Tartare
Bear Republic Brewing Co.

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- From:
- Bear Republic Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Sour - Berliner Weisse
- ABV:
- 4%
- Score:
- 95
- Avg:
- 4.3 | pDev: 10.23%
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 16, 2019
- Added:
- Nov 19, 2011
- Wants:
- 182
- Gots:
- 33
SCORE
95
World-Class
95
World-Class

Notes:
One of the world's classic sour beer styles, Tartare is Bear Republic's interpretation of Berliner Weisse, the tart, low-alcohol beer style dubbed as "The Champagne of the North."
Bronze medal at the 2011 Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer in the Wild Beer/Acidic Category
Winner at 2013 Good Food Awards, Adventurous, Barreled, Big, Bawdy, & Belgian Beer Category
Bronze medal at the 2011 Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer in the Wild Beer/Acidic Category
Winner at 2013 Good Food Awards, Adventurous, Barreled, Big, Bawdy, & Belgian Beer Category
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
4 by Hellpop65 from Kansas on Apr 16, 2019
4.31 by Taybeh from Minnesota on Jan 23, 2019
4.43 by kmoen from California on Oct 14, 2018
4.11 by Dave2234 from Minnesota on Aug 30, 2018
2.5 by COBEERHUNTER from Colorado on Jul 16, 2018
5 by JonBoy23 from California on May 31, 2018
3.63/5 rDev -15.6%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
by GarrettB from Colorado
July 23rd, 2015 - The server at Big Sur Tap House had to warn me that the Tartare is a brutally sour beer, and they were right. Both on the nose and flavor it's a tall glass of cold distilled white vinegar mixed with apple cider vinegar and given some bubbles. Pungent, pucking, powerful and piercing, it has a surprisingly short aftertaste for such a screechingly sour brew.
April 7th, 2015 - Out on the road, we stop at Bear Republic and begin a line of tasters. Starting with the tartare seems risky if it is indeed acidic and replete with tartaric acid, but it also has the lightest ABV of today's spread. Cloudy and calm, it looks almost like a lemonade or a shandy, and the aroma is gentle, and soft. There's lots of gentle banana notes at play, like a baby food flavored with banana, and layered with fruit tart custard and a light lemon merengue. The flavor is spritzy, exploding in the mouth with that sweetened essence of banana. Critically, the sourness is enough to offset any of th muddying effects of the yeast's powerful esters, which makes this both weird and wonderful.
Feb 22, 2018
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
by GarrettB from Colorado
July 23rd, 2015 - The server at Big Sur Tap House had to warn me that the Tartare is a brutally sour beer, and they were right. Both on the nose and flavor it's a tall glass of cold distilled white vinegar mixed with apple cider vinegar and given some bubbles. Pungent, pucking, powerful and piercing, it has a surprisingly short aftertaste for such a screechingly sour brew.
April 7th, 2015 - Out on the road, we stop at Bear Republic and begin a line of tasters. Starting with the tartare seems risky if it is indeed acidic and replete with tartaric acid, but it also has the lightest ABV of today's spread. Cloudy and calm, it looks almost like a lemonade or a shandy, and the aroma is gentle, and soft. There's lots of gentle banana notes at play, like a baby food flavored with banana, and layered with fruit tart custard and a light lemon merengue. The flavor is spritzy, exploding in the mouth with that sweetened essence of banana. Critically, the sourness is enough to offset any of th muddying effects of the yeast's powerful esters, which makes this both weird and wonderful.
Feb 22, 2018
4.82/5 rDev +12.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
by JBabz from Pennsylvania
This beer is so good, especially if you’re a sour lover. Among the more interesting sours out there, while being highly drinkable. Some vinegar taste up front, but not overwhelming like a lambic might be. The taste quickly changes to a buttery finish, reminiscent of popcorn. It coats the mouth so the taste lingers for a while. Feels decadent and refreshing.
Dec 17, 2017
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
by JBabz from Pennsylvania
This beer is so good, especially if you’re a sour lover. Among the more interesting sours out there, while being highly drinkable. Some vinegar taste up front, but not overwhelming like a lambic might be. The taste quickly changes to a buttery finish, reminiscent of popcorn. It coats the mouth so the taste lingers for a while. Feels decadent and refreshing.
