The Absolute Best Sour Beers For Cider Drinkers

Normally a cider drinker but want to try something new? Both hard cider and sour beers are deliciously tart with a crisp, fresh finish. If hard cider is your libation of choice, sour beer might give your favorite ciders a run for their money. Like cider, there are an almost endless variety of sour beers, each with its own distinct taste and feel.

Cider is made from fermented fruit, typically apples, but other varieties can be used at the beginning or toward the end of the process. Yeast helps ferment the juice and converts to alcohol. Some ciders are very sweet while others have a drier texture and taste.

Sour beer also uses yeast to create alcohol, but also depends on specific types of bacteria to bring in that funky, sour element. Different fermentation styles introduce the bacteria at different points in the process. The result is varying flavors and amounts of tart acidity. Just like cider, sour beers tend to be less hoppy than other types of beer and often have a fruity aspect. These sour beers are a tasty alternative that hit similar flavor notes to your favorite cider.

If you're a fan of dry hard ciders, the Anderson Valley gose varieties are a good alternative. Gose beer is a specific type of sour beer that's made with Lactobacillus bacteria, which creates a tart, sour flavor thanks to the lactic acid it adds to the brew. Anderson Valley has an entire series of goses which feature different fruity elements in each. 

The brewery's original gose recipe, Holy Gose, combines a lemony zest with tropical fruit notes, creating a particularly refreshing drink. The Briney Melon Gose has hints of watermelon paired with sea salt to balance out the fruitiness, while the Cherry Gose strikes a similar sweet and salty combination thanks to cherries and sea salt. The Framboise Rose Gose has the most floral taste, but is still deliciously tart thanks to raspberries. The Blood Orange Gose is the most citrusy of the bunch.

Sour beer flavors can vary depending on the production process, what flavor elements like fruit are added, and even the exact strain of bacteria is used during fermentation. Anderson Valley offers a variety pack, so you can try different types of sour beer. "If you're the 12-ounce can type of cider drinker, consider Anderson Valley's Gose series for a bit more body, a savory edge, and a familiar fruity acidity you'll find in many dry craft ciders," said Jordan Smith, founder and beverage consultant at Bevlebrity.

Lambic beer is a good choice for those who are used to cider. "You cannot go wrong with wheat-based lambic beers when trying to bridge fruitiness and sourness," says Tom Acitelli, author of The Golden Age of Beer. "Cider lovers will recognize the connection: tart, crisp and lingering on the palate, with a thin, dry mouthfeel." Lambic beers originated in Belgium and are known for being sweet, most often thanks to plenty of fruit.

Lindemans Peche has that distinct crisp flavor, just like cider, with plenty of sweetness thanks to peaches. It has just a hint of tart as well due to the fermentation process and the specific bacteria used to make this sour beer. Lindemans specializes in lambics and has been doing so since 1822. It's brewed in Belgium but you can find it in stores as well as have it shipped directly to you. Acitelli also recommends Lindemans Framboise for cider-lovers because it has hints of raspberry.

If you like Basque cider, which has stronger tartness and funky flavor compared to some other cider styles, try 3 Fonteinen lambic beer. It is brewed in Belgium and has tart citrusy flavor and a bit of funk. The double fermented bottles can be very sweet, making it a great option for those who like a very fruit-forward cider.

While pricey, 3 Fonteinen is a great alternative for a special occasion. It comes in a large bottle for sharing as well as mixed packs of 12 bottles. It can be a bit harder to track down, although you'll be rewarded with an unusual brew when you do find it. "Spring for a multi vintage geuze from Belgium!" said Jordan Smith. "I love the minerality and balanced oak character of 3 Fonteinen." 

"The acidity will be slightly different, but you'll find many similarities to Basque cider, and 3 Fonteinen Geuze can be found in 750ml to share at a dinner table," added Smith.

Raspberries are the most prominent flavor in the Florida Weisse from Thornbridge Brewery. This sour beer is smooth with added tart elements thanks to the small fruit. Because of the raspberries, it is also vibrant pink. If you're looking for a fun beer for a themed party, this is an excellent choice. You can visit the taproom to sample the Florida Weisse, as well as enjoy some handmade pizza, but you'll need to go to the U.K. Fortunately, they also distribute to 40 different areas around the world, so you can get Thornbridge Brewery varieties at some specialty shops.

