Commercial Recomendations

Hello all!

I have tried a few commercial lambics and fruitbeers - both New Glarus Raspberry and Belgain Reds, Lindeman's Framboise, and a Cherish Raspberry.

All of these, to me, have tasted a bit like cheap sparkling grape juice. Really heavy on the sweet, not too much on the sour, and not too complex. All I have really gotten taste-wise is sweet, sweet fruit.

I was wondering if you guys could give me a few reasonably priced commercial examples of lambic or sour beers to try. Something with a little more sour bite, and less sickly sweet.

Thanks!

If you are unhappy New Glarus's Raspberry Tart, then there is no hope.

Look for some Cantillon brews out of Brussels if you can find it.

Sour beers I like include the true Belgian gueuzes: Cantillon, Hanssens, Drie Fonteinen, Boon (hard to find) and Lindemans Cuvée René. Lindemans fruit lambics are really neither lambic nor fruit, but, as you say, a cloying, unnaturally fruity-sweet alco-pop. I have just seen Timmermans Oude Gueuze which is pretty good. Hanssens Oude Kriek is phenomenally tart with a very slight cherry nose and low sweetness. LambicX is a bit pricey, but very good. I would like to find Cantillon Grand Cru Bruocsella, which is a bottled lambic (rare, even in Belgium). The lambics I had on tap in BE were phenomenal!

I have not had many domestic sours. Jolly Pumpkin is a bit funky and tart and, in my opinion, better than, say Duchesse de Bourgogne, which is a West Flanders red.

I can't say any of these are "reasonably priced." I suppose a beer that takes three years to produce before you can sell a bottle will be a bit higher than high turnover beers.

You make a good point on price. By reasonable I mean not $25 a four pack, as they seem to be around me.

Or $16 a 750mL

Schnitzengiggle said:

If you are unhappy New Glarus's Raspberry Tart, then there is no hope.

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I respectfully disagree. I wish that beer was WAY more sour.

Jolly Pumpkin beers can be found for around 11 - 12 dollars for a 750 ml bottle, which is extremely reasonable in my opinion. They usually have a sticker on the back saying when that batch was bottled; look for something that was bottled around a year ago (or older if possible) as it'll be much more sour. Many of their beers taste pretty "clean" when they're young.

urbanmyth said:

Or $16 a 750mL

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How much are you willing to pay for a good bottle of wine? My guess is a good deal more than this.

For my tastes the best fruited lambic is Hannsens Kriek.

Guess42 said:

How much are you willing to pay for a good bottle of wine? My guess is a good deal more than this.

For my tastes the best fruited lambic is Hannsens Kriek.

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Not really a wine person..., but saying that kind of puts it into perspective.

I'll be sure to check out some of these you fellas suggest.

othellomcbane said:

Jolly Pumpkin beers can be found for around 11 - 12 dollars for a 750 ml bottle, which is extremely reasonable in my opinion. They usually have a sticker on the back saying when that batch was bottled; look for something that was bottled around a year ago (or older if possible) as it'll be much more sour. Many of their beers taste pretty "clean" when they're young.

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Many of JPs beers are bottled only after a couple of months, so the bugs are still building up their numbers when the bottles make it to the shelves. They will change a lot over time in the bottle. I think La Roja might be almost a year old when bottled, but it is a blend so will have some fresh beer in it too.

The unsweetened lambic fruit beers are considerably more expensive to begin with but once you factor in shipping -- and small scale shipping at that -- the price really gets juiced up (no pun intended). If you want to try these beers you probably have little choice but to bite the bullet.

You may be able to find very localized craft versions that are not backsweetened but it seems like most examples I've come across are either incredibly localized and/or backsweetened. I'm not aware of any non-sweetened renditions in your area but you could search around BA or ratebeer and find something.

So, I just bucked up and bought a 750 of Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René. I must say, this is one of the most interesting brews I have tried. The grapefruity citrus took me by surprise, but I was blown away at how tasty this beer is. It may not find its way into my regular lineup because of price, but I will definitely start branching out into Belgium and sour beers. Thanks for all the suggestions!

urbanmyth said:

So, I just bucked up and bought a 750 of Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René. I must say, this is one of the most interesting brews I have tried. The grapefruity citrus took me by surprise, but I was blown away at how tasty this beer is. It may not find its way into my regular lineup because of price, but I will definitely start branching out into Belgium and sour beers. Thanks for all the suggestions!

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I like it. It might not be the best gueuze in the world but it's one of the few unsweetened lambics we get around DFW. I enjoy it when I spend the extra few dollars to pick up a bottle. I used dregs from a bottle along with 3278 in my lambic. It came out with a really nice flavor and a hint of similarity to Cuvee Rene.

I was disappointed with my first Cuvée René, mainly because it was served too cold. That was when I first learned how much the flavor is influenced by serving temperature. As it warmed in the glass, it revealed much more of its funky tartness that the cold had concealed. For gueuzes, I now try to serve at 55F, or if it has been refrigerated, I pour and let warm before enjoying.

