Good Intro Sours?

My first sour was Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René. At the first sip it was "Are you ****ing kidding me!?" and by the time I finished the bottle it was "I wish I had another one!". I think that sours are not for everybody. They are definately an aquired taste, just as beer itself is an aquired taste. Having said that some of the previously mentioned "vinagar sours" might well be avoided for a first try. Duchesse is often mentioned negatively but it may be the only sour available. I say Give'r. It is the sweetness of some sours that puts me off. for others it might be lactic tastes (Berliner Weisse), salt - minerals (Gose), etc. Sours encompas such a range that there is not telling what might draw someone in or put the same person off.

I don't know. Try them all I guess.

 

Wicked Weed Black Angel

 

I honestly didn't like sour style beers but a few weeks ago I had Firestone Walker's Agrestic #002; although it might not be considered a true representation of this style, the pungent flavors were tart and awesome so now I'm very interested in picking up some true sours.

 

Vanderghinste

 

Agrestic contains a variety of microbes and is aged in barrels. It's definitely a sour.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations for a gateway beer to get me to appreciating sours more? I have a lot of trouble just taking a sip. I may just be oversensative to sour things, as anything with vinegar is tough for me to take.

 

Personally my gateway sour was CCB's Guava Grove. Their Grove series is very approachable for the sour novice. If unavailable, maybe try some local gose or berliner styles.

 

I would say if you ar over sensitive to sour things you I would say sours aren't for you, but it you really want to try sours maybe give stuff like Lindemans Cuvée René Gueuze and Kriek. There is some funk to help balance it

 

Brett IPAs are a probably a good gateway.

 

I suggest sours with a note of fruit in them. The fruit note can go from slight to pretty in your face.

A great fruited sour, is Supplication, which has a ton of lovely cherry flavor. Since cherries are already somewhat tart, I think the palette is already used to the flavor it would expect from this beer and thus it isn't unexpected sourness.

 

Flat Tail Dam Wild is inexpensive and not too overpowering in any direction. http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22194/189675/?ba=mudbug

 

Monks Cafe.

 

destihl sour series or the dekkara le diplomate ( actually a sour wild ale), but this one is expensive, the sour series is not.

 

I haven't really enjoyed most of the mass produced sours. I have really, really enjoyed locally brewed sours.

 

I hope you mean their sweetened Kriek, as Cuvée René Kriek is one of the most abrasive on the market; not something you'd suggest to a sensitive drinker.

 

Brett Pale Ales or Brett Saisons are a good place to start to get comfortable. From there Crooked Stave was one of my gateway sour brewery's- I'd recommend HopSavant or St. Bretta (the orange/mandarin/clementine variations are my favorites) which are both approachable sours.

Trust me, I used to be just like you but now I really appreciate a good sour beer. Also sour beers have digestive/probiotic benefits that I have come to appreciate as well!

 

I did mean the sweetened, thanks for pointing that out!

 

Rosetta by Brewery Ommegang and Red Poppy Ale from Lost Abbey are kind of sours that moved me in the right direction. Big fan of the sours now.

 

Try Petrus Aged Pale or Prairie Funky Gold Mosaic. Those were the ones that got me turned towards sours.

 

Cuvee De Jacobins Rouge