Sour talk

My experience tells me that nothing tops the complexity of a solid Belgian Gueuze, I have had many sour beers in my day, thought without a doubt not nearly as many as some, and I have never had a sour beer with similar intention that bested a Gueuze. I've never been a huge fan of Gose but of course a Gose is not really meant to scratch the same itch as a Belgian Lambic (Gueuze or general Lambic). I'm sure some people might disagree with this. But in any case if you want musty, funky beer, it's hard to recommend something better suited for the task than Gueuze.

 

Lindemans Cuvee Renee should be easy enough to find, it's not the best Gueuze by far, but it's still a wonderful beer.

 

What specific beers have you tried so far?

It’s a large world out there, and it seems like you are taking a great approach by trying what’s out there and figuring out what you like.

I enjoy all styles of sour beer that you would find listed on this site. The descriptions in the beer style section here are a good starting point, as are the lists of beers under each style, if you’ve not already checked them out. As you pointed out, there can be great variation within each style.

You have some more technical questions that I’ll leave up to the experts for full explanation, but I’ll make a couple notes based on your comments:

The Goses you are drinking are probably (if not definitely) kettle soured. They are also brewed with lactic acid. Beers brewed with only brettanomyces will not provide any lactic acid flavors. Kettle soured beers will be more one dimensionally focused on lactic acid, as opposed to wood fermented and/or spontaneously fermented beers.

Yes, the bacteria used, and how it is used in the brewing process is going to drive the acidic and funky flavors in the beer.

As for recommendations that I enjoy:

Generally speaking you might like beers using brettanomyces AND lactobacillus, or some other mixture of different bacteria to provide the combination of funky and acidic notes. I would steer you toward Belgian Gueuze. Boon (Mariage Parfait is more complex than the Oude Gueuze, but both are great) Tilquin, and Lindemens Cuvee Rene (including the Kriek) could be a good starting point.

Anderson Valley Goses should hit your desire for brine/salinity in the style without being overly acidic. Two Roads Tanker Truck Series (except lime) are great for Gose with fruit added. Leipziger Gose by Bayerischer Bahnhof.

 

Looks like you’re from Michigan, have you tried some options from Jolly Pumpkin? Nearly everything they produce is a wild ale or tart saison...the only problem is that you often can not discern the “style” from their labels. That said, you usually can’t go wrong with their offerings.

 

I have had some that had a vinegary like tartness. a mild lasting acidity. and some were much sweeter than I anticipated like the flanders red. The blended lambics are the fruitiest and they sweat . Where there's funk and where's there's not funk can determine a style and with the gose you might get puckered up . Canning is a thing in my mind for sours. When I see them i smile. Fruit sours are the thing for me. I like the real fruit int he beer believe it or not because fruit and vegetable beers is often misunderstood. ON the tasting flight I put them in place of an IPA at the end because they can be very strong to the palate.

 

Try to look out for sours barrel aged in wine barrels if you are looking for a more fruity sour, especially if they are aged in red wine barrels. I think the only way to really learn your personal taste profile is to try as much as possible. Cheers!

 

My experience with "sour" beers is that I've never enjoyed one enough to try a 2ond time.

 

I'm not very versed in the various iterations of "sour" beer either, but I know that I've loved a few. I think a good "sour" is about the most nuanced a beer can get, but some are too vinegary/intense. I generally like them to be moderately sour with a dry finish. Oud Bruins are cool because they add some malt/chocolate character to the sourness, but I've only had two so far.

Can you get Allagash beers? I really enjoy their sours. Boulevard also brews some good ones (e.g. Foeder Project #2), and I know it's a hyped whale, but Cantillon Fou' Foune was amazing - in my top 15 beers on this site.

 

I kind of have an on/off love affair with the various types. I find that the Gose and Fruited BW are perfect for the beach. They are easy drinkers, and as they warm, they tend not to vary in taste. I love a good light tart sour with food, I find it works almost like wine (acidic) and almost always complements what you are eating. When we are going to be out for a while at night and I will be the driver I find the Duchesse De Bourgogne is the perfect beer. It takes me upwards of an hour to put one of those down and it has a good complexity between the sweet and sour, just hard to describe. The older it is, the closer it is to being used for salad dressing.

 

Lots of good recommendations so far. My recommendation is of a more general nature. If you find you generally like the brett fermented and bacteria fermented beer, but some of the styles don't do it for you now, continue to give them a try, as there is a good chance you will grow to enjoy them. This is how it was for me. My now favorite style used to be my least favorite style.

 

First sour beer I had...nah, this isn't beer!

 

Would also suggest Speciation, given Mitch’s gentle nature with the style: reserved, calculated, balanced. In essence, not super sour/puckering or “warhead” esque = OP might experience pure enjoyment detecting flavors within the well-played nuances


+ A nice local, assuming proximity in MI is nearby

 

Don't forget about Brett IPA/Pale ales (eg Orval then Houblon Chouffe) perhaps an easier landing into funk. Then you can go crazy on the sour side with American Wilds (thinking Russian River but many many others).

 

+1. I just finished a bottle of
Brekeriet Berliner Raz from Sweden and it's pretty fabulous.

 

What you're saying is that they just may grow on you.