Sours for beginners; help me out.

I LOATHED sours for years and last year decided to give them another try and gotta I'm coming around. By far not my favorite style, but they're growing on me.

 

Beg someone in Westchester, NY to send you a growler of Peekskill's Simple Sour. It's sour, but also sweet and very drinkable. I agree with everyone saying that some people just might not like sour, but if there's a gateway, then Simple Sour is it.

 

Great suggestions folks. Just don't forget Struise Earthmonk. Its supernatural.

 

One I always mention is Duchesse De Bourgogne. For the simple fact of how good it is, it's easily found all over!
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/641/1745

 

Rodenbach Grand Cru andf Evil Twin Justin Blåbær

 

Most of these you mention have that vinegar/ acetic note to them. If someone does not like this element they could be turned off sours forever. Personally I think a nice gueze or kriek is a better starting point because its funk is smoother.

 

I dunno. Maybe it could turn someone off sours forever. I've just never heard anyone say they'd never try another sour because they had a Rodenbach. Not disagreeing with you.

But either way, if OP hasn't stopped the sour hunt yet, I don't think a little acetobacter is going to put an end to it.

I only name those specific beers because those were sours I had early on that I really enjoyed. What gueze or kriek would you recommend?

 

dianimal, if you want a sour stout, I believe Jester King in Texas has a few well regarded varieties. Haven't heard of anyone else doing them.

As far as easy to drink sours, I'd recommend starting with something fruited to cut the sour flavor down a bit. Dogfish Head Festina Peche is fantastic, especially as a beginner sour. I tried starting with a Gueuze and that was a mistake. I like Gueuze now, but it's quite harsh and weird to try to start with. Flanders Oud Bruins are a great starter too. Duchesse de Bourgogne seriously tastes like Balsamic vinegar, which is pretty easy drinking if you ask me. If you can still find some Boulevard Saison Brett on shelves that might get you more in the mood for sour beer too, even though it isn't really sour. Festina Peche would be a great starter though, try to find it while you still can.

 

Cantillon Gueuze and Kriek were probably the third and fourth sours I ever had (maybe even 2 & 3) and I loved them.

 

Drink a Tart of Darkness some time. It's not as weird as it sounds. It's like a slightly darker Flanders Red. Excellent beer.

And yes, I absolutely agree that people don't have to like sours. Idk why you would bother with the prices if you don't like the taste. Sours are a very unique thing, and you either like it or you don't.

 

maybe push the boundaries on beer styles you already like--if you like ipas, try more double ipas, or barleywines, etc. or imperial stouts or stouts with extra ingredients, etc. this will only expand your palate, and who knows, maybe even open you up to flavor profiles that didn't ever care for.

 

I am in the same boat. Same age, similar exposure to beer. I have recently tried a few sours, and I don't really like them. I started with Bell's Oarsman and Westbrook Gose. Both were really hard to finish. The Gose especially turned me off because of the salty aftertaste. I didn't want to waste such a hard to find style. I ended up mixing the Gose w/ Founders Rubaeus to help it go down easier after seeing a tip on here to mix sours with fruit beers. It wasn't nearly as bad, but I couldn't shake the salt taste.

I may shy away from sours for a while and go back to my favorite - stouts. I really appreciate all the knowledge and advice of this thread though, and I will keep it in mind when I revisit the style in the future.

 

I just read a review for petrus aged pale that said it tasted worse than Roseanne Barr's urine. LOL.

 

I had my first sour yesterday. $6 for a 12.7 ounce bottle. It only took a few sips to realize that I do not like sours. Expensive drain pour.

 

a $6 sour?

 

I still like "training sours" especially when it's hot. Try Berliner Wiess, Dogfish Head Festina Peche, Russian River Temptation. Look for Brett Lambicus, it gives a nice sour like flavor.Not so much into Beatificatin or Consecration, or generally, sours aged in red wine barrels.
Dianimal: re: sour stouts: New Helvetia in Sac'to had a thing called Auroch. Sour stout. very interesting, a sipper with sour notes and coffee.

 

My five year old sipped my Allagash Collehip Resurgum and loved it. You don't have to have a beard and a penchant for ticking to enjoy sour beers, so if you don't like them revisit them at a later date

 

Tallgrass wild plum is no sour, but does have subtle sour notes. Give it a try.

 

Didn't read the thread but Liefmans Cuvee Brut is what I started with. Not too sour, tasty and affordable.

 

Yeah. I didn't realize it was a sour until after I bought it. Wasn't a bomber.