What's a Good Sour?

i have had more beers in my day than i can even fathom, but yet i feel like an idiot asking this question... but , what is a "SOUR''?

 

Something that uses wild yeast and bacteria to make a beer sour and tart. Examples include lambics, gueuze, flanders red, flanders oud bruin, berliner weissbier, and american wild.

 

In other words, all of the beers listed above.

 

i would definitely say the russian river sours are the way to go. I've got a few in my fridge and theyve all been great.

 

weisbier... like franziskanner?

 

More votes for the russian river sours (Consecration, Supplication, Temptation) and Belgian Lambics and Geuze (Cantillon, Fonteinen, Hanssens, Oud Beersel.

Also if you can get your hands on Allagash and Avery sours, they are pretty awesome. New Belgium La Folie may be the easiest to obtain, and could be a great start.

 

allagash is readily available in these here parts....

 

Gueuze, namely Cantillon (hard to find) and Hanssens. I love Tilquin as well but we don't have it in Indiana but Chicago does. Otherwise everything from Jolly Pumpkin is at least tart. Goose Island has the three sisters. You have a lot of options.

 

No, Berliner Weissbier. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/87

 

try cascade kriek if you have the chance. one of my favorite sours for sure.

 

Being in Michigan you'll be hard pressed to find any Cantillon on the shelf. I'm not well versed in the distribution on the west side of the state but it basically doesn't come to the Metro Detroit area anymore. Drie Fonteinen and Girardin are scarce these days as well unfortunately. Allagash stopped distributing to Michigan at least a year ago at this point but if you know of a low traffic store you can probably still find some of their stuff.

Here's some stuff I'd recommend that shouldn't be too hard to track down.
- Any Jolly Pumpkin (La Roja, Biere de Mars and Noel de Calabaza are my favorites)
- Rodenbach Grand Cru (just returned to the state)
- 1809 Berliner Weisse (generally distributed with Weihenstephan)
- Any Leelanau Brewing (brewed at Jolly Pumpkin's Dexter facility)

Lindemans Cuvee Rene, Oud Beersel Oude Gueze/Oude Kriek, Hanssens are all solid but not as good as Cantillon, Girardin and Drie Fonteinen. Much easier to get a hold of though.

 

Try one from the list above your post and you'll immediately understand and know if you are hooked on them or not.

 

Cuvée Des Jacobins Rouge.
Petrus Aged Pale.

Those 2 are available everywhere and they taste great-- they taste better than they're rated!

 

I completely agree, I LOVE Petrus Aged Pale. It doesn't get the Respect that it deserves.

 

Cantillon. Drie fonteinen. Those two do it best. The hype is warranted.

I'm very much looking forward to digging into some of my recently acquired brews from both breweries.. Namely the armand'4 Oude gueuzes...

 

This thread is making my mouth water.

 

Well I'm newb at sours but I've been trying to ease my way into them. Bell's Oarsman is solid. (A berliner weissbier. not really a sour. just sour characteristics). Cuvee Jacoubins (probably spelling that wrong) is great. Also had a Monk's Cafe flemish sour ale and really enjoyed that.

 

RR supplication is probably my favorite

 

Agree on the Avery sours for sure. Immitis and Meretrix were pretty rockin. I recently had La Folie and it was pretty darn good. I'd like to try that one with some years on it.

Filmishmish from The Bruery was outstanding to me. I've never had Cantillon's Fou' Foune, and maybe it wouldn't be a fair comparison, but I'd love to try Filmishmish next to a Fou' Foune. My interest in Apricot has never been so high.