Just a suggestion to try before condemning other sours.

I actually make a point to leave most ales out before drinking them, so they can warm up a little bit. The Cuvée René was at or above 55 when I drank it. I had an Orval last night that had been sitting unchilled for a couple hours. There were some really great flavors coming out of that beer.

I tell you what. Flanders Red is the best sour ale. Monk's Cafe in Philly has one made for them that is simply amazing. It is available in select retailers. I have found it in Delaware. This beer has driven me to attempt a clone. I'll be reporting back in about 9 months on its outcome.

This Monk's Cafe?

urbanmyth said:

So, I just bucked up and bought a 750 of Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René. I must say, this is one of the most interesting brews I have tried. The grapefruity citrus took me by surprise, but I was blown away at how tasty this beer is. It may not find its way into my regular lineup because of price, but I will definitely start branching out into Belgium and sour beers. Thanks for all the suggestions!

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Thats the one i was going to suggest! Good stuff, and not too expensive. Can I ask what you paid? Where I live, a 750ml was around $12, which isnt bad considering the work and time that goes into those beers.

I think I paid $9.99. Maybe a bit more.

There she is! I just drooled...
Those are great prices, too.

I was thinking of picking up a four pack of the Monk's Cafe. It is $12.99 at the Woodman's I buy from. Only thing is I have heard it can have a copper, metallic twang bite to it.

Monk's Cafe is the cheapest sour that I've found. $3 for a 12 ozs bottle at Jungle Jim's in Cincy.

Pretty good Flanders, and the dregs are viable, despite rumors to the contrary.

I actually just had my first sour last night. None of the other liquor stores in my area carry them. After a long time cruising the isles at the local Mecca(Lukas Liquours) however, I was recommended the Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale. The manager said that it was a good one to start out with, as it's not that expensive. And not knowing if I would even like it, I went with it.

I must say...at first I wasn't all that impressed. But as time passed and it warmed up it really grew on me. There is hardly any sweetness and the sour isn't overpowering. I don't think it's taken me that long to drink a beer. I spent just over an hour sipping and taking in the complexity of the beer. If this is only a decent sour beer, then I can't wait to try some of the better ones. I think I've caught the sour bug!:rockin:

mrkrausen said:

I actually just had my first sour last night. None of the other liquor stores in my area carry them. After a long time cruising the isles at the local Mecca(Lukas Liquours) however, I was recommended the Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale. The manager said that it was a good one to start out with, as it's not that expensive. And not knowing if I would even like it, I went with it.

I must say...at first I wasn't all that impressed. But as time passed and it warmed up it really grew on me. There is hardly any sweetness and the sour isn't overpowering. I don't think it's taken me that long to drink a beer. I spent just over an hour sipping and taking in the complexity of the beer. If this is only a decent sour beer, then I can't wait to try some of the better ones. I think I've caught the sour bug!:rockin:

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I'm right there with you. Ever since that Cuvee Rene from Lindeman's, I have been looking for new and different sour and funky beers. I also have been looking up clones for Duchesse and Berliner Weiss. Can't wait to have my own bug colony in my garage.

I don't like Monk's Cafe. I'm not a big fan of flanders reds because I don't like that much vinegar character but a local bar gets Cuvee des Jacobins on tap quite frequently and I really enjoy it. It's not backsweetened at all but it's not too vinegar-y.

cuvee de jacobins, rodenbach (red and grand cru), monk's flemish, duchesse and vichtenar (same brew diff blends) are good reds. liefman's is a nice oud bruin - it's fairly strong in abv for the style- bacchus is a nice oud bruin too

ReverseApacheMaster said:

I don't like Monk's Cafe. I'm not a big fan of flanders reds because I don't like that much vinegar character but a local bar gets Cuvee des Jacobins on tap quite frequently and I really enjoy it. It's not backsweetened at all but it's not too vinegar-y.

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the jacobins is one of my favorites- i just split a case w a buddy (not cheap) with the intent of "making them last". that lasted about 5 days.

I think Petrus Aged Pale is the right answer.

If you can find any Russian River sours.... they are all fantastic, but Supplication is my favorite. I have been finding them at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and even Haggens/Tops.

Petrus Oud Bruin, anything from Rodenbach, 1809 Berlinerweisse, Jolly Pumpkin Weizenbam, Duchesse de Bougogne, etc all great sours.

Really excited for my berlinerweisse to carb up. When I pulled a sample last week it tasted spot on where I wanted it.

jolly pumkin parcela and weyerbacher riserva (a pretty strong one)

Okay, I am heading to see my girlfriend in the Twin Cities this weekend. I hear the Ale Jail in St. Paul is up there in good sour selections. I am going to allot $50 for sours this trip. So far I have liked just about every sour I have tried since getting away from the cloyingly sweet Lindeman lambics.

This is where I need the list. So far I am looking for anything Rodenbach, any BerlinerWeiss, and see if I can find a real Belgian lambic.