 4-pack of cans. Loaded with over 40 lbs per barrel of blueberry and raspberry puree — well above industry norms for fruited sours — this release has earned a 3.9 out of 5 rating on Untappd across more than 2,400 reviews.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6%  |  Origin: Minnesota, USA  |  Style: Fruited Kettle Sour Ale  |  Brewery: Elm Creek Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Elm Creek Brewing Company operates out of Minnesota and has built a reputation around its Rare Candy rotating sour ale series. Production follows a kettle-souring process: wort is inoculated with Lactobacillus bacteria to develop controlled tartness before primary fermentation with standard brewer's yeast. The Blueberry & Raspberry variant — the flagship and most widely available expression in the Rare Candy lineup — distinguishes itself with a fruit load exceeding 40 lbs per barrel of blueberry and raspberry puree, a rate that far surpasses what most craft breweries use in comparable fruited sour releases.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Berry fruit dominates immediately, with distinct blueberry and raspberry mixing with a clean lactic acid tang. The effect is bright and inviting, reminiscent of fresh berry compote with a sour candy edge.

Taste: The palate opens with a clean, tart acidity that anchors the beer before giving way to ripe, jammy blueberry and raspberry sweetness at mid-palate. Reviewers frequently describe flavors evoking Blue Raspberry Blow Pop candy and Sweet Tarts, with secondary notes of purple grape and blackberry rounding out the fruit character. A measured sweetness balances the sour backbone without tipping into cloying territory.

Finish: Medium in length, with lactic acid arriving in the aftertaste to reassert the beer's sour identity. The finish is clean and refreshing, leaving a faint berry sweetness that lingers alongside gentle tartness.

How to Drink Rare Candy

Serve cold — ideally between 38–45°F — in a tulip glass or stemmed goblet to concentrate the berry aromatics. Rare Candy is best enjoyed on its own, where the intense fruit character and balanced acidity can speak for themselves. For a twist, try it as a base in a beer shandy with a splash of lemonade, in a Berliner Weisse–style serve with a dash of elderflower syrup, or blended into a frozen beer slushie where the fruit-forward profile holds up exceptionally well against ice dilution.

Best For

• Introducing craft beer–curious drinkers to the fruited sour category
• Summer cookouts and warm-weather outdoor gatherings
• Pairing alongside brunch dishes or dessert courses
• Gifting to sour ale enthusiasts exploring Midwest craft breweries

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Rare Candy taste like? Rare Candy delivers intense blueberry and raspberry flavors with a pronounced tart, lactic acidity up front that transitions into jammy berry sweetness. Reviewers often liken the flavor profile to sour candy like Sweet Tarts and Blue Raspberry Blow Pops.

How does Rare Candy compare to Drekker Brewing's fruited sours? Consumers frequently compare the two as peers in the heavily fruited puree sour category, with both breweries known for high fruit loads and candy-like flavor profiles. Rare Candy's stated 40+ lbs per barrel of fruit puree places it in the same intensity tier as Drekker's most popular releases, though each brewery uses different fruit combinations and souring approaches.

Is Rare Candy good for beginners? Yes — its approachable 6% ABV and fruit-driven sweetness make it one of the more accessible entry points into sour ales, especially for drinkers who enjoy fruit-flavored beverages but are new to tart beer styles.

Where is Rare Candy made? Rare Candy is brewed by Elm Creek Brewing Company in Minnesota, USA. The brewery is part of the growing Midwest craft sour ale scene and produces the Rare Candy series as a rotating lineup of fruited kettle sours.

What foods pair well with Rare Candy? Grilled chicken or pork with a berry glaze echoes the fruit character; soft goat cheese or brie complements the lactic tartness; lemon bars or fruit tarts mirror the beer's sweet-sour balance; spicy Thai dishes benefit from the refreshing acidity; and vanilla cheesecake provides a creamy counterpoint to the berry punch.

What sizes does Rare Candy come in? Rare Candy is primarily available in a 4-pack of cans, which is the standard retail format for this release.

Is Rare Candy worth the price? Rare Candy positions as a craft-tier fruited sour with a fruit-per-barrel rate that exceeds many competitors in its price range, making it a strong value within the premium fruited sour category. Its consistent Untappd rating of 3.9 across thousands of reviews reflects solid consumer satisfaction.

Why Rare Candy?

What separates Rare Candy from the crowded fruited sour field is sheer fruit intensity — over 40 lbs per barrel of blueberry and raspberry puree is a volume that most competing breweries simply do not match at this price tier. The result is a sour ale where the fruit isn't an accent but the defining structural element, delivering a flavor density that holds up to scrutiny across more than 2,400 Untappd ratings. As the flagship variant in Elm Creek's rotating Rare Candy series, the Blueberry & Raspberry expression has become one of Minnesota's more recognized fruited sour releases and a legitimate peer to nationally distributed names like Drekker.