Sour Bitch - Mikkeller ApS

GJ40

North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled from a 750ml bottle purchased at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago.

A - Gold and very clear with a small white head.

S - Fruity with some tropical fruits and a bit funky. Very nice.

T - Funky with a mild sourness and a tartness that I assume comes from the lychee fruit. Complex and interesting.

M - A low carbonation with a silky smooth feel.

O - A very interesting beer. I've never had lychee fruit but it seems to add something nice to this brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 09:20:13 | More by GJ40

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a cloudy gold with a little orange hue and a couple fingers of foamy off-white head.

Smells sour with hints of some sweet fruits and a good dose of oak.

Lightly sweet almost red grape like fruit sweetness hits the tongue for a second before getting overtaken by the sourness. It's more of a musty bitter sour and isn't overly intense, but the focal point nonetheless. Finishes dry with a wonderful oak component. While very different beers otherwise, the oak component in isolation reminds me a lot of Batch 23 Damnation.

Fairly light bodied with high carbonation levels.

Wonderful surprise from Mikkeller who I'm usually hit or miss on. Very well balanced with some complexity. My only slight complaint is I wish the lychee were featured a bit more prominently, but otherwise close to perfect.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 13:34:05 | More by jmarsh123

oline73

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this at Jackie O's during the bottle share on the bottle release day. Poured into a sample glass.

Appearance: Pours a golden amber with a layer of fluffy white head that fades to a ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Quite funky with a strong acidic nots. Very sour with some herbal and hay like notes.

Taste: Citrus tartness with some herbal notes and a high level of sourness. Mildly fruity with a sour finish. This is a really delicate sour beer.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the lighter side with sharp carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This is a great light sour beer. Crisp, dry and delicate. I would gladly have it again given the chance.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 02:55:01 | More by oline73

jrallen34

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

bottle... dark gold body with an almost peach hue, bright white head, great lacing with a solid ring, one of the better lambic's I've seen... the aroma is quite nice and complex, the front is very fruity with light citrus and distint lychee bitter but a sweet note, the middle provides some great spider web musk, hay, farmy finish, quite good and complex, only wish the fruit was a bit stronger and less of an accent only... the taste loses almost all of the fruit but what is left is very good musky spider web gueze that's very easy drink, as it warms the finish brings about a bitter fruit taste that breaks up the musk and adds great complexity... not an in your face fruit lambic which I like, but a refined subtle beer that is very enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 04:09:44 | More by jrallen34

cnbrown313

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, for $27.99. Took it out of the fridge for about an hour before pouring into 2 snifter glasses.

A - When I opened the bottle, the first thing I noticed was a significant ring of brown yeast all over the bottle cap and the top of the neck. I wasn't sure what to make of that? Anyway, it Pours a slightly redish, golden brown color with about 1 finger of off-white head. I held it up to the light and stared at it for a long time. At first it looks very clear, but as the bubbles rise quickly, you can see a lot of yeast.

S - When I smelled the bottle / cap - I instantly got a huge whiff of bready yeast. As I smelled the beer from my snifter, I got more fresh bread smell and a very slight fruity smell.

T - Upon first impression I was a little disappointed because it wasn't as sour as I was hoping for. But this beer is a LOT more complex than I expected. Lychee fruit is not a very overpowering fruit, but I think this beer captures the flavor very well. You get a bit of sweetness and flavor, without the lychee dominating the beer. I also get a white wine type of dryness in here too and you can taste the oakiness of the barrel aging too. The flavors all became much more pronounced as the beer warmed too.

M - The mouth feel was just about right... not too thick or thin. I would have preferred a finer carbonation like some of the better Belgian lambics, but all in all it was good.

O - I am glad that I bought 3 of these, because the other 2 will benefit from some serious aging. There is enough yeast and funk in there to do some good stuff in the years to come - so I'm excited for that! All in all though, I would suggest giving this beer a try, but for the money, I would suggest throwing it in the cellar for a while.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 18:26:54 | More by cnbrown313

Viciousknishs

Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pours a hazy orange color with a finger of off white head. Ok retention. Some lacing.

S- aromas of sweet lychee and a lemon zest. Smooth funky blue cheese and soft hay like Brett note. Finishes with soft wheat like aromas and soft malt. Very smooth soft nose.

T- starts off with a light acidic tartness with a lemon zest flavor. The lychee really comes out with a touch of sweetness that is balanced by the tartness. Finishes with some earthy Brett and funk with the fruit that continues throughout the finish.

MF- puckering slick mouthfeel. Medium body and some bubbly fine carbonation.

D- super drinkable.

Overall a great refreshing beverage.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 03:43:52 | More by Viciousknishs

ngeunit1

California

4.28/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Cloudy golden-orange with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Funk, tartness, wheat, lychee, oak, vanilla, souness, oak, lemon zest, funky yeasts.

