Bel Air Sour
Brooklyn Brewery
- From:
- Brooklyn Brewery
- New York, United States
- Style:
- Sour Ale
Ranked #6 - ABV:
- 5.8%
- Score:
- 87
Ranked #23,178 - Avg:
- 3.87 | pDev: 9.82%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 116
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 05, 2026
- Added:
- Mar 26, 2016
- Wants:
- 16
- Gots:
- 111
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
Available in two versions, one is 5.8% ABV, the other 4.5%.
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
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
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England
2.83/5 rDev -26.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
2.83/5 rDev -26.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Canned in a big old tallboy crafty craft can and purchased from my local big Tesco supermarket and a 5.99% abv European
Pours a naturally hazy lemon jello body with fleeting white head
aroma is vague pineapple
Flavour is acidic watery melon
Apr 05, 2026Pours a naturally hazy lemon jello body with fleeting white head
aroma is vague pineapple
Flavour is acidic watery melon
Rated by ttoadee from Texas
3.6/5 rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
RB transfer
Sep 20, 2025
Reviewed by AccipiterofBeer from New York
3.65/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.65/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Possibly the first sour I ever tried, back when craft beer caught my attention. No nonsense, unafraid sour ale. No hiding behind any blend of fruits. It doesn't disappoint in pucker factor. Good stuff.
Jun 19, 2025
Rated by kw_pip from Vermont
4.3/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.3/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Draught. Great sour. No super unique flavors, just a great benchmark basic sour.
Mar 08, 2025
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas
3.94/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a can into a pint glass
Appearance – The beer pours a Deep orange-amber color with a slight red tint and a small head of fizzy foam. The head fades rather fast, leaving just a trace of lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is very strong of a tart apple cider vinegar smell mixed with some notes of cracker malt and a bit of caramel. There are other aromas of lemon and a bit of pineapple and tangerine, along with a decent showing of apricot and peach.
Taste – The taste begins with a rather crisp tart green apple flavor paired with a bit of crisp malt and flavors of lemon and grapefruit rind. Along with these flavors comes a little bit of peach and apricot and a whole lot of white grape. The grape gives the taste a wine like character with the tart adding a dimension on the profile producing a sour wine like taste. As the taste moves onto the end, there is a bit of hay and grass that develop and with the rest of the flavors, one is left with a rather tart, light, and crisp wine taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is quite light and thin with a moderate carbonation level. For the style and the wine like nature the feel is great and makes for a very easy sipper.
Overall – A rather crisp sour with a nice wine like nature. Pretty decent.
Jan 23, 2025Appearance – The beer pours a Deep orange-amber color with a slight red tint and a small head of fizzy foam. The head fades rather fast, leaving just a trace of lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is very strong of a tart apple cider vinegar smell mixed with some notes of cracker malt and a bit of caramel. There are other aromas of lemon and a bit of pineapple and tangerine, along with a decent showing of apricot and peach.
Taste – The taste begins with a rather crisp tart green apple flavor paired with a bit of crisp malt and flavors of lemon and grapefruit rind. Along with these flavors comes a little bit of peach and apricot and a whole lot of white grape. The grape gives the taste a wine like character with the tart adding a dimension on the profile producing a sour wine like taste. As the taste moves onto the end, there is a bit of hay and grass that develop and with the rest of the flavors, one is left with a rather tart, light, and crisp wine taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is quite light and thin with a moderate carbonation level. For the style and the wine like nature the feel is great and makes for a very easy sipper.
Overall – A rather crisp sour with a nice wine like nature. Pretty decent.
Reviewed by Sinfull from New York
3.43/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Light, golden color. Medium-sized, white head. Fresh , breezy aroma of hops and lemon zest. Sour in taste with notes of lemon and hint of yeasts. Light , hoppy bitterness in the dry finish.
Jan 21, 2025
Reviewed by FLima from Brazil
3.74/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Amber color with a thick head with good retention.
Mild aroma with notes of peaches, passion fruit and a mild sourness.
Flavor with notes of pineapple, mango, peaches and a passion fruit sourness. Dry aftertaste with a friendly sourness.
