Looking For Great Fruit Beers

As a homer, I will second the Jester King nomination.

The BAs who are claiming New Glarus will ruin you for American fruit beers have clearly never had Atrial Rubicite. Luckily, there is supposed to be a new batch ready in the next month or so. Try to find an Austin connection to score you some of that and any other JK fruited sours. They really are outstanding. I would love to hook you up as a former AZ resident, but I am pretty far from the brewery, and I rarely score any even for myself (brewery-only release on most of their best stuff).

 

Sweetwater blue

 

Nobody beats NG on fruit beers. You have some on the way!

 

The majority of my paycheck goes directly into Jester Kings pockets. Hit me up if anyone wants to swap fruit beers.

 

Yes! Rubaeus completely changed my mind about fruit beers. Really great.

 

De Troch's Chapeau lambics are right up there with New Glarus' fruit beers.

 

I would like to recommend rivertowne hala kahiki...it is canned and literally tastes like pineapple juice.

 

only fruit beer i have enjoyed was Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat Beer

 

Dry Dock Apricot blonde

 

New Glarus, New Glarus, New Glarus. Top 3 fruit beers I've had in my life.

 

That's not a fruit beer.

 

@sammyg832
If you're interested in tasting as many new/interesting fruit beers as you can (not sure if all will qualify as "great" ), you could fly up to Portland in a couple weeks for the Portland Fruit Beer Festival, June 6th-8th :
http://www.beeradvocate.com/events/info/67716/

 

You obviously haven't had it.

 

I've had dozens of bottles over the years (the 2006 vintage is one of the best beers I've ever had), and yes it's tart and "fruity", but I'm pretty sure there's no actual fruit in it. In any case, the OP is looking for something similar to NG fruit beers, and Bon Chien bares almost no resemblance to Raspberry Tart, Belgian Red, or Strawberry Rhubarb.

 

Not sure how similar it would be to NG as I haven't had those, but I've been drinking the poo outta some Samuel Smith's organic fruit beers here lately. The strawberry is particularly tasty, it's not even really like a beer but it's still far away from those other fruity drinks.

 

Founders rubaeus, it's a really nice raspberry brew. Also, check out laughing dog's huckleberry cream ale.

 

It's hard get a hold of if you're not local because it's not bottled, but 10 Barrel's Crush series (Cucumber, Apricot, Strawberry, etc.) are all ridiculously good.

In a state with Upright, Logsdon, Block 15, De Garde, Commons, Cascade, etc. all killing it in the fruit beer category it's extremely impressive to say that 10 Barrel is can compete head on here. In fact I rate their Strawberry Crush as the best strawberry beer I've ever had (easily beats Cascade and B15).

 

Abita Purple Haze

 

Brouwerij West's Dog Ate My Homework was, I thought, oustanding: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/23628/87588/?ba=fmccormi

 

Ugh... gross