Apricot Blonde Sour by Barrelhouse Brewing Co. — Review

Apricot Blonde Sour is a fruit sour that is 100% fermented in white wine oak barrels with local apricots added directly to the barrel. After a long Brettanomyces fermentation, the beer is ready and the result is a well craft sour beer that is juicy, funky and oaky. The quality of this beer is top notch and is comparable to Cascade and Russian River.

Date Reviewed. March 30, 2016

Serving Size. 500ml bottle with a cork.

Appearance. Straw, slightly cloudy, no head. 4

Aroma. Apricot Blonde Sour has a very inviting aroma. Fresh juicy apricots with the skins. Slightly funky, musky, and dusty(like an old attic). It is woody with only a slight hint of vanilla with hints of antique furniture (old but not lacquered). It’s very much like a Belgian sour but made in Paso Robles, CA. No sulfur. Very true to the style of a fruity lambic. 4.75

Flavor. The flavor is definitely tart and sour but has just a hint of sweetness to balance the sour and bring out the flavors of the fruit. The finish on the sides of the tongue is slightly herbal. It has an amazingly Belgian-like flavor. Compared to other notable breweries, this beer is clean an very true to style. It’s not astringent, it’s not abrasive, it’s not overly funky, and it is not paint thinner. If you told me this beer was made in Belgium, I might believe you. 4.75

Mouthfeel. This beer is slightly “chewy.” It is definitely not thin but also not overly thick. It is just the right texture for a sour beer. 4.5

Overall. It is my opinion that this is how fruit sours or even sours in general should taste. Remove the essence of apricot and this is still a well made sour beer. It is easily comparable to Russian River and Cascade in quality. 4.5

Beer Stats

• Brewery: Barrelhouse Brewing Co. in Paso Robles, California
• Style: Fruit sour
• ABV: 6.7%

Disclosure: Barrelhouse graciously provided a free sample of this beer.