Sour is the new hoppy.

Hang around your local bar or beer store long enough chances are you will hear the following statement: “sours are the new hoppy.” Do you believe it? Not quite sure myself, I have been enjoying the style for the last few months exclusively, and I understand sours are not new. Additionally, they are not taking over the hoppy beer market. I believe sours represent an expansion of the American sophistication. We are searching for new styles and new flavors. Sours fulfill the void.  Simply put, the average beer drinker may think sour beer represent liquid vinegar, but for the craft beer drinker sours are a welcome slap to the face if you’re close to hitting your ‘beer wall.’ New and exciting sours are here to stay.

Let’s not forget our friends over at AleYeah! Decatur that stocks all of this stuff. They have amazing customer service and are willing to help you discover new exciting beers to expand your palette. If they don’t have it, they can help you brew it with their fairy comprehensive homebrewing section. The beers are arranged by style, and they also have a Belgian section for those interesting scores. Prices here are very reasonable and they seem to carry everything I was looking for. Third best thing about this place is the glassware section. They have pieces scattered throughout the store and many are priced to move. $5.00! Yes please. 

906 W College Ave
Decatur, Georgia, 30030
United States
phone: (404) 371-4331

From BA.com
Flanders Oud Bruin
Description:
Old Bruins, not restricted to, but concentrated in Flanders, are light to medium-bodied, deep copper to brown in color. They are extremely varied, characterized by a slight vinegar or lactic sourness and spiciness to smooth and sweet. A fruity-estery character is apparent with no hop flavor or aroma. Low to medium bitterness. Very small quantities of diacetyl are acceptable. Roasted malt character in aroma and flavor is acceptable, at low levels. Oak-like or woody characters may be pleasantly integrated into overall palate. Typically old and new Brown ales are blended, like Lambics.

Amazing Grace Ale
Sour Dubbel 
Pours brown with a large off-white head that descends to a thin cover. Lacing sticks.
The smell is sour/tart and vinuous - oaky with berry-like and cherryish fruitiness.
The taste is sweet and sour - berries and cherries. The fruitiness is sour and tart with a nice caramelish sweetness in the balance. It becomes raisiny with a gentle earthy spicing. Woody, vanilla-ish, oaky notes add complexity. Finishes dry.
The feel is a bit thin at first, but becomes creamy as it progresses. A nice carbonation level makes it almost effervescent, but not fizzy.
This is a nice sweet and sour, lightly spiced beer with good use of oak. Very drinkable - alcohol well hidden. Good job! Unique - doesn't fit a "style" well, per se, but everything works well here, and certainly has a "Belgian-esque" character with a unique American flair.

Red Poppy Ale
Flanders Old Bruin
The ale is a tawny port color, nicely tinted by oak aging. There is little head at any point in time bold carbonation
The nose is very acidic, vinegary with a funky tart oak aroma. The yeast bacteria is pleasantly sharp.
Tart cherries are present but their intensity seems weak, as though they have faded over time. Oak flavor emerges at the end, coating the taste buds with a chardonnay-like sweetness that doesn't skimp on the booze. The tartness of the lacto and pedio mixes well with the oak, seamlessly transitions from the wood to funk.
Very dry, all the little yeast beasties have eaten up every last bit of sugary flavor. Tart cherries, while weak upfront, and manage to come through nicely in the aftertaste.
Lost Abbey has nailed this one. Beware the yeasty sediment though; it saps some of the tartness from the ale.

Marrón Acidifié

Flanders Old Bruin

Brown colored, leaning towards crimson. There's a good amount of lace that sticks to the glass. But I didn't buy Marrón Acidifié to looks at it; I bought it in hopes of its taste. But first, the aroma. Wow!! I could sniff this for days. Currents, soured grapes, maybe soured plums too? There's just something about it that's awesome and addicting.

Now the taste. Here we go, lots of flavors, but all integrated very well in the liquid. Black current and plum start it off, some cherry as well. Balsamic vinegar too. I eventually catch oak and vanilla (thanks wethorseblanket), and then arriving is cheddar cheese towards the end of the ride. The balancing of the tartness/sourness is a work of art, not too much of it, but enough to salivate your mouth.

I'm blown away by The Bruery, again. But let's not pigeonhole Cigar City, who helped with this magnificent "Imperial Flanders Brown". The best new Bruery work I've tasted in the last 18 months, maybe ever.


Cheers!
Ryan