Best commonplace sours?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by deleted_user_1007501, Mar 20, 2016.

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  1. deleted_user_1007501

    deleted_user_1007501 Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2015

    It all started off with IPAs and pales for me. After that, everything from Kolschs to BB Stouts I've admired. Yet sours have been the new palate-frontier for me.

    After becoming accustomed to many styles of wine, preferably the super-dry, musky, leathery Italian reds, I've discovered a hankering for sours.

    I recently sampled a bottle of the Prairie Funky Gold Simcoe and loved it. I've had Ape Snake and adored that one as well, along with a few other local saisons/sours.

    The question I pose to all you more established and refined advocates on here is, what would be your ONE choice of easily-accessible sour (saison/gose/lambic etc)?

    **Side-question**: which easily accessible belgian beer would you suggest to convert a non-belgian preference? (Aka: me)
     
    #1 deleted_user_1007501, Mar 20, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2016
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  2. JackRWatkins

    JackRWatkins Maven (1,472) Nov 3, 2014 Georgia
    Trader

    lindeman's cuvee renee (GUEUZE), (for the side question: St. Bernardus Abt. 12, Rodenbach Grand Cru)
     
    #2 JackRWatkins, Mar 20, 2016
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  3. UrbanCaveman

    UrbanCaveman Pooh-Bah (1,866) Sep 30, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Oude Gueuze Tilquin is actually a shelf beer around my neck of the woods in Ohio, and is one of the best gueuzes you could hope to try without either flying to Brussels or trading your firstborn. If you can't find it yourself, hit me up.

    Rodenbach Grand Cru and Duchesse du Bourgogne are good introductions to the Flanders sours.

    As far as the bonus question goes, if you don't like St. Bernardus or Rochefort, then you just don't like Belgians.
     
    #3 UrbanCaveman, Mar 20, 2016
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  4. jwetter10

    jwetter10 Initiate (0) Jan 26, 2014 Minnesota

    As far as the last question, to get acquainted to the Belgian-y taste I'd probably start with a Belgian pale ale with a hop variety you know you like. I had a Belgian dry hopped with Mosaic recently that was fantastic. That would at least get you started on the path to see if you do like it without diving straight into the deep end of Rochefort or Chimay.
     
    #4 jwetter10, Mar 20, 2016
  5. captaincoffee

    captaincoffee Pooh-Bah (2,218) Jul 10, 2011 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Hate repeating advice, but I usually say Rodenbach Grand Cru as well for the inexpensive and accessible intro to sour. It also has a lot of vinous qualities that appeal to wine drinkers. For the big-name lambics, I couldn't guess what your availability is in Ohio. However, lots of small local breweries are coming out with sour beers (sour IPA, sour saison, etc) that may scratch the itch without breaking the bank.

    For the side question, Saison Dupont is about as easy-to-like a beer as you'll find. Orval is awesome (with a touch of brett as well). If you like hefeweizens, the esters in tripels (Westmalle, Karmeliet) should be a good follow-up. Jumping straight into quads is like jumping straight to imperial stouts...no reason to go there first, but there's a lot to love.
     
    #5 captaincoffee, Mar 20, 2016
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  6. beerindaglass

    beerindaglass Zealot (645) Feb 20, 2013 Florida
    Trader

    New Belgium La Folie is widely available right now too.
     
    #6 beerindaglass, Mar 20, 2016
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  7. infuturity

    infuturity Crusader (490) Apr 26, 2015 Massachusetts

    I'll break this into categories, since "sours" is a broad topic:

    Gueze: Cuvee Rene, definitely
    Flanders Red: Rodenbach Gran Cru or Duchesse
    Berliner: DFH Festina Peche
    Gose: Anderson Valley Kimmie Blood Orange
    Other: Petrus Aged Pale

    Side Question: Basically anything by Ommegang
     
    #7 infuturity, Mar 20, 2016
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  8. larryarms847

    larryarms847 Initiate (0) Dec 12, 2010 Illinois

    Cuvee de Jacobins
     
    #8 larryarms847, Mar 20, 2016
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  9. Ri0

    Ri0 Initiate (0) Jul 1, 2012 Wisconsin

    In just 2 years WI has exploded with breweries that offer sour styles. It is rather amazing and I'm not sure what it is like in Ohio.

    Almanac
    The Bruery
    Deshtil
    Goose Island
    Funk Factory
    New Belgium
    New Glarus
    O'so
    Stillwater
    Une Annee
     
    #9 Ri0, Mar 20, 2016
  10. deleted_user_1007501

    deleted_user_1007501 Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2015

    My co-worker recommended Gulden Draak for a belgian so we cracked open a bottle to try. Its not bad at all! I definitely prefer the pastel-fruity esters over the clovey side of belgians.
     
    #10 deleted_user_1007501, Mar 20, 2016
  11. deleted_user_1007501

    deleted_user_1007501 Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2015

    I know for sure there's hardly any New Glarus or Funk Factory distro to NE Ohio, but we get many and most of those! I think I'm looking to try some of the most "tried and true" classics of the sour/belgian world.
     
    #11 deleted_user_1007501, Mar 20, 2016
  12. gatornation

    gatornation Grand High Pooh-Bah (10,388) Apr 18, 2007 Arizona
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Petrus Aged Pale is easy to find and really good, Comes in the 330ml bottle and is reasonably priced.
     
    #12 gatornation, Mar 20, 2016
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  13. gatornation

    gatornation Grand High Pooh-Bah (10,388) Apr 18, 2007 Arizona
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    A Domestic one that i really like is NC Pranqster.
     
    #13 gatornation, Mar 20, 2016
  14. Invinciblejets

    Invinciblejets Pooh-Bah (1,710) Sep 29, 2014 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Crooked stave sours are awesome.
     
    #14 Invinciblejets, Mar 20, 2016
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  15. readyski

    readyski Pooh-Bah (1,557) Jun 4, 2005 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    One of the (now seemingly common) Goses and the standby Petrus or Jacobins
     
    #15 readyski, Mar 20, 2016
  16. cl3

    cl3 Savant (1,244) Aug 16, 2013 Wisconsin
    Trader

    Jolly Pumpkin got me started on wild ales. Easy to find, not super pricey, and lots of different takes on the sour styles.
     
    #16 cl3, Mar 21, 2016
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  17. akolb

    akolb Initiate (0) Aug 8, 2015 Colorado

    Answer to both questions: New Belgium
     
    #17 akolb, Mar 21, 2016
  18. taylordane

    taylordane Initiate (0) Dec 28, 2015 California

    3 F oude gueuze
     
    #18 taylordane, Mar 21, 2016
  19. ClavisAurea

    ClavisAurea Initiate (0) Jul 4, 2008 New York

    Crooked Stave, Jolly Pumpkin, Allagash would be places to start if you can get a hold of them.
     
    #19 ClavisAurea, Mar 21, 2016
  20. ncusatis

    ncusatis Crusader (483) Dec 22, 2014 Wisconsin
    Trader

    Jolly Pumpkin
    Almanac
    Cascade
    Tilquin
    Lindemans
    Monks

    But honestly, just head to your best beer store and grab a bunch of different 375's of gueuze, lambic, kriek, gose, flanders, sour, etc. It's your palate. Try a bunch and see what you like.
     
    #20 ncusatis, Mar 21, 2016
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