Bordering medium body with appropriate carbonation.
Interesting Sour with tropical notes and a tamed sourness on the background.
Mar 05, 2024Mild aroma with notes of peaches, passion fruit and a mild sourness.
Flavor with notes of pineapple, mango, peaches and a passion fruit sourness. Dry aftertaste with a friendly sourness.
Bordering medium body with appropriate carbonation.
Interesting Sour with tropical notes and a tamed sourness on the background.
Reviewed by whynot44 from Missouri
3.77/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Hazy golden color with a respectable but short duration white head.
The aroma is mild pineapple, citrus and plum.
The taste is slightly tart slightly funky pineapple, tangerine, lemon, a hint of apple or green plum. The body is light, good level of carbonation, slightly crisp, very drinkable.
Altogether, this is a nice light, refeshing, but still tasty brew, should go well with summer cook outs and activities.
Nov 30, 2023The aroma is mild pineapple, citrus and plum.
The taste is slightly tart slightly funky pineapple, tangerine, lemon, a hint of apple or green plum. The body is light, good level of carbonation, slightly crisp, very drinkable.
Altogether, this is a nice light, refeshing, but still tasty brew, should go well with summer cook outs and activities.
Reviewed by ZenAgnostic from Texas
2.19/5 rDev -43.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.75
2.19/5 rDev -43.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.75
BB 11/30/11 printed on bottom of 12oz can, poured into teku glass on Nov 3, 2023.
Appearance - Hazy gold-orange body. Small 1/2 finger sudsy white head, irregular. Weak lacing. Almost no stick. Decent to low retention. 3.25
Smell - Dank floral notes. Weird. A bit fruity. Smells a bit sour too. Citrus? Vanilla? Tangerine. A little bit of soy sauce. Concerning... 2.25
Taste - "Would have probably been firmly mid if it were [even] fresh" but ti's not -- has a bit of staleness to it. Quote by friend. It somehow gets even worse as it oxidizes. 2
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied. 3
Overall - Might not finish this can. In fact I'm certain I won't. Seems a little risky. It's getting a little rank smelling. 1.75
Nov 16, 2023Appearance - Hazy gold-orange body. Small 1/2 finger sudsy white head, irregular. Weak lacing. Almost no stick. Decent to low retention. 3.25
Smell - Dank floral notes. Weird. A bit fruity. Smells a bit sour too. Citrus? Vanilla? Tangerine. A little bit of soy sauce. Concerning... 2.25
Taste - "Would have probably been firmly mid if it were [even] fresh" but ti's not -- has a bit of staleness to it. Quote by friend. It somehow gets even worse as it oxidizes. 2
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied. 3
Overall - Might not finish this can. In fact I'm certain I won't. Seems a little risky. It's getting a little rank smelling. 1.75
Reviewed by DaveMaciolek21 from New Jersey
3.27/5 rDev -15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.27/5 rDev -15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Pours gold with a surprisingly fluffy white head for a sour. Overall this is a mellow sour. Tartness is low-key, there's a bit of hop presence, but everything plays understated. Not necessarily a bad thing as no one likes wincing through their sours, but a fuller flavor profile would have been welcome.
Jul 17, 2023Reviewed by Shuriko from New York
3.82/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.82/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
Has a hazy, light golden amber appearance. Head grows very large upon pouring. Aroma is quite hoppy with some fruit notes, somewhat mangoey.
Flavor is very low on bitterness , albeit with hop notes and a noticeable tartness to it. The beer itself doesn't taste all that fruity. I believe due to the dry-hopping it has a lot of hop flavor but without the bitterness from the hops. It does taste very light for 5.8% alcohol content; would be refreshing on a summer day. Not quite my taste but not bad at all.
Mar 02, 2023Flavor is very low on bitterness , albeit with hop notes and a noticeable tartness to it. The beer itself doesn't taste all that fruity. I believe due to the dry-hopping it has a lot of hop flavor but without the bitterness from the hops. It does taste very light for 5.8% alcohol content; would be refreshing on a summer day. Not quite my taste but not bad at all.
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