T - Wheat, tart green fruits and lemon zest, lychee, oak, vanilla, sourness, funky yeasts, acidity.

M - Medium bodied with moderate-plus carbonation. Smooth with a funky, tart, and slightly sweet finish.

D - Nice fruit lambic. Good funkiness and sourness and the lychee add some nice kick to it.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 06:25:19 | More by ngeunit1

yamar68

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to bstyle for this crazy brew!

Straw gold body capped with a healthy finger of white foam that recedes to a thin rim which retains right until the finish.

Musty dark fruits layered with a mild lemon lime astringency, pear and apricot... I can't say I've ever smelled a beer like this. Color me interested...

I wish I was more familiar with lychee... because there's a dominant sweet/sour fruit flavor that I can't seem to pinpoint. It's a little like apricot, a little rhubarb... it's tasty. There's a nice tart, slightly medicinal and dry finish. I'll have no problem finish this big ol' bottle. It takes some time to get acquainted with, but once you do it's a delicious and unique experience.

Very grateful to have the opportunity to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 00:25:18 | More by yamar68

Gobzilla

California

4.23/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured almost translucent clear in color with golden yellow highlights and a thin head that left a little lacing sticking to the glass.

S: most of the components were acidic sour notes, maybe some lychee character but not really. it did have a little funkiness to it, lemon citrus for sure and hints of oak barrel aging going on as well.

T: Not sure what lychee really taste like but I did get a little fruit flavor in it so I'm assuming it's lychee however it did have plenty of funk, lemon citrus twang, acidic notes all around, a bit of oakiness, and some musty barnyard character.

M: the brew was light to medium in body with a moderate amount of carbonation which had a citrusy, acidic, oaky, mildly fruity, sour, and slight dry finish.

O: pretty interesting beer I have to say but was solid all around and damn tasty as well.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 04:16:22 | More by Gobzilla

johnbjaeger

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very lovely pale straw color and smells quite sour and alive. First taste is sour and slightly bitter with a light sweetness lingering on the aftertaste from the lychee.

The sour dissipates lightning fast and I think I would prefer this if it puckered a bit more, but the dry finish is very nice. It's a really easy drink at 7.7% ABV and by the end of this bottle, I will presumably feel it.

This is the first sour I've had from Mikkeller and I really like it. Would be very interesting to see how it develops with some time on it since the fruit either doesn't seem to add a ton or lychees already taste like sour beer. I've only ever had them twice. Once, I was on a 3-day bender at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas. Their brunch buffet is truly remarkable and I remember choking a couple lychees down before pocketing a handful for good luck at the craps tables. It worked.

My other lychee experience was a martini, my fifth of the night, so yeah. I am no lychee expert.

Anyway, this is really a nice drinking sour beer and I'm glad I have more.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 22:31:58 | More by johnbjaeger

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.13/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Mikkeller's sour ales have been a little hit-or-miss for me so I go into this session with a bit of apprehension. With absolutely no knowledge of lychee fruit that was added to the brewing process, I'm excited about unique flavors that this ingredient provides.

With no surprises to the eye, the beer pours with a cloudy gold color that seems more straw when held to the light. Light yet creamy, the beer's somewhat dainty head is an even skirt early but reduces to pocketed islands later. With its void of lace, the beer succumbs to its acidity and throws its carbonation to the wayside hardly midway through the session.

Sourness has to wait a bit as the first whiff of the beer strikes the nose with pungent aromas of dried lime, Limburger cheese, sour milk, pepper, wet hay, and yogurt. Sure, it sounds off but remember that many stinky cheeses turn out beautiful after they are tasted...

Its taste couldn't differentiated more from taste as the soured milk notes are evaded and the clean lactic taste of dried limes, grapefruit, passion fruit, salt brine, and earthy tastes that remind the senses of shellfish, leather, mushroom, and damp oak. Its a complex taste that's sharp, acidic, and very clean. Its really fun to taste its delightful potpourri although describing it with such unpleasantries. Perhaps I never knew that about myself.

The beer's dry character is captured early and only accelerates late. Short-lived cracker-like bread texture is largely attributed to light carbonated creaminess and doughy residual sweetness. But the beer quickly sheds its malts and makes the powdery-dry textures of yeast, age, and acids the story thereafter. Finishing bitter with citrus peels, there's a mild grape seed astringency that accompanies the late texture; just before light warmth, racy tartness, and tannin-rich airiness closes the taste.

After that goaty, sour milk scent; the beer's taste is spot on for any legitimate lambic taste. It is authentic, farmhouse, and strongly pungent. Any appreciator of fermented foods, canned goods, and overall sour taste will find a high level of accompaniment with a glass of this highly artistically ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 08:30:51 | More by BEERchitect

actone2001

California

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle sent to me from my awesome trading partner RC0032! I was excited about this brew when I heard about it, and he was gracious enough to grab me a few bottles! I've never had lychee fruit, so this should be interesting.

