Bel Air Sour | Brooklyn Brewery
Brewed by:
Brooklyn Brewery
New York, United States
brooklynbrewery.com
Style: American Wild Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.80%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Lead by our James Beard Award-winning Brewmaster, Garrett Oliver, our brewers put their collective minds together to conjure up one tasty magic trick—a thrilling jolt of tartness up front opens onto a riot of tropical fruit, courtesy of our lacto, our ale yeast, and a generous helping of Amarillo dry-hopping. Soft barley and wheat malts keep things dry and refreshing, and the whole thing comes together to close with a fine dry finish. Brooklyn Bel Air Sour is racy and maybe even a little bit dangerous, but also effortlessly cool, breezy, and undeniably compelling.
Malts: American 2-row, Pale Wheat malt
Additions: Lactobacillus
Hops: Challenger, Perle, Mosaic, Amarillo
Yeast: Our House Ale Yeast
Original Gravity: 13° Plato
Added by HattedClassic on 03-26-2016
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 280 | Reviews: 77
3.31/5 rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Super sour!!
12 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Super sour!!
12 characters
3.81/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.07/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear deep straw/pale gold with a few dusty particulates swirling among rising effervescence. The pour produces an inch or so of weak, finely bubbled, short-lived white head which recedes to a weak island cap and collar ring leaving little lacing behind. Aroma is slightly acidic, bread dough, strawberry, pineapple, thin green apple and stone fruit wrapped around a yeasty funk. Taste is thin and pleasantly sour, mildly citric, pale malt, fruity with tropical fruit, strawberry and light green apple producing a short lived/brief aftertaste. As mentioned before a number of the wild ale style beers I have tried have a Gose-like brine developing in the finish & riding over into the aftertaste. Ditto on this one. I don't believe salt is an ingredient in this brew but a brine hint or something damn near like it is there. Throughout the sip there is a loose balance of sweet & sour with sour increasing slightly in the finish but climaxing and crashing before the drying aftertaste. Mouthfeel is light bodied with moderate-high carbonation, dry but mouth clinging and a little prickly. A good and highly drinkable example.
1,134 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear deep straw/pale gold with a few dusty particulates swirling among rising effervescence. The pour produces an inch or so of weak, finely bubbled, short-lived white head which recedes to a weak island cap and collar ring leaving little lacing behind. Aroma is slightly acidic, bread dough, strawberry, pineapple, thin green apple and stone fruit wrapped around a yeasty funk. Taste is thin and pleasantly sour, mildly citric, pale malt, fruity with tropical fruit, strawberry and light green apple producing a short lived/brief aftertaste. As mentioned before a number of the wild ale style beers I have tried have a Gose-like brine developing in the finish & riding over into the aftertaste. Ditto on this one. I don't believe salt is an ingredient in this brew but a brine hint or something damn near like it is there. Throughout the sip there is a loose balance of sweet & sour with sour increasing slightly in the finish but climaxing and crashing before the drying aftertaste. Mouthfeel is light bodied with moderate-high carbonation, dry but mouth clinging and a little prickly. A good and highly drinkable example.
1,134 characters
4.1/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a slightly cloudy golden color with a big fluffy white head. Marvelous retention throughout and sea foam lacing.
Strong and complex aroma that evokes passion fruit, lemon, candied oranges and white grapes. There is also an earthy component in that there is an herbal, hay like and grassy smell that plays off of additional fruity aromas of melon and pear.
Tart but not too acidic and with a subtle burst of fruity hops amidst a dry malt sweetness. Flavors of passion fruit, lemon, lime, grapefruit, green apples, and gooseberries amidst a fluffy wheat base and sourdough bread. Grassy and herbal hops add a nice peppery spice.
The mouthfeel is wonderful and unique for a sour. Not as sharp or acidic, instead, the wheat and gentle carbonation yield an unusually soft, smooth and fluffy mouthfeel. More medium bodied than light, this is a sour with a bit more body and ABV; although the alcohol flavor is hidden. The finish is dry, tart, yet not too puckering, and with a slightly sticky and gummy wheat linger.
This is a really nice take on an American Wild Ale style by Brooklyn Brewery. I just might get a sixer of it next time.
1,137 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a slightly cloudy golden color with a big fluffy white head. Marvelous retention throughout and sea foam lacing.
Strong and complex aroma that evokes passion fruit, lemon, candied oranges and white grapes. There is also an earthy component in that there is an herbal, hay like and grassy smell that plays off of additional fruity aromas of melon and pear.
