Fear of developing a taste for sours

@Mbennett , as a lover and brewer of wild/sour beer I can tell you I don't drink wild/sour beer more than once a week. The costs associated with this style is due to the time, space, labor costs to produce these beers. You can find fast soured beer like Berliners and Gose for cheap, but those styles tend to be centered on the lactic tartness as opposed to the delicate nuances that the best wild/sour beers exhibit.

I have found myself sticking to daily drinkers like pale ales, Belgian blondes, saison, etc... for the most part due to budget and will only get a few (4-5) nice bottles a month of something like Tilquin, Crooked Stave, Bruery, Anchorage, Cascade, etc.

Wild/sour beer prices, for the most part, aren't priced to rake in profits. It takes much time, a lot more labor, expected beer losses due to bad barrels, adjunct costs (fruit anyone?), etc... many financial obstacles that other styles do not necessitate on the brewer to produce.

If you're on a budget, I recommend just savoring every bottle you drink or do bottle shares with friends or other people who appreciate wild/sour beer.

 

Destihl makes a variety of inexpensive sours

 

You will never attain beer enlightenment until you learn to love all types of beer equally. Whether that be black IPAs, saisons or even sours. Embrace them. You have nothing to lose.

 

Lindeman's Cuvee Renee Gueze runs around $10-$12 p/750ml in my part of the Greater Los Angeles area. When i feel the need to scratch my sour itch, I go with that.

 

You can get some very reasonably priced 750ml bottles in the sour turf:

Cuvee Renee can go for about 10 bucks. Boon is fantastic and is about 11-12. Rodenbach is a nice flanders. You can also get a nice Brett Saison that is tart: Arctic Saison by Grassroots is pretty excellent. You can get a 4-pack of Prairie Standards for 12 bucks... which is a very nice beer. Also, Stillwater Classique, and Anderson Valley Gose can do the job for a clean tart beer.

 

I'm on a sour trip right now. I had Russian River Supplication awhile back, it was $14 for a 375 or 500 ml bottle and I almost wanted to drain pour it because it was like drinking vinegar. Then I had Duchesse de Bourgogne and I really began to appreciate the style. I find some imported sours at a local bottle shop for around $5-7 a bottle, can't quite remember the names. But for the most part they are pricey.

 

Keep your eyes open . Picked up a bottle( 750 ml ) of 2009 Gueuze Mariage Parfait for $9.99 other day. Was just sitting there for the buying

 

trade for some Westbrook Weisse Weisse Baby, their Berliner Weisse (only available here in SC)

 

Anything good local which can often be more affordable? For example a local brewery in my area has upped thier sour production recently with a coolship, new foeder, etc and for me it is currently satisfying my every-now-and-then need for a sour/wild, etc.

 

Don't kid yourself, the producers have also "jacked up" their price to wholesalers. As long as folks are all ga-ga over sours we'll see prices continue to rise as the traders and collectors scramble around after very finite quantities. It seems like a fun game for status.

 

I am a fan of Lambics, with a great Lambic takes time. That time equals money. So I am willing to dish out a few dollars for an exquisite Sour. I'm not your wallet but Boon is like the Lagunitas of Belgian Lambics.

 

OP, good post, I feel the same way.

I'm developing a palate for sours and really enjoy them but when I try to pick up a bottle or two the price just seems ridiculous when I can buy other/more brews that I equally enjoy for the same amount. I'm forced to search high and low for smaller bottles in mix n match sections etc. hoping they are not sold out.

 

The Petrus Aged Pale Ale is excellent at around $10/750 ml. Also be on the look-out for Cuvee des Jacobins, one of my favorites. It usually runs about $6 for an 11.2 oz (still a tad pricey, but you'd be lucky to find an American sour of similar quality under $10 for the same size).