The Sovina 500 Bière de Table is a limited-edition offering from the Porto-based pioneer of Portuguese craft beer, developed under their "Sovina 500" experimental project, which is dedicated to testing innovative recipes in small, 500-liter batches. This particular release takes its inspiration from the historic Table Beer style of Belgium and northern France, traditionally brewed as a low-alcohol beverage for daily consumption.
The style focuses on drinkability, malt complexity, and minimal attenuation, resulting in a decidedly low-ABV finished product—typically landing below 4.0% ABV. The brewing process likely uses a mixed grist of classic European malts, such as Pilsner and Munich malt, to establish a soft, lightly doughy malt base without excessive sweetness. Sovina employs a French farmhouse yeast strain to impart the subtle phenolic and estery character crucial to the style, but with a cooler, controlled fermentation to temper the yeast's expressive nature. The hopping profile is intentionally moderate. It focuses on Noble or New World continental hop varieties to provide a mild, balancing bitterness and a nuanced aromatic lift, distinguishing it from simple session beers by adding a layer of sophisticated fermentation-derived complexity.
The Sovina 500 Bière de Table presents a refreshing and sessionable interpretation of the Franco-Belgian style. Visually, it is often a pale, hazy gold beneath a persistent white foam. The aroma is subtle but layered, offering notes of white pepper, dry earth, and faint lemon peel from the yeast, complemented by a delicate hint of biscuit or crusty bread from the malt. The beer is remarkably light-bodied on the palate yet retains a satisfying creamy mouthfeel typical of its style. The flavour profile is clean, with the mild malty sweetness quickly giving way to a peppery, herbaceous spice and a notably dry finish. This high attenuation and low sugar content ensures a thirst-quenching, highly complex yet unassuming character, making it an ideal companion for lighter cuisine or prolonged, casual enjoyment.
