Sixpoint Apollo - Sour?

The cans I had made some mention of tartness. I liked the light tart flavor.

 

I just remember it being like an American Pale Wheat Ale, not a "Bavarian wheat".

 

There's a VERY slight tartness towards the back of the tongue, but I probably wouldn't have noticed it if it wasn't on the description. Probably one of Sixpoints better beers, but that being said it's fairly mediocre IMO.

 

It's not sour. There is a little lemon tartness on the finish. Actually makes it quite refreshing.

 

Wow, really? Sam Summer is an American Pale Wheat Ale, so is Lil' Sumpin' Sumpin'. Drink both of those next to the Apollo, won't be too difficult to detect which isn't the American Pale Wheat. Then try the Apollo next to a Kellerweis, it's MUCH closer to this beer. Just my opinion, but the great reviews definitely indicate the latter.

 

What, pray tell, is precisely the difference between "sour" & "tart"?

 

When I drank Apollo for the first time I thought it was a Saison.

 

I use tart to mean just a little bit sour. It's something you might associate with a fruit that isn't completely ripe. Sour usually refers to something mouth-puckeringly so, like chomping on a slice of lemon. Sour in beer terms usually refers to a vinegary, acidic or lactic sourness, like in lambics.

Tartness is actually pretty hard to describe.

 

I loved that bright lemony tartness in the sample I tried. It's going to be a great summer beer. Now I'm not so sad that they axed Harbinger in cans.

 

I am like Steeeve, I use tart to describe something that is just slightly sour. For example I find most Berliner Weisse beers to be just slightly sour so I use the word tart to describe them. To me Festina Peche is tart. I am sure that there are Berliner Weisse beers out there that would be sour to me.

I reserve the word sour for those beers that create a puckering sensation. I find most Unblended Lambic and Gueuze beers to be sour.

Cheers!

 

I'm going to say it's a difference of degree, not kind, at least in the strictest sense.

 

And I think wheat malts, when handled the right way, can have a nice, lightly tart flavor to them. It's why I'm nuts about a good wheat wine and saisons that handle wheat well, it brings out some characters you don't find most other beers, including the vast majority of "wheat beers," of various styles.

 

But, y'know. I'm just one more jackass with questionable opinions, amidst what is realistically a sea of us.

 

Agreed. It's all from acid of different types and levels.

Agreed again! You gotta strive to be a big fish in that sea.

 

I pick up a little 'twang on the back end (please don't ask me to explain 'twang) and IMO it makes the beer. I've been drinking it non-stop since the weather warmed up.

 

I'm pretty much in a agreement with what's been said by most here. I got a little tartness at the back end. Like a slightly sour apricot or something. I really like that about the Apollo. It's quite refreshing and blends well with the overall traditional banana hefe flavor (I know it's not technically a hefe.) It's been my go to summer beer this year.

 

When it comes to the sea of jackassery, I can be a pretty decent-sized fish! I'm just willing to admit it. Cheers, buddy.

 

I opened a can recently (best-by the end of this month) that was reasonably tart. I had some fresher cans right after the beer was released without any detectable sourness.

 

I thought it was at least moderately tart, if not very tart.