Tart but not too acidic and with a subtle burst of fruity hops amidst a dry malt sweetness. Flavors of passion fruit, lemon, lime, grapefruit, green apples, and gooseberries amidst a fluffy wheat base and sourdough bread. Grassy and herbal hops add a nice peppery spice.
The mouthfeel is wonderful and unique for a sour. Not as sharp or acidic, instead, the wheat and gentle carbonation yield an unusually soft, smooth and fluffy mouthfeel. More medium bodied than light, this is a sour with a bit more body and ABV; although the alcohol flavor is hidden. The finish is dry, tart, yet not too puckering, and with a slightly sticky and gummy wheat linger.
This is a really nice take on an American Wild Ale style by Brooklyn Brewery. I just might get a sixer of it next time.
1,137 characters
4.59/5 rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Great beer! One of my favorite sours!
37 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Great beer! One of my favorite sours!
37 characters
3.35/5 rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
I think I've been spoiled by Victory Brewing's Sour Monkey. This sour is perfectly serviceable. It just doesn't match up with the Monkey.
It looks fine. Nice and cloudy. It smells pretty good too. Tropical fruit. Tart. It's just that the taste doesn't quite deliver what the smell promises. Yes, it is tart. I get a bit of pineapple, maybe? But the mouthfeel is on the watery side. And the aftertaste is a little bit astringent.
I'm glad Brooklyn put this out there, as there are precious few sours available among the glut of IPAs. It's just not something that I find very inspiring to try again.
599 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
I think I've been spoiled by Victory Brewing's Sour Monkey. This sour is perfectly serviceable. It just doesn't match up with the Monkey.
It looks fine. Nice and cloudy. It smells pretty good too. Tropical fruit. Tart. It's just that the taste doesn't quite deliver what the smell promises. Yes, it is tart. I get a bit of pineapple, maybe? But the mouthfeel is on the watery side. And the aftertaste is a little bit astringent.
I'm glad Brooklyn put this out there, as there are precious few sours available among the glut of IPAs. It's just not something that I find very inspiring to try again.
599 characters
4.01/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
(12 oz bottle, BB Nov 2018; purchased cold... poured into a Chouffe tulip)
L: yellow hazy liquid, tinge of orange; thin foam cap... initially alarmingly cloudy, but the haze subsides a bit; broken collar barely keeps
S: pineapple juice, banana, fruit bubblegum, background hint of orange creme... redolent fruit aromas, little to suggest any major tartness... floral aromas with a touch of citrus essence continue, maybe faint note of perfumy ethanol
T: bold pink grapefruit, subtle white wine background; soft hint of malt, especially in aftertaste - lightly doughy... finish and aftertaste are rather dry; not terribly bitter, delicately tart; essence of fleshy grapefruit rind and touch of the orange creme all that really lingers, maybe a hint of white cake; overall intensity remains relatively bold
F: approaches puckering at the onset of each sip; soft carbonation, tucked away... light-bodied, but a glassy-slick viscosity in the center (needs a little more sizzle?); frayed edges... probably wouldn't fatigue, but not sure I'd want another right away
O: purchased single bottle off room-temp shelf... not bad for what it is, grapefruit malt beverage-y... arguably restrained/muted in some areas... would like to maybe try a fresh bottle or have this on tap, but gears are turning thinking about possible food pairings - shellfish? grilled chicken with citrus glaze? - several possibilities
1,403 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
(12 oz bottle, BB Nov 2018; purchased cold... poured into a Chouffe tulip)
L: yellow hazy liquid, tinge of orange; thin foam cap... initially alarmingly cloudy, but the haze subsides a bit; broken collar barely keeps
S: pineapple juice, banana, fruit bubblegum, background hint of orange creme... redolent fruit aromas, little to suggest any major tartness... floral aromas with a touch of citrus essence continue, maybe faint note of perfumy ethanol
T: bold pink grapefruit, subtle white wine background; soft hint of malt, especially in aftertaste - lightly doughy... finish and aftertaste are rather dry; not terribly bitter, delicately tart; essence of fleshy grapefruit rind and touch of the orange creme all that really lingers, maybe a hint of white cake; overall intensity remains relatively bold
F: approaches puckering at the onset of each sip; soft carbonation, tucked away... light-bodied, but a glassy-slick viscosity in the center (needs a little more sizzle?); frayed edges... probably wouldn't fatigue, but not sure I'd want another right away
O: purchased single bottle off room-temp shelf... not bad for what it is, grapefruit malt beverage-y... arguably restrained/muted in some areas... would like to maybe try a fresh bottle or have this on tap, but gears are turning thinking about possible food pairings - shellfish? grilled chicken with citrus glaze? - several possibilities
1,403 characters
3.89/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
This is my first sour ale so I don't have anything to rate it against. It's pretty good, will definitely buy again. I can see myself drinking this over American Pales Ales or IPAs when I am in the mood for a fruity tasting beer.
