Your first sour and/or brett beer experience

First sour experience:

-La Folie - New Belgium tour

They gave us a sip of the pre-aged beer, and I thought it was delicious. Then they gave us the post-aging, La Folie beer, and it was fantastic. My friend didn't like it, so I had her glass too.

First Saison experience:

-Flight at Funkwerks

Honestly. Wasn't a huge fan of any of them. Just not my favorite beer style. I suppose that saves me money. I'm interested to visit some Saisons again, but I won't go out of my way for it. I had a sample of Songbird by Tallgrass the other day, and wasn't a huge fan although it was good.

First wild experience:

-None so far.

 

Austin Beerworks Einhorn - still one of mu favorite.

 

First Brett was Saison Brett from boulevard, I love that beer.
First sour is dfh festina peche, haven't had a ton, but am starting to branch out into sours,

 

My first sour that got me hooked on them was a good old Rodenbach! Since then I always try what ever sour I can find and have really developed a taste from wine-y beers as well.

As for Bretts, every time I have one I swear it will be my last.......

 

I'm Pretty sure my first "sour" was Lindeman's like many others. don't remember which type of fruit. I know I thought it was pretty good at the time. I remember drain pouring a Duchess a lont time ago not understanding what it was supposed to taste like, and really disappointed I spent $10 or more dollars on gross bomber. haha

 

Well OK but that still doesn't say what funk is, tastewise ?

 

New Belgium La Folie. I loved it and have not looked back. Soon after it was Rhodenbach Grand Cru.

 

I had Lindemans Framboise back in about 2001 or 2002 and found it too sweet with a weird acidic edge for my taste.

My palate has definitely developed since then.

 

I can't say which beer it was, but I know it probably happened on a 2001 trip to Brugge Belgium. My father in law in France tuned me onto lots of Belgian beers in the 80's and 90's so it's probable that I had some that I don't remember. And I don't remember much from the 80's and 90's.

 

funky jewbelation 2015, followed by a case of tell tale tart because it was on sale.

 

Ah ok now I see exactly what you mean. It's indeed that earthy/yeasty tone that you also find in French cider (cidre brut) or Champagne, or even sourdough bread. Spontaneous fermentation also gives that type of flavor. It would be easier to call it a fermented taste though.

The problem is in English you don't seem to make a difference between sour and acid. To me sour is yeasty, fermented, while acid is the acidity from fruits, like lemon. Indeed, in french, sour is "aigre" which is what you get from sourdough, sour cream, yogurts, or sour beer. It is a mix of acidity and bitterness that can make you flinch in disgust at first, and that directly comes from yeast. That's different from "acide" which just means acidity. It's funny to see that it's been replaced with a word such as "funk".

 

My first experience was homebrew batch #1 back in 1985. Funky, yeasty, sour. I thought it was infected. Maybe it was.

 

Consecration from Russian River. I didn't really know what a sour/wild ale was and had never had one. I didn't do my research like I usually do when I purchased. I just knew that everything else I tried from RR at the time was stellar. Which at that point was probably the likes of Pliny, Blind Pig, and one or two others. Probably Damnation and Redemption. Basically the beers available in the bottle by RR that aren't sours or wild.

I couldn't finish the bottle. I thought it had gone bad. My taste buds were no where near ready for it. Later I came to like sours and the like, and revisited Consecration and liked it. Funny how the palate gradually moves into different territory like that. At least mine did.

 

Way back when I first got into drinking craft beer and imports I would select any single bottle off the shelf that looked interesting without doing any prior research about the beers (this predates smart phones). I picked up a considerable number of funky/tart/sour beers that I can't recall now as far as a name is concerned, except Duchesse De Bourgogne. It was justifiably memorable for me to recall this name but none of the others.

 

First one I truly enjoyed was Troegs Splinter Brown. The missus loves Lindemans Framboise. I was less enthralled. I need to try more sours methinks.

 

Supplication from Russian River. And I loved it.

Prior to trying it, I had not considered sours/wild ales because I didn't really think that would be my style. To that point I had thought 'who the hell wants a beer that tastes sour?? (freaks, that's who!)' However, I was at Russian River in Santa Rosa at the time and figured 'when in Rome'. So I decided to try Supplication, which I had read was a really well done wild ale. Figured if I didn't like it, there probably wasn't much of a reason to keep trying others from that style if this was among the best that style had to offer. After the first sip, I turned to my girlfriend and just said 'wow'. I was blown away. It was excellent. I proceeded to turn my attention away from having primarily RR Pliny the Elder and Bling Pig, and went on to try more sours they offer: Consecration, Sanctification, Temptation,... and have enjoyed them all.

And just recently, I made a trade for some more RR sour. Anxiously awaiting it's arrival.

 

First sour -- Brute
Wish I could still get this stuff.

 

Also my first. My beer palate was much less ... refined at the time. Didn't care for it but now I love it.

 

This bastard right here! I liked it, but it motivated me to try some more Hardcore Lambics Belgium had to offer. Looking back, this one is still one of my favorites.