Sour beer covers a lot of ground: tart Belgian lambics that have been fermenting for years, salty German Goses, Flanders reds aged in oak for months, and modern session sours built for a hot afternoon rather than a cellar. There is no single right way into the style. Below are 36 sours we have researched and scored, ranked from our highest-rated pick down, spanning traditional Belgian lambic and gueuze, Flanders red, gose, American wild and barrel-aged ales, historic German Berliner Weisse styles, and modern craft sours.
Best Sour Beers, Ranked
| Rank | Beer | Style | ABV | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cantillon Gueuze 100% Lambic Bio | Belgian oude gueuze (lambic) | 5% | 4.6/5 |
| 2 | Jester King Atrial Rubicite | American wild ale with raspberries | Around 5% to 5.8%, varies by blend | 4.6/5 |
| 3 | 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze | Belgian oude gueuze (lambic) | Around 6%, varies by blend | 4.5/5 |
| 4 | Rodenbach Grand Cru | Flanders red sour ale | 6% | 4.5/5 |
| 5 | Russian River Supplication | American wild ale (sour brown) | 7.75% | 4.5/5 |
1. Cantillon Gueuze 100% Lambic Bio
| Brewery | Brasserie Cantillon |
| Style | Belgian oude gueuze (lambic) |
| ABV | 5% |
Our score: 4.6/5. Read the full Cantillon Gueuze 100% Lambic Bio Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
2. Jester King Atrial Rubicite
| Brewery | Jester King Brewery |
| Style | American wild ale with raspberries |
| ABV | Around 5% to 5.8%, varies by blend |
Our score: 4.6/5. Read the full Jester King Atrial Rubicite Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
3. 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze
| Brewery | Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen |
| Style | Belgian oude gueuze (lambic) |
| ABV | Around 6%, varies by blend |
Our score: 4.5/5. Read the full 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
4. Rodenbach Grand Cru
| Brewery | Brouwerij Rodenbach |
| Style | Flanders red sour ale |
| ABV | 6% |
Our score: 4.5/5. Read the full Rodenbach Grand Cru Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
5. Russian River Supplication
| Brewery | Russian River Brewing Company |
| Style | American wild ale (sour brown) |
| ABV | 7.75% |
Our score: 4.5/5. Read the full Russian River Supplication Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
6. Girardin Gueuze 1882 Black Label
| Brewery | Brouwerij Girardin |
| Style | Belgian oude gueuze (lambic), unfiltered |
| ABV | 5% |
Our score: 4.4/5. Read the full Girardin Gueuze 1882 Black Label Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
7. Tilquin Oude Gueuze a l’Ancienne
| Brewery | Gueuzerie Tilquin |
| Style | Belgian oude gueuze (lambic) |
| ABV | Around 7% |
Our score: 4.4/5. Read the full Tilquin Oude Gueuze a l’Ancienne Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
8. The Lost Abbey Duck Duck Gooze
| Brewery | The Lost Abbey |
| Style | American gueuze-style sour ale |
| ABV | 7% |
Our score: 4.4/5. Read the full The Lost Abbey Duck Duck Gooze Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
9. Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait
| Brewery | Brouwerij Boon |
| Style | Belgian oude gueuze (lambic) |
| ABV | 8% |
Our score: 4.3/5. Read the full Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
10. Cascade Kriek
| Brewery | Cascade Brewing |
| Style | American sour ale with cherries |
| ABV | Around 7%, varies by vintage |
Our score: 4.3/5. Read the full Cascade Kriek Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
11. Crooked Stave Surette Provision Saison
| Brewery | Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project |
| Style | Farmhouse ale / Brett saison |
| ABV | 6.2% |
Our score: 4.3/5. Read the full Crooked Stave Surette Provision Saison Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
12. Allagash Coolship Resurgam
| Brewery | Allagash Brewing Company |
| Style | American spontaneously fermented ale (gueuze-style) |
| ABV | Around 6.5% to 6.7%, varies by blend |
Our score: 4.3/5. Read the full Allagash Coolship Resurgam Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
13. Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale
| Brewery | Dogfish Head Craft Brewery |