Dec 17, 2017
4.45 by leprechaunandfatman from Ohio on Oct 26, 2017
4.29 by StormAles from Canada (ON) on Aug 30, 2017
5/5 rDev +16.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
by Mindsculptor from Texas
If you like sours, drink this. If you don't know if you like sours, drink this. If you don't like sours, don't drink this.
Jul 07, 2017
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
by Mindsculptor from Texas
If you like sours, drink this. If you don't know if you like sours, drink this. If you don't like sours, don't drink this.
Jul 07, 2017
2 by Dface from Texas on Apr 16, 2017
4 by Zazzi82 from Tennessee on Mar 04, 2017
4.12 by SpaethJam from New York on Mar 03, 2017
4.1/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by FriedSlug from North Carolina
Funky and super sour beer. Slightly hazy gold beer with a quickly disappearing head. Smells like sour and lactose and peaches. Taste is really sour and funky but in a good way. One of the most sour beers I've had but it is really awesome.
Feb 18, 2017
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by FriedSlug from North Carolina
Funky and super sour beer. Slightly hazy gold beer with a quickly disappearing head. Smells like sour and lactose and peaches. Taste is really sour and funky but in a good way. One of the most sour beers I've had but it is really awesome.
Feb 18, 2017
3.97 by kylehay2004 from Illinois on Feb 07, 2017
4/5 rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by GreesyFizeek from New York
On tap at Griffon Gastropub in Clarence, NY.
This one pours a dark clear orange-ish color, with a very small head, and no lacing.
Smells pretty bracingly tart on the nose, super super lactic, with some lemon, salt, a little bit vinegar, and slight spicing- maybe coriander?
This actually feels a bit more like a gose than a berliner, as I get a bit of saltiness there. There's a slight bit of vinegar, but it's luckily not overwhelming. It's very, very sour, but in a pleasing way. There's a indistinguishable kind of spiced flavor, kind of coriander like, or grassy.
This is light bodied, fairly crisp, with a good level of carbonation.
This isn't the best berliner I've ever had, but it was still quite tasty nonetheless.
Jan 05, 2017
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by GreesyFizeek from New York
On tap at Griffon Gastropub in Clarence, NY.
This one pours a dark clear orange-ish color, with a very small head, and no lacing.
Smells pretty bracingly tart on the nose, super super lactic, with some lemon, salt, a little bit vinegar, and slight spicing- maybe coriander?
This actually feels a bit more like a gose than a berliner, as I get a bit of saltiness there. There's a slight bit of vinegar, but it's luckily not overwhelming. It's very, very sour, but in a pleasing way. There's a indistinguishable kind of spiced flavor, kind of coriander like, or grassy.
This is light bodied, fairly crisp, with a good level of carbonation.
This isn't the best berliner I've ever had, but it was still quite tasty nonetheless.
Jan 05, 2017
4.09 by Lucular from Maryland on Nov 22, 2016
4.5 by NickThePyro from Washington on Nov 19, 2016
3.96 by Boone757 from Virginia on Oct 23, 2016
3.93 by oline73 from Maryland on Sep 29, 2016
4.15 by DavidST from Texas on Sep 28, 2016
4.02/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
by cbutova from Massachusetts
Foundry, Northampton, MA.
A- Draft pour to a tulip with a clear golden body. No head forms, at all, as the acidity probably destroys any chance of foam being born.
S- Acid. Lactic acid and lemony sours dominate the aroma but with time a slight backing of wheaties and old musty horse backs that up. Slight acetic acid too. Old wine grapes.
T- Intense vinegar and lactic acid opens up the experience and it leads into raw wheat in the finish. Honestly tastes like musty soured wine and salt and vinegar chips, in a good way.
MF- Light to medium bodied and boy is it oily slick; explains the appearance. Medium carbonation and a taste bud stripping finish.
Sour wheaty goodness. Like drinking a horses sweat that was left out in the sun for days.
Sep 20, 2016
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
by cbutova from Massachusetts
Foundry, Northampton, MA.
A- Draft pour to a tulip with a clear golden body. No head forms, at all, as the acidity probably destroys any chance of foam being born.
S- Acid. Lactic acid and lemony sours dominate the aroma but with time a slight backing of wheaties and old musty horse backs that up. Slight acetic acid too. Old wine grapes.
