Good Intro Sours?

I agree with the Desthil, about $10 for a 4 pack of cans is a great price and size. Sours can get real pricey and if you don't like the big bottle which many come in, it can be a big waste. I agree with the incorrigible,as well, and at about $5 a bottle, also a good value. And both available at my local Binny's!

 

Jacobins
Tilquin Gueze
Hanssens
Oude Beersel
Fantome

 

Destihl Gone Wild Series in Cans......pretty good intro to Sours I think.....

 

Tarte Nouveau- Weyerbacher is great!

 

I agree completely with everything above. But I also think you can take the other approach. Instead of trying a lot of different sours and seeing what you like just jump into the "funky" end of the pool: get your hands on some real sours and only drink these until they are gone (then trade for more - that's why they make darklord!).

If you do this remember there's no going home.

I know there are others but here is my list:

Cantillon Fou Fonne
New Glarus Vintage
Allagash Resurgam
Russian River Beautification
DeGarde Fauxder
Allagash Dogpatch Sour (Batch 2 only)

 

Is that somehow a problem? If you don't like them which you evidently don't (that Kasteel is just a BSDA with cherry liqueur btw) then why waste your money on them?

 

There are several Goses out and they are pretty easy to drink. Fruit Lambics range from easy (Lindemans), mildly challenging (Boon) to challenging (Cantillon). Try a Frambois or a Kriek. You can get Jolly Pumpkin and Schell's Star of the North Series are available in Illinois. Cisco Pedlar Blueberry Beer is pretty good as it White Birch's Blueberry Berliner Weiss.

 

Westbrook's Gose

 

jolly pumkin , anderson valley , or monks cafe are good starting points . Also just wanted to mention that although Kasteel rouge iss an awesome beer it's not a sour . Been a while but I believe it's listed as a quad with cherry liquor added.

 

At the risk of sounding boring, I'll also tout Rodebach Grand Cru. I don't know how much all these other sours cost in Illinois, but don't throw away $15 per beer when you aren't even sure you like the style. If someone knows a more reasonably priced, accessable, and quality starter than Rodebach Grand Cru, I'd like to know what it is. The only downside is it doesn't have funk.
That is advice from a guy with 20+ bottles of Cantillon in his cabinet.

 

Cigar City Lactobacillus Grove Series: Guava, Cherry, blackberry they are all excellent. a bit rare but they are all tasty

 

There are two ways to look at it. There are sours and there are spontaneously fermented beers. Don't get them confused. I'm not saying the sour beers are not good. But you can't squeeze funk from a grapefruit. There are a lot of sour beers; there are very few spontaneously fermented beers.

I know its only my opinion but if you are going to "try" this style I think its impossible to start with things like Duchesse or Berliner Weisse or Gose. These are all great beers (or beer styles) but this new American take on Berliner Weisse and Gose styles just aren't very representative of the originals. Even the old Berliners' will tell you the current Kindl Berliner Weisse isn't very representative - where's the syrup?

I just don't feel like someone who is trying the sour style for the first time should waste the opportunity to understand more about the history of beer. Sure, "liking" it has some merits; but you can always go to the local beer shop and get a Duchesse and go wow. Or get a six pack of Off Color Troublesome and say "yum, I like it." But why not use the opportunity to learn more about beer and stretch your horizons a little.

Lambic style is, to me, the most interesting style of beer. Read about it, read the history of the style and while you are reading sip on a Cantillon 100% Lambic Bio. All these posts on this thread are correct. Everyone is suggesting really good beers - the best. But don't start with variants and takes; start at the beginning and read about what you are drinking.

You can't have your first sour a second time. Its not that difficult to get a Cantillon 100% Lambic Bio and a copy "Wild Brews by Jeff Sparrow."

Take a walk on the wild side.

Method (in Illinois) to acquire Cantillon 100% Lambic:

Everyday go to: http://www.3floyds.com/beers-to-go/ and when it says "Zombie Dust" drive to the brewery and buy a couple six packs. Then post them for trade for Cantillon 100% lambic.

 

Old Pro Gose from Union if you're near Maryland.

 

IMO I would not recommend La Folie as an intro sour. It was my very first sour several years ago and I had no idea what this style was. My palate was blatantly awakened.

 

To the OP...these are both good suggestions.

 

It was my second or third sour I tried

 

Gose is a good intro style into tart/sour beers. Anderson Valley makes 2 good goses.