Can someone suggest a sour beer?

I have never tried one before but would like to . Can you all suggest a few commercial types to get me started? Are they hard to find?

Thanks!

Rodenbach.

jamorgan3777 said:

I have never tried one before but would like to . Can you all suggest a few commercial types to get me started? Are they hard to find?

Thanks!

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Some can be very hard to find. Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen make some excellent sour beers, but they are nearly impossible to find in the US right now.

However, there are other options that are worth looking out for. First and foremost, a word of caution: many fruit "lambics" available in the US are artificially sweetened and not good representations of what a fruit lambic should taste like. Most notable one to avoid Lindemann's, but I would suggest you exercise caution if you choose to seek out fruit lambics.

Now that I've sufficiently trashed Lindemann's, I'll start by recommending the Lindemann's Cuvee Rene gueuze. It is the cheapest and easiest to find gueuze in the US.

Rodenbach, both original and grand cru, are also relatively easy to find and will give you a taste of a different style (Flanders red).

For American examples, Jolly Pumpkin is most widely available. I like Bam Biere, Oro de Calabaza, and La Roja from them. If you're in their distribution area, Russian River is also well known for their -ation line of sour beers (though I'm not sure how easy they are to find).

Other than Russian River, these should be readily available on the shelf of the best beer store in town in most states in the US.

Monks cafe and duchess de Bourgogne are realtively easy to find. Russian river doesn't distribute to WI although they make amazing stuff.

Also new Belgium la folie

Come to Portland and spend a day at the Cascade Barrel House. Seriously. Yum. Okay, now I think I need to go this weekend!

Let the Duchess de Bourgoune pop your cherry.

Rodenbach
Madam Rose (goose Island)
Jolly Pumpkin La Roja
Some of the New Glarus ones at brew festivals
Duchesse

Those are the ones that got me hooked.
These are all more of the "tart/cherry" type flanders Red sours. There are others that are more "wild" - but I loved these.

You might be able to find some of the following:

Lambic:
Lindemans Cuvee Rene (don't get anything else from Lindemans, though)
Drie Fonteinen
Hannsens
Tilquin

Flemish (-style):
Rodenbach (preferably Grand Cru)
Cuvee de Jacobins Rouge
Duchesse du Bourgoune
Petrus Aged Pale
Liefmans Goudeband
La Folie

Broham1 said:

Come to Portland and spend a day at the Cascade Barrel House. Seriously. Yum. Okay, now I think I need to go this weekend!

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Or order from their website & have it shipped to your door!

Leifamans is pretty easy to get in my are. Rodenbach makes a good be also but not available in AR. Just don't try lindemans lambicks those are sweetened with syrup and do not represent the true style

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/283/773

Here is the link to the gouldbond on BA so you know what it looks like.

slowbie said:

Some can be very hard to find. Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen make some excellent sour beers, but they are nearly impossible to find in the US right now.

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that stinks. they are my 2 favorites! boon, girardin, oud beersel are in the same league. gueuzes and lambics like these are sometimes 'second sip' beers; especially if you have never had one before, the first sip can be a shock to the palate. by the third sip you should be loving it. i agree with the others, try some moderately sour beers (flemish reds or browns) like duchesse de bourgogne and rodenbach (grand cru or vintage if you can find them), they are easy drinking. then i would move on to some real wild ferments if you like, there are many US brewers making them. i have only had one, a jolly pumpkin calabaza blanca, it was mellow, moderately sour, easy, refreshing. i gather it's pretty easy to come by? what about the russian river sours? like dirty25 says avoid those sweetened lambics and krieks! they are boozy koolaid, and very disappointing.

Broham1 said:

Come to Portland and spend a day at the Cascade Barrel House. Seriously. Yum. Okay, now I think I need to go this weekend!

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Only 14 sours on tap right now.
Ordering or buying their beers by the 750ml bottle often equals $20-25, though they are great beers. Better to visit in person, but difficult for someone in WI.
La Folie is a challenging sour beer to start out with, try some others before you try it since it has gotten more sour over the years.

pdxal said:

Only 14 sours on tap right now.
Ordering or buying their beers by the 750ml bottle often equals $20-25, though they are great beers. Better to visit in person, but difficult for someone in WI.
La Folie is a challenging sour beer to start out with, try some others before you try it since it has gotten more sour over the years.

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It looks like Cascade Barrel House will be the first place I visit in Portland in September.

I say don't be affraid of La Folie. It was the first sour beer I tried and I loved it. It's also very easy to find and cheap. I remember when it was $20 a bottle. Now you can get it for $5-$10 less than that.

pdxal said:

Only 14 sours on tap right now.
Ordering or buying their beers by the 750ml bottle often equals $20-25, though they are great beers. Better to visit in person, but difficult for someone in WI.
La Folie is a challenging sour beer to start out with, try some others before you try it since it has gotten more sour over the years.

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How much are they in person? I emailed the distributor for So. Cal so hopefully they get back to me with a place to purchase them in person

Cascade sells them for $17-25 at their Barrel House. Check out their website.

Timmerman's Gueze. Amazing.

Try to hunt down New Glarus's Enigma. It was part of their thumbprint series, and I thought it was absolutely fantastic.

pdxal said:

Cascade sells them for $17-25 at their Barrel House. Check out their website.

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You'll pay the same through a distributor. I recommend ordering a few from them, they do make incredibly wonderful sours. I have a few at home right now, may have to pop open a blueberry tonight.

Monk's Cafe or Petrus stuff is sometimes available too. Not to take away from any of the other suggestions that have been made, all the ones I've tried that have been mentioned are good.

BoomerHarley said:

You'll pay the same through a distributor. I recommend ordering a few from them, they do make incredibly wonderful sours. I have a few at home right now, may have to pop open a blueberry tonight.

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But save on the shipping

Ommegang's Aphrodite is an excellent example of a BIG lambic. 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze is easily my favorite sour along with Russian River's Supplication.

Odell's brewing deconstruction it is pretty darn good had it for valentines day dinner

You are in Wisconsin? New Glarus makes some fantastic sours. Serendipity and Raspberry Tart are both sour beers aged in barrels on fruit. They are a steal for 8.99 or so. As another poster suggested, Enigma is sour and unique. The thumbprint series often contains sours (a saison and brown ale come to mind). Woodman's carries Rodenbach, Monk's Cafe, and many of the other Old World classics.