Sour Flower
Henniker Brewing Co.

Sour FlowerSour Flower
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From:
Henniker Brewing Co.
 
New Hampshire, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.9 | pDev: 10.26%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
27
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 30, 2021
Added:
Apr 28, 2016
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  5
Dry-Hopped with Chinook, Simcoe, and Mosaic
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jhavs:
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Rated by jhavs from New York

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Jul 11, 2016
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by Mickt465 from New Hampshire

May 30, 2021
 
Rated: 4.41 by Leftover1223 from New Hampshire

Sep 08, 2019
 
Rated: 3.91 by williahd from Maine

Jun 22, 2019
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Oh, man, their eastern neighbors get all the beer love, but I totally dig what is coming to me in CANs from the Granite State. Yeah, yinz CAN go chase all of the Lawson's & Hill Farmstead that you want, but I'm digging some NH goodness! Baby, I'm on a New CANned Henniker Beer Sunday (Week 733) kick today & now the soundtrack for this one is especially Scott McKenzie's "CAN Francisco (Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)" followed by the original Broadway soundtrack to "Hair".

As to the latter, I went to see it staged at EPAC in Ephrata a couple/few years ago with my 85-y/o mother & her brother, 80-y/o Uncle Steve. I had seen it several times so it was nothing new, but they didn't know the lyrics, nor were they prepared for the cast to get naked at the end of Act I! I still laugh about that one.

From the flowery CAN: "As the weather warms, our palates drift from robust, bracing beers towards drier, brighter and tarter styles. That's where Sour Flower comes in. ​Dry-hopped for notes of juicy tropical fruit to balance the sour, tart, lemony zing. It's the perfect beer for rising temperatures and longer days. Pair it with pickled veggies, smoky BBQ, and the feeling of grass in between your toes."

I Crack!ed open the vent & although @NeroFiddled has repeatedly reminded me that American Wild Ales should not be expected to form much head & if they do, then retention will be low. Well, I just like to be a CANtrarian! I was totally aggro & NOT at all peaceful in my Glug. This led to the formation, albeit brief, of two fingers worth of fizzy, foamy, soapy, bone-white head that acted embarrassed & quick to run off & hide. 8=( Color was a gorgeous Golden-Amber (SRM = > 5, < 7) with NE-quality clarity, leading to a visit from The Gelt Gang of Mammon, Croesus & Midas. For once, they were not put off by its nose, nor was I. Yes, it was funky, but it was not so intense as to make me cringe as some have been in the past. Mouthfeel was thin-to-medium, not watery, but no great shakes, either. The taste was more sour than tart & if they want to call it "lemony", I'm not going to argue the point. This was one of the more approachable examples of the style that I have come across. For some, this may not be a selling point, while for hopheads like me, this was a decent drink. Finish was dry, certainly, but not puckering. One was enough for me, but YMMV.
Mar 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.88 by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

Oct 27, 2018
 
Rated: 3.45 by AGust82 from Connecticut

Oct 03, 2018
 
Rated: 3.74 by MeganandDana from Pennsylvania

Jun 20, 2018
 
Rated: 4.99 by HashiitMahdroos from Maine

Jun 09, 2018
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.4/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a tulip.
The appearance was a honey orange color with just a film of a little white semi-foamy head. Didn't leave any lace.
The aroma had a nice sunshine-like floral crisp lemon zesty to sly vinous and a brisk orange rind sourness.
The flavor was moderately sour with a nice balance of the tart and bitter coming in to coincide and delegate a sly bitterness to pull down some of that sour. Aftertaste was well blended between "sour," "tart" and "bitter."
The mouthfeel had the expectant "astringency" that I was waiting for by the style with a good sturdy carbonation. ABV felt fine. Finish had a nice pucker harshness to it with a little bitter rind.
Overall, pretty good as an American wild ale that I could come back to.
Oct 13, 2017
 
Rated: 2.85 by TheBeerdedCharmer from Pennsylvania

Aug 23, 2017
 
Rated: 4.04 by IBUBrew from Vermont

Aug 04, 2017
 
Rated: 3.89 by Andnkuhn from Virginia

Jul 15, 2017
 
Rated: 4.3 by LXMRTN from New Hampshire

Jul 13, 2017
Photo of GratefulBeerGuy
Reviewed by GratefulBeerGuy from New Hampshire

4.31/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
16 oz can.

I Remember Getting My First Two "sours" Or American Wild Ale's from the BA trade groups back in 2008. My first 2 were none other than the Russian River's Supplication and Beatification. I've always judged the style by those two barsetters. ....9 years later it stands as one of the most popular styles today. I first had Sour Flower at the Henniker Brewery tap room after a very nice your of the brewery by the owner. Sour Flower impressed me very much. Let's see how the can offering review does. ....

Honey, orange and gold color. A very thin, all white foam cap spreads out to only some minimal lace.

The aroma actually reminds me very much of the Supplication I had so many years ago. Extremely tart, metallic, lemmon zest, citrus kick....all from the wild BRETT yeast. The use of wild yeast, really enhances the interest in beer for me with such a unique flavor complexity, a method that has been mastered by the Belgians in their styles for centuries. Unique, funky, tart, astringent, refreshing.....all aspects that make light sours so great.

This one is amazingly refreshing, light, crisp, yet complex with multiple yeast flavors that are also pulled together by some nice balance of Dry-hopped, earthy and fruity flavor's and a very light, crisp malt.

Lemmon zing, earthy dryness, citrus and even sweet fruit tones and really sour! Dry hopped sour. This might just be my "sleeper" beer of choice for summer 2017.
Jul 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.63 by Pacodog26 from Vermont

Jul 08, 2017
 
Rated: 3.91 by GregSemenza from Connecticut

Jul 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.88 by Prost76 from New Hampshire

Apr 06, 2017
 
Rated: 4.14 by BigSmooth12 from Massachusetts

Nov 06, 2016
Photo of puboflyons
Reviewed by puboflyons from New Hampshire

3.81/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
From the 650 ml. bottle released in the late Spring 2016. Sampled on August 17, 2016.

Golden yellow pour under a small white foamy head. Busy carbonation.

The aroma brings out a big lemon, lime, and tropical, passion fruit, and overall juicy sensation. Breaded dough and cracker underneath. Nothing that would make me think sour or tart.

Light body.

The taste is a short flirtation with bread and crackers and then the same exquisitely lemon-lime juicy notes kick in as does the sour character. Ends fruity.
Aug 17, 2016
Sour Flower from Henniker Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 27 ratings