T- Intense vinegar and lactic acid opens up the experience and it leads into raw wheat in the finish. Honestly tastes like musty soured wine and salt and vinegar chips, in a good way.
MF- Light to medium bodied and boy is it oily slick; explains the appearance. Medium carbonation and a taste bud stripping finish.
Sour wheaty goodness. Like drinking a horses sweat that was left out in the sun for days.
Sep 20, 2016
2.5 by COR8RFAN from Colorado on Sep 11, 2016
4.21 by Nunya from Ohio on Sep 05, 2016
3.91 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey on Sep 01, 2016
4.28/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by Phil-Fresh from California
A: Sharp sourness with a moderate lemon/coriander aroma.
A: Moderate yellow-straw color, super hazy, light effervescence, with a very thin head that dissipates quickly.
T: Moderately strong sourness, quite clean, with moderate lemon/coriander notes, the beer has a light bready character in the background, lightly dry finish.
M: Light bodied with moderately high carbonation.
O: Delicious; the beer has great lacto sourness with notes of lemon/coriander and a light bready complimentary character. Super refreshing and very easy to drink.
Aug 18, 2016
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by Phil-Fresh from California
A: Sharp sourness with a moderate lemon/coriander aroma.
A: Moderate yellow-straw color, super hazy, light effervescence, with a very thin head that dissipates quickly.
T: Moderately strong sourness, quite clean, with moderate lemon/coriander notes, the beer has a light bready character in the background, lightly dry finish.
M: Light bodied with moderately high carbonation.
O: Delicious; the beer has great lacto sourness with notes of lemon/coriander and a light bready complimentary character. Super refreshing and very easy to drink.
Aug 18, 2016
4.08 by Mnteti from Delaware on Aug 12, 2016
4.08 by Gkruszewski from New York on Jul 20, 2016
4.17 by alucard from New York on Jul 10, 2016
4.09 by Stofko1992 from Pennsylvania on Jul 06, 2016
4.34 by LaGuarns from Ohio on Jul 05, 2016
3.75 by northbay47 from California on Jun 26, 2016
4.21 by wonothesane42 from New Jersey on Jun 14, 2016
2.49/5 rDev -42.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.25
by Tommo from Massachusetts
After having this on draft tonight, i am shocked how highly it is rated. The smell is of balsamic vinegar, and the taste follows in turn. While this is a very tart beer, it is horrendously acetic and undrinkable
Jun 11, 2016
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.25
by Tommo from Massachusetts
After having this on draft tonight, i am shocked how highly it is rated. The smell is of balsamic vinegar, and the taste follows in turn. While this is a very tart beer, it is horrendously acetic and undrinkable
Jun 11, 2016
3.54 by Texasfan549 from Texas on Jun 08, 2016
3.2 by thatoneguymike from Georgia on Jun 05, 2016
4 by JohneHoodlum from Pennsylvania on Jun 04, 2016
4 by DeadeyeOTDO from Arizona on May 13, 2016
4.69/5 rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
by Galanis from North Carolina
Exceptional. Light golden, almost straw color. No head after the first few seconds on the initial pour. Smell is not representative of the complexity of this beer. It smells faintly acidic, very lemony.
But the taste! Lemon, yes! But also gardenia and oysters. It's very tart at first sip, with no hint of the complexities to follow. But after the third or forth, when the taste buds stop retreating from the roof of your mouth, you begin to taste the barest hint of saltiness and floral. Half way through, the distinct flavors of oyster and gardenia are very apparent.
I'm not a huge fan of sours, but this is the barometer by which I will measure all others. Simply the best sour I've ever had.
May 12, 2016
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
by Galanis from North Carolina
Exceptional. Light golden, almost straw color. No head after the first few seconds on the initial pour. Smell is not representative of the complexity of this beer. It smells faintly acidic, very lemony.
But the taste! Lemon, yes! But also gardenia and oysters. It's very tart at first sip, with no hint of the complexities to follow. But after the third or forth, when the taste buds stop retreating from the roof of your mouth, you begin to taste the barest hint of saltiness and floral. Half way through, the distinct flavors of oyster and gardenia are very apparent.
I'm not a huge fan of sours, but this is the barometer by which I will measure all others. Simply the best sour I've ever had.
May 12, 2016
Tartare from Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
95 out of
100 with
591 ratings