This is a good option for those new to sour beer, since it is so fruit-heavy. If you like fruity ciders with extras like blackberries or raspberries, you might have an easier time transitioning to this sour beer. It also has a good amount of sweet flavor to go with the tart taste.

One of the most accessible sour beers to start with is the Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale. It's actually a combination of three kinds of beer: Kölsch, Gose, and Berliner Weisse. The end result is a crisp brew that also has a distinct tart taste, similar to a hard cider. It is brewed with black limes and lime juice, making it a good option for those who like the mouth-puckering factor that tart citrus can bring to drinks. Thanks to the lime, Dogfish Head also recommends it for those who like margaritas, since it has a slightly salty finish that will remind you of the salted rim of a good 'rita. 

Dogfish Head also a little bit easier to find than some small-batch craft brews. You can stop by the tasting room at the brewery in Delaware or track down the SeaQuest Ale at your local distributor. It's carried in major grocery chains as well as available to order online, making this one of the easiest to track down.

With strawberries added at multiple steps during the fermenting process, the Allagash Brewing Company Avancé is very fruity. It's also a sweeter brew thanks to molasses, date sugar, white cane sugar, and dark rock candi, which are added during production. So if you're a fan of sweet and fruity ciders, this is a sour beer that you should put on your tasting list. It's aged in oak, which also contributes a slightly heartier note to the finish. Just keep in mind that it has an 8% alcohol by volume, ABV, which is on the high side for most beer.

The only catch is that you might have to look around to find it. There are plenty of other sour beer options that you might come across from Allagash Brewing Company, including Heart of Hearts, which is made with raspberries, or the darker cherry-blackberry equivalent in Stories Told. Of course, you can always compare both the Allagash Cider. With so much experience brewing with fruit, it's no wonder that this brewery makes a sour ale that appeals to cider lovers.

Another lambic beer that has the crisp, tart flavor that cider drinkers love is Boon Brewery's Kriek. It is infused with fresh cherries, which are added during the production process. The result is a deep pink brew that has elements of cherry as well as almond. It's best for those who like sweet rather than dry ciders, but it still has a crisp, refreshing finish. Boon's Brewery recommends it as a summer beer thanks to lower alcohol content of 4% as well as the bright taste. It is very smooth and easy to drink.

Boon's Brewery is located just outside of Brussels where they make lambics using spontaneous fermentation methods, traditional for this style of beer. It comes in large bottles as well as 20 liter kegs. So if you really love lambics, this is one that you can get to serve a crowd. Because it's imported, you might have to work a little bit harder to track it down or wait longer to get it shipped.

Berliner Weisse is a style of sour beer that cider lovers will appreciate for both the taste and texture. "Like cider, too, it's not heavy on the carbonation, pouring almost flat and staying that way," says Tom Acitelli. "Look for hints of breadiness and an apple-like tartness." He recommends Night Shift Brewing's sour series, which has four varieties all with the same sour, tart flavor. It also doesn't have a lot of carbonation, similar to cider, which makes it smooth and easy to drink. The brewery uses different combinations of fruit, which they release each year as limited edition sour ales. Pomegranate, blood orange, raspberries, limes, and others have all been used in past varieties.

Night Shift Brewing operates in Boston, Massachusetts and distributes around the U.S. It can be easier to find this brew than Berliner Weisses made in Berlin, where the style originated. These are all 7% ABV, which is on the higher side of beer options.    

West Sixth's Berliner Weisse is a light option that's crisp, making for easy drinking. If you like sourdough bread, you'll appreciate the tart flavor of this Berliner weisse, which has a similar sourness with a flavor of wheat as well. Like many sour beers, it's made with lactobacillus bacteria driving the fermentation process. 

Tom Acitelli recommends enjoying this style of beer like you would a refreshing drink in the hot summer. "Do what the Germans sometimes do: drink Berliner weisse through straws," he says. He adds that you can also add color plus additional flavor with raspberry or woodruff syrup, a traditional German herbal syrup.

The standard Berliner Weisse is one of the year-round brews offered at West Sixth, which is located in Kentucky. But if you like ciders with a more citrusy element, try the Valencia Berliner Weisse, which adds Valencia oranges to the brewing process. It has the same sour-tart taste and wheat notes. The Cranberry Sour sour ale is good for those who like a really tart cider, while also keeping the breadiness that gives this beer a little more heft.