| Style | Session sour |
| ABV | 4.9% |
Our score: 4.2/5. Read the full Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
14. Oud Beersel Oude Geuze
| Brewery | Brouwerij Oud Beersel |
| Style | Belgian oude gueuze (lambic) |
| ABV | 6.5% |
Our score: 4.2/5. Read the full Oud Beersel Oude Geuze Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
15. Professor Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Style Weisse
| Brewery | Weihenstephan / Dr. Fritz Briem |
| Style | Berliner Weisse (historic strength) |
| ABV | 5% |
Our score: 4.2/5. Read the full Professor Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Style Weisse Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
16. Lindemans Cuvee Rene
| Brewery | Brouwerij Lindemans |
| Style | Belgian oude gueuze (lambic) |
| ABV | Around 5.5% |
Our score: 4.1/5. Read the full Lindemans Cuvee Rene Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
17. Westbrook Gose
| Brewery | Westbrook Brewing Co. |
| Style | Gose (sour wheat beer) |
| ABV | 4% |
Our score: 4.1/5. Read the full Westbrook Gose Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
18. Hanssens Oudbeitje
| Brewery | Hanssens Artisanaal |
| Style | Lambic with fruit (strawberry) |
| ABV | 6% |
Our score: 4.1/5. Read the full Hanssens Oudbeitje Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
19. Liefmans Goudenband
| Brewery | Brouwerij Liefmans |
| Style | Flemish oud bruin (old brown ale) |
| ABV | 8% |
Our score: 4.1/5. Read the full Liefmans Goudenband Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
20. Off Color Beer for Tacos
| Brewery | Off Color Brewing |
| Style | Gose (fruited sour wheat beer) |
| ABV | 4.8% |
Our score: 4.1/5. Read the full Off Color Beer for Tacos Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
21. The Bruery Terreux Rueuze
| Brewery | The Bruery / Bruery Terreux |
| Style | American gueuze-style sour blonde ale |
| ABV | Around 5.8% to 6.7%, varies by vintage |
Our score: 4.1/5. Read the full The Bruery Terreux Rueuze Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
22. Wicked Weed Serenity
| Brewery | Wicked Weed Brewing |
| Style | 100% Brettanomyces farmhouse ale |
| ABV | Around 5.4% to 5.5% |
Our score: 4.1/5. Read the full Wicked Weed Serenity Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
23. Upland Sour Reserve
| Brewery | Upland Brewing Co. |
| Style | American sour ale (barrel-aged blonde) |
| ABV | Around 5.5%, varies by blend |
Our score: 4.1/5. Read the full Upland Sour Reserve Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
24. Petrus Aged Red
| Brewery | Brouwerij De Brabandere |
| Style | Flanders red sour ale |
| ABV | 8.5% |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full Petrus Aged Red Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
25. Jolly Pumpkin La Roja
| Brewery | Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales |
| Style | Sour amber ale (American wild ale) |
| ABV | 7.2% |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full Jolly Pumpkin La Roja Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
26. Duchesse de Bourgogne
| Brewery | Brouwerij Verhaeghe |
| Style | Flanders red sour ale |
| ABV | 6.2% |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full Duchesse de Bourgogne Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
27. New Belgium La Folie
| Brewery | New Belgium Brewing |
| Style | American wild ale (Flanders red style) |
| ABV | Around 7% |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full New Belgium La Folie Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
28. Anderson Valley The Kimmie, The Yink and The Holy Gose
| Brewery | Anderson Valley Brewing Company |
| Style | Gose (sour wheat beer) |
| ABV | 4.2% |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full Anderson Valley The Kimmie, The Yink and The Holy Gose Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
29. Reuben’s Brews Gose
| Brewery | Reuben’s Brews |
| Style | Gose (sour wheat beer) |
| ABV | 4.3% |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full Reuben’s Brews Gose Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
30. Almanac Dogpatch Sour
| Brewery | Almanac Beer Co. |
| Style | American wild ale (Flanders red inspired) |
