Just had my first sour beer

Fuck yeah. Welcome to the club.

 

How about he just drinks both? Simple solution to a non-existant problem.

 

Russian River is good, Cascade is even better. Welcome to the fold.

 

Quality comparison bro.

 

every beer RR makes is significantly better than cuvee rene so it's a fine comparison : )

 

i'm a 'beginner' in geuzes myself. but so far, i most like the armand 4 winter, golden blend , or the regular geuze from 3 fonteinen the best as far as geuzes go.
as for fruit-sours, fou foune, rodenbach caractere rouge , 3 fonteinen malvasia ( might be tough )
or faro - straffe winter

 

And you call yourself a "beginner"?

 

You've seen Cantillon on shelves in a store?

 

Rodenbach. End of story.

Grand Cru is easily available (well, everywhere but here in Central Texas... I have to get it in Dallas) and inexpensive. I also love their Vintage series (which are 100% aged flemish sour as opposed to 66% in Grand Cru and 33% in Rodenbach Classic Red)

I love De Proef's ZoetZuur, which is a Flemish Red w/ cherries (Zoet Zurr translates to Sweet Sour) that they designed in collaboration w/ Michael Jackson (The Beer Hunter, not the singer). Pretty cheap at $10 or so.

Russian River's sours are pretty damn stellar though. Expensive per oz, however.

If you trade, I highly suggest Jester King's sours as well. Only available in Texas, however. They have...
Boxer's Revenge - Sour Wild Ale aged in Wine & Whiskey barrels
Das Wunderkind - Sour Saison
Das Uberkind - Vieille (Aged) Sour Saison (their sourest beer, IMHO)
Funk Metal - Sour Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
Oi! Oi! - Flemish Brown Sour
RU-55 - Flemish Red Sour
... those are all seasonal though... and the last two haven't even been bottled yet (tap only, but will be bottled in the near future). Your results may vary.

Just be ready for half your family members to say "OMG, THIS BEER IS HORRIBLE *pah pah pah*". I get that a lot.

 

After a couple years of semi-serious craft beer pursuits I had my first sour: a Russian River Supplication. I knew it would be "weird" but was totally unprepared for it. I still dont know what to think and wonder if it was smart to start with the highest rated sour (according to BA), not that I planned it that way. Sours are so unlike any other beer I have ever had. Even compared to a De Prof wild ale, Supplication was a totally different monster. I still have a Consecration in the cellar but dont know if that should be my next sour, I really want to appreciate it for what it is and I might need some more sour experience in order to do so.

The recommendations in this thread are helpful for anyone venturing down the sour path!

 

Lips of Faith La Folie was the last sour I had that blew me away - highly recommended! Worth the $16 I spent on the bomber and then some.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/192/1917

 

No love for Duchesse de Bourgnone (sp)??? A great and fairly inexpensive Flanders Red but also recommend Monks Cafe too. But as many have said, you are on your way to an expensive demise.

 

I've always thought Duchesse de Bourgnone was a good entry-level sour.

 

^^ The last two posts nailed it

 

Petrus Aged Pale is one of the best inexpensive sours I've had. Highly recommend it.

 

I found Monks Cafe to be pretty meh, not near sour enough, and boarderline drainpour. Subjective I realize.

OP - Go Supplication or Concecration or Duchesse or Rodenbach Grand Cru.

 

The girlfriend and I both fell for sours pretty quick earlier this year but we also both brewed and drank a ton of Kombucha over the last few years so it wasn't much of a jump!

Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge is totally fantastic and I think I've seen 4-packs for $15 which isn't too bad.
I also enjoyed Timmerman's Oude Gueuze which was pretty cheap and a table full of people new to sours all enjoyed it. I definitely can't recommend their Framboise though - unless you like raspberry Brisk Iced Tea.
I'd also say that I had tried a Lindeman's lambic or two a few years ago and assumed I hated fruited sours but I had a Boon Mariage Parfait Kriek recently and it was great (as is the Mariage Parfait Geuze).
Jolly Pumpkin stuff is also pretty good for easing into sours.

I've gotta get my hands on those Russian River & Jester King sours!

 

Lambic>>American Wild Ales

 

Cantillon has many fantastic beers. I have yet to be disappointed by them. As everyone else has said, just be prepared for the hit to the wallet.