Sours - The Tarter The Better?

I'm more of a fan of the super tart option, I'm usually disappointed when i get a sour and its only a tiny bit tart

 

I don't want to get instant heart burn (upland lambics) but I also don't want it to taste like a watered down lemonade. That's why wicked weeds sours are some of my favs.

 

Tart and dry, hell yeah- but there's got to be a harmonious balance to it, after all.

I can't get enough Rodenbach Grand Cru, so to me that's about where the sweet spot is.

I had a La Folie a few years ago, but that one seemed to be fairly clumsy in comparison, almost fetishizing the sour aspect. In that respect, I just can't go along with the tarter the better attitude.

 

I get heartburn on the really sour stuff, yet I'm of the belief that if it says sour, it had better be sour, dammit! I want tastebud-injure-my-tongue-like-3-warheads-at-a-time-sour if 'sour' is what it claims. I'll have a little more leniency with 'tart'.

 

I agree w/ the OP. I'll take complexity over straight-up in-your-face tartness/sourness. There's nothing like a truly well-built gueuze.

 

I think I went through the same thing with ipa's. Once I got used to them the more unbalanced the better . . . Wasn't happy unless it was a huge hop bomb. Now I can appreciate many takes on the style. I'd say I'm still in the big huge up in your face tartness of sours stage. But once I get a grasp of the various sour styles I'll begin to prefer something more balanced.

 

The closer it tastes to stomach bile, the closer to perfect it is

 

No, not at all. I used to think that until I tried some truly excellent mellow sours like Cable Car. Super tart sours like Upland offerings just really can't come close after your palate has adjusted to drinking sours for a long time IMO.

 

I think it's disgusting when people compare the taste of sour beers to warheads and other sour candy. I don't care how sour a beer is as long as the tartness doesn't sacrifice complexity. Saying "the tarter the better" is as silly as saying "the higher the ibu the better" or "the more barrel character the better". Who wants a one dimensional beer?

A good sour will have a nice sherry flavour, sourdough bread character, vinous character, and just enough acidity to be refreshing. I like when the sourness reminds me of plain baltic yogurt.

 

Rodenbach Grand Cru is one of my favourites. There is a unique sherry flavour that becomes prominent in the finish. I don't get that in any other Rodenbach or Flanders Red. I haven't opened my Caractere Rouge or found an Alexander yet though!

 

The balanced the better.

 

I feel like if it's too sour, it can easily mask the flavors going on in the beer. For me, complexity and balance are the best characteristics.

 

The more tart doesn't always equal better. When you start to feel enamel coming off your teeth after a sip, you've gone too far.

 

I've decided that I like funk but not sourness. Tried la folie last year and didn't like it at all. Just too sour/acidic. I also tried Rodenbach grand cru and, while I didn't dislike it, I didn't really love it either. Tasted like a novelty cocktail drink that might be fun at a wedding or something, but didn't really taste like beer to me. More like champagne. I like beer more than champagne.

 

I was gonna post I don't like anything much more sour than (*most) gueuze. Not a big fan of the vinegar either, and it seems american breweries (barring jester king and a few other) are having a tough time making a really sour beer that doesn't taste like vinegar

 

As tart and dry as I can get it. That's Sours to me.

 

Not at alll. I like balance and actual complexity. Most American breweries are having a real tough go with this. I do not want a beer than just makes me think how good it would be on a salad.

 

The fruit beers from OP's neck of the woods are what I look for in a sour. But at times, I do enjoy a warhead type sour beer.

 

Guess it all depends on the reference frame, but still tartness is just one aspect of it all.

Mostly it's all about what AugustusRex said: Who wants a one dimensional beer?