| ABV | Around 7.5%, varies by batch |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full Almanac Dogpatch Sour Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
31. Freigeist Bierkultur Abraxxxas
| Brewery | Braustelle / Freigeist Bierkultur |
| Style | Smoked Lichtenhainer (sour smoked wheat beer) |
| ABV | 6% |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full Freigeist Bierkultur Abraxxxas Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
32. Founders Rubaeus
| Brewery | Founders Brewing Company |
| Style | Fruit ale (raspberry) |
| ABV | 5.7% |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full Founders Rubaeus Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
33. Firestone Walker Bretta Weisse
| Brewery | Firestone Walker Brewing Company |
| Style | Berliner Weisse-inspired wheat ale |
| ABV | 4.9% |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full Firestone Walker Bretta Weisse Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
34. Odell Friek
| Brewery | Odell Brewing Co. |
| Style | American wild ale with raspberries and cherries |
| ABV | Around 5.7% to 6.9%, varies by vintage |
Our score: 4.0/5. Read the full Odell Friek Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
35. Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose
| Brewery | Anderson Valley Brewing Company |
| Style | Gose (fruited sour wheat beer) |
| ABV | 4.2% |
Our score: 3.9/5. Read the full Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
36. Modern Times Fruitlands Passion Fruit & Guava
| Brewery | Modern Times Beer |
| Style | Gose (fruited sour ale) |
| ABV | 4.8% |
Our score: 3.9/5. Read the full Modern Times Fruitlands Passion Fruit & Guava Review for tasting notes, specs and FAQs.
What Makes a Beer Sour?
Most beer is fermented with a single, controlled strain of brewer’s yeast that produces alcohol and carbon dioxide without much acidity. Sour beers get their tartness from lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus or Pediococcus), wild yeast such as Brettanomyces, or both, either through a fast kettle sour that takes a day or two, or through slow spontaneous or barrel fermentation that can take months or years. Kettle sours like Westbrook Gose, SeaQuench Ale and most modern gose are quick and consistent. Traditional lambics, gueuze, Flanders reds and barrel-aged wild ales like Jester King Atrial Rubicite or Russian River Supplication rely on the slower method, which is why they cost more and vary batch to batch.
Sour Beer FAQs
What is the best sour beer for a beginner?
SeaQuench Ale, Westbrook Gose or Anderson Valley Holy Gose are the easiest starting points, all low in funk and built to be sessionable rather than intensely tart or complex.
What is the difference between a Gose and a lambic?
Gose is a German kettle-soured wheat beer brewed with coriander and salt, ready in days. Lambic is a Belgian style spontaneously fermented with wild yeast and bacteria over months or years, giving it a deeper, funkier, more complex sourness.
Is sour beer the same as a Flanders red?
Flanders red is one specific style of sour beer, aged in oak with a reddish color and a balance of sweet and sour, like Petrus Aged Red or Rodenbach Grand Cru. Sour beer is the broader category that also includes Gose, lambic, Berliner Weisse, American wild ale and modern kettle sours.
What is the difference between a lambic and a gueuze?
Lambic is the base spontaneously fermented beer. Gueuze is a blend of young and old lambic, refermented in the bottle to create natural carbonation, and it is the most common way traditional lambic reaches drinkers.
Why do some sour beers cost so much more than others?
Kettle-soured beers like SeaQuench or Westbrook Gose sour in a day or two and cost about the same as a regular craft beer. Traditional lambics, gueuze and barrel-aged wild ales like Cantillon or Russian River Supplication can take months to years to ferment and blend, which is reflected in the price.
What is the strongest style of sour beer on this list?
Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait and Liefmans Goudenband are both around 8% ABV, notably stronger than the 4 to 5% range typical of session sours and gose.