The Westbrook Gose sour beer has a salty element thanks to plenty of sea salt in the brewing, which gives it an extra layer of flavor in addition to tart. The standard gose is not as sweet as most ciders, but those who prefer a dry cider should give it a try. For the fans of fruitier, sweet ciders, one of the specialty gose varieties might be a better fit.

Westbrook brews a lemon cucumber gose that is also infused with extra ingredients for a unique spin on this style of beer for those who want even more refreshing flavor. An orange hibiscus gose brings in citrus and floral elements, while the cherry pie gose is on the sweeter side thanks to cherry puree, vanilla, and cinnamon.

"Another German-born wheat beer style, it's salty and extremely bitter, with a dryness on the palate not unlike a filtered cider," says Tom Acitelli of the traditional gose from Westbrook. It doesn't have the same sweet, fruit-forward taste that people associate with cider, but is just as crisp. It also has a bit of spice thanks to coriander in the recipe.

New Belgium La Folie is a bolder sour beer which can keep up with the tart crispness of hard cider. You can taste apples in this brew, but it has an oaky flavor as well thanks to the wood aging process that takes place in French wine barrels. There are multiple fruits coming through in the taste, including super tart green apple, cherry, and plum. It's a richer color than some other sour beers, especially those with fruit infused in the process, with a smooth finish after the initial tart impact.

Damien Zouaoui, co-founder of Oakwell Beer Spa, describes it as "strongly acidic, the beer has a taste of apples, cherries, and oak. It is highly acidic with some funkiness that makes it an exceptional choice."  The La Folie Reserve combines the best of the best ingredients with specialty touches each year to create a truly unique brew.

New Belgium is brewed in Colorado and is best known for its widely available Fat Tire ale, but there is also a tasting room in Asheville, North Carolina. "La Folie is a beer made by New Belgium that has been brewed since nineteen ninety-seven in big wooden fermenting vats, which gives the brew depth and a characteristic tartness," adds Zouaoui. 

Crooked Stave's Sour Rosé includes notes of raspberries and blueberries, which give it plenty of fruit flavor plus a light, refreshing finish. This brew has a little more sparkle to it and works well in place of sparkling hard cider, and it is aged in wood to keep the end result from being overly sweet.

"It's sunny and fresh, giving out a pretty rosé color when poured," says Damien Zouaoui. " The oak barrels are used to age Sour Rosé, which makes it have some complexity and depth that will appeal to cider lovers."

There is no shortage of fruited sour ales available from the brewery. "Crooked Stave Brewery is a sour beer pioneer who concentrates on mixed fermentation and barrel aging," adds Zouaoui. The brewery even helped its home city of Denver make our list of cities every beer lover should visit. You can get a similar variety to the original Sour Rosé with hints of lemon in a Sour Rosé Lemonade if you want something that's even brighter. The Petite Sour Blueberry goes through double fermentation with fresh Washington blueberries and wild yeast added. The Spon is part of cellar series and relies on spontaneous fermentation, similar to a traditional lambic. You can't always easily find all of the brews, since some are limited release and others are seasonal. But they're definitely worth checking out as an alternative to cider.

Avery Brewing Company has plenty of unique fruited sour beers, so there's something that will appeal to every type of cider drinker. For a berry option, try Avery Brewing Raspberry Sour. It's tart and acidic, just like cider, but has some extra depth thanks to the oak barrel aging process. In addition to the raspberry tartness, Damien Zouaoui also notes that it has "zesty acidity and slight maltiness" thanks to the production of lactic acid during fermentation.

"Being famous for small-batch invention, Avery Brewing's Raspberry Sour is a true reflection of new juicy raspberries in each mouthful," says Zouaoui. Because it is small batch, however, it can be harder to find, especially if you're farther away from the brewery in Colorado. Other options from Avery Brewing that are worth trying for cider lovers include Electric Sunshine, which includes tropical fruits like kiwi, papaya, and pineapple, or the Cool Summer brew, which combines refreshing cucumber with sweet hibiscus. There are also numerous sour ales in the barrel-aged series that combine various fruits as well as a diverse range of wooden barrels. These are very limited release and can be hard to find outside of the brewery.