228 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
This is my first sour ale so I don't have anything to rate it against. It's pretty good, will definitely buy again. I can see myself drinking this over American Pales Ales or IPAs when I am in the mood for a fruity tasting beer.
228 characters
3.75/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Like other beers of this style, this brew presents a flavorful palate of tartness.
It pours yellow and cloudy, but clean and uniform looking. The aroma is faintly fruity yeasty sour. The taste is strongly yeasty sour. I'm not sure what all is in here, but I think it is good for my digestion.
Recommended.
308 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Like other beers of this style, this brew presents a flavorful palate of tartness.
It pours yellow and cloudy, but clean and uniform looking. The aroma is faintly fruity yeasty sour. The taste is strongly yeasty sour. I'm not sure what all is in here, but I think it is good for my digestion.
Recommended.
308 characters
4.11/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass.
L---Hazy, golden color. Nice white head that dissipated quickly to a cap. OK lacing.
S---Smells tart. Lemon is up front. Not complex, but it smells like a good sour, nonetheless.
T---Not as sour as the aroma indicated, but still clearly a sour. Lemon and citrus are dominant. Some malt/yeast to balance it out.
F---A bit of pucker from tartness. Definitely a quenching feel.
O---A very nice sour. Better than I was expecting from Brooklyn. I'd get this one again.
519 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass.
L---Hazy, golden color. Nice white head that dissipated quickly to a cap. OK lacing.
S---Smells tart. Lemon is up front. Not complex, but it smells like a good sour, nonetheless.
T---Not as sour as the aroma indicated, but still clearly a sour. Lemon and citrus are dominant. Some malt/yeast to balance it out.
F---A bit of pucker from tartness. Definitely a quenching feel.
O---A very nice sour. Better than I was expecting from Brooklyn. I'd get this one again.
519 characters
3.27/5 rDev -16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.69/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Didnt know what to expect as this was my first sour beer. Initial whiffs gave way to strong citrus and hops. Mostly grapefruits. Reminded me of many an IPA. Not quite as abrasive however. Has a bitter fruity forefront with a crisp spicy finish. This drink is rather light bodied so this would be an easy session beer.
317 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Didnt know what to expect as this was my first sour beer. Initial whiffs gave way to strong citrus and hops. Mostly grapefruits. Reminded me of many an IPA. Not quite as abrasive however. Has a bitter fruity forefront with a crisp spicy finish. This drink is rather light bodied so this would be an easy session beer.
317 characters
3.59/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This brew is a hazy gold color....not much of a head. The aroma is clean with a bit of fruit. Some yeast and a tart aroma. The taste is dry with a lot of pucker. Flavorful. Not a bad sour.
194 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This brew is a hazy gold color....not much of a head. The aroma is clean with a bit of fruit. Some yeast and a tart aroma. The taste is dry with a lot of pucker. Flavorful. Not a bad sour.
194 characters
3.77/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: A pale yellow in color with a nice soft white head.
S: Stone fruit, and a touch of tartness. Lightly acidic with perhaps just a touch of earthy funk.
T: Stone fruit, I am getting lot of peach and apricot with a bit of citrus as well.. like grapefruit zest. Nice tartness with a hint of funk in there as well.
M: Medium light in body with plenty of carbonation, and a somewhat dry finish.
O: Overall a pretty good brew.
429 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: A pale yellow in color with a nice soft white head.
S: Stone fruit, and a touch of tartness. Lightly acidic with perhaps just a touch of earthy funk.
T: Stone fruit, I am getting lot of peach and apricot with a bit of citrus as well.. like grapefruit zest. Nice tartness with a hint of funk in there as well.
M: Medium light in body with plenty of carbonation, and a somewhat dry finish.
O: Overall a pretty good brew.
429 characters
3.41/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
4.4/5 rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Bel Air Sour from Brooklyn Brewery
Beer rating:
3.9 out of
5 with
280 ratings
0 characters. We love reviews! Turn your rating into one with ≥ 150 characters.
Explain why you're giving this rating. Your review must discuss the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) and your overall impression in order to indicate that you have legitimately tried the beer. Nonconstructive reviews may be removed without notice and action may be taken on your account.