How to evaluate sours?

try concentrating on what you are tasting and just trying to isolate all the flavors. a good sour beer should have a lot going on.

 

As minnesotaryan said, sours have a lot going on and that's part of their beauty; good ones are just so damn complex.

As someone who only first tried sours recently, I would say the first step is to recognize that they're unlike any other "beery" beer that you'll encounter. Enter the experience with an open mind and appreciate that they're in a league of their own.

As far as things to look for, I tend to look for different fruits (cherries, apples, raspberries, etc.), different spices, woody flavors and aromas from barrel aging, and the characteristic musty barnyard aroma of Brettanomyces. After those basic elements, keep looking for other things as well - good sours will have lots to offer.

And as you said in your original post, just enjoy them!

 

yeah, drinking it at a slightly warmer temp will really help. Do you have access to Cuvee Des Jacobins, Duchesse De Bourgogne, La Folie, Monk's Cafe Sour Flemish Ale and Rodenbach? Those are also good for getting to learn about the style.

 

Yeah, sours are not cheap, Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René is a rather reasonable gueuze.

 

it is also pretty highly rated and I think very easily available.

 

I learned by reading top reviwer reviews like Buckeyenation. It told me what to look for. Then I started with basic sours (Duchesse de Bourgioues (sp?)) and moved up. Now, I can tell you why '10 Cable Car is inferior to '09 Cable Car. Just remember, enjoy the journey.

 

I tend to agree with the above posts. I've only had a few, and I love how different they are. I was lucky and found them delicious from the get go. I have a Cantillon LP Kriek just waiting for the right occasion. Can't wait.

I also notice you're in Maryland. Not sure about their distro, but I have access to what seems like a good amount of sours a little north of Philly. If you ever get into the Philly area, I'm sure you'll be able to find some good stuff that you can't get anywhere in Maryland.

 

if you have access to Cuvee Des Jacobins, it is exceptional.

 

Jolly pumpkin doesn't quite brew sours, but they do make outstanding beers, and there are generally a lot of similar elements between ther bretty wilds and sours. Also, come up to philly and hit up some RR.

Just try different ones, notice things, and read reviews while you drink (if you can or if you feel like it) and associate words with flavors. Above all enjoy those fuckers. They are weird at first, but really awesome.

 

Jolly Pumpkin doesn't brew sours??! All they make are sour/wild ales (the terms are interchangeable).
The classic term is "spontaneously fermented ales," which includes variations of Flemish Red, Oud Bruin, Gueuze, and Lambic.
Other closely related beer styles are "farmhouse ales," including Witbier, Saison and Biere de Garde.
I highly recommend JP beers, as they run the full gamut of these styles, typically with their own unique twist...more like the traditional beers of the region.
Pick up "Brew like a Monk" by Stan Hieronymous or "Tasting Beer" by Randy Mosher. Good info in both.
Keep in mind the sour characters come from several wild yeast strains...
Brettanomyces: banyard, horsey
Pediococcus: sauerkraut, medicinal
Lactobacillus: yogurt, sour cream
Actetobacter: vinegar
When these microflora interact with wood barrels, other unique flavors are produced. As one person previously mentioned, look for fruit and spice characters as a result of fermentation. Most should also be quite dry, as well as puckering.
Try some of the following relatively easy to get "sours" and experiment...
-Orval
-Petrus Aged Pale
-JP La Roja
-Rodenbach
-JP Oro de Calabaza
-Lindemanns Cuvee Rene
-any Witbier from Belgium that is not Hoegaarden
Etc etc etc
Cheers!

 

My method in these situations is to just try as many beers as I can and read reviews while I taste them and I start to notice the nuances

 

cant agree more. It is truly an exquisite beer. Brilliant!

 

also take notes, I have started taking notes on everything new I taste. find common things you enjoy with in the styles

 

I have found that sometimes craft beer drinkers simply don't care for sours. I personally love a sour every now and then, but I wish I didn't due to my lack of funds. If you don't like them, don't rush into them. Wait 2 to 3 months before you have another sour and maybe your opinion will change. I wouldn't suggest anything like Cuvee Rene, as I found that highly offensive in taste (I mean, I liked it, but boy was it funky!). For the price point, I would go with something like Petrus Aged Pale, which has a cleaner sour taste. You may even want to go with a Berliner Weiss. It's a tart/sour lawnmower type beer, low in abv but very refreshing delicious on a warm day. I think these are a better intro into sour beers.

 

I almost think of them as a separate beverage altogether as they have very little in common, taste wise, with most styles of beers.
There's beer, wine, cider, mead, and sours.