A - nice pale golden hue. Chill haze. Starts with a billowing head, then fades to a lacy lingering film.

S - The first thing that hit me was the wild funk, hay, banyard, etc. As I get past that I get lemon and sour apple notes. White wine-ish.

T - Lemony lactic acid that doesn't last. Im not sure if its the lychee fruit, but i can taste a tart almost sour strawberry like fruitiness in there. There's the ghost of sweetness too. funk like the nose, and a Chardonnay finish. Easy drinking, and slight wheat in the background. The acetic acid hits last, and lingers slightly as the beer goes down.

M - Great carbonation, sharp on the tongue, but not over carbonated. Helps accentuate the flavors. Body is light on the tongue, nice and thin.

Overall it's a very tasty, refreshing brew. Not over the top or exaggerated, but very solid as a fruit limbic with an unexpected fruit. I cant wait to see what this beer does over time. Highly enjoyable and not tongue/palate killing. Easy enough for me to drink a 750ml and want more.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 03:41:31 | More by actone2001

ehammond1

California

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle (2011)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, whartontallboy!

(Aged for 6+ months)

Golden in color with a quickly forming near-white head that recedes quickly, eventually leaving small streaks of lace down the glass. Pretty and appropriate.

Definite fruit/citrus forward aroma, with some white wine, oak, and a very mild funk character. If given this blind, I'd have guessed that mango was the fruit used, not lychee.

The fruit again plays the dominant role, along with a moderate level of sourness, an earthy, barnyard funk, some wood, and white wine. Finishes very dry.

Medium bodied with high carbonation. Easy to drink.

Very nice treat from Mikkeller, and easily, one of my favorite offerings from them to date.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 21:45:11 | More by ehammond1

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer is transparent and light orange hued with a thick white head that leaves ample lacing on the glass. The aroma is white wine, tart fruit, oak. The flavor brings a puckering sensation with what must be the lychee fruit. Tart and sour, but balanced by a delicate fruit sweetness and a hint of alcohol. Overall, interesting, intriguing, and enjoyable. That said, this is not in the upper echelon of lambics. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 22:42:55 | More by Huhzubendah

HopHead84

California

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

7/6/2012

Bottle shared by Jason. Thank! Yellow orange body with a small white head. The aroma is of lychee, oak, and plum with a touch of vanilla. Earth blends with leather and mild tartness. Grainy malt in the flavor with earth, plum, pear, apple, and lychee. Light oak presence with restrained barnyard notes. The beer is light in body with lively carbonation

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 22:22:08 | More by HopHead84

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle from MasterSki, thanks Alex! 750ml into a tulip.

Hazy orange, a couple fingers of white head. Sticky lace, with good retention. Nose is real funky, some lemon, a touch of citrus, wheat and a kiss of oak. More funk and tart citrus on the palate; also, having had lychee only once before I can still pick this out quite easily here. Some other light fleshed fruits may be in the mix here too. Fruity and lightly sour, but not as sour as I had anticipated. Still, a nice sour overall, the lychee was nice to have tried in a beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 22:20:05 | More by liamt07

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Orange with a bubbly head. Above average mouthfeel. Funky aroma which is fine for the style. A good drinker, smooth and a nice sour peach, apricot, lemon and lime, not expected from such sweet fruit,i.e. the lychee.Very good sour,and interesting, thanks Jason.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 13:30:26 | More by northyorksammy

hooliganlife

Missouri

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

pour is a golden yellow with about an inch of light airy head. some lacing and nice retention.

light oak and sour lychee. some grape and apple

fairly complex through out, nice lychee and and a fairly prominent oak flavor. i was picking up some concord grape which was quite enjoyable.

mild to moderate carbonation, light and easy. some dryness.

pretty decent overall but the $30 price tag suuucks.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 22:00:35 | More by hooliganlife

Khazadum

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This has the appearance I'm looking for. Decent stickiness, not too much.

Great sweetness. Lychee is there but very faint. The faintness of sweet fruits blends with a light bready power. It's just so light in fruit I'm dissappointef. Where's the freshness? Light light sulfur.

Flavors of light sulfur, some diapers. Mustard! Citric acid, fruit and malty sweetness. Finishes with a light dry character, tannic faint. Needs more barrel. Needs more fruit.

The body is right, the flavor and acidity is right for a fresh lambic. The sweetness doesn't match the fruit. It probably won't age well.

It's okay. Nothing special. Nothing great for 28 dollars.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 07:21:16 | More by Khazadum

DovaliHops

California

3.88/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a golden orange color (almost clear), with a medium white head that disappears quickly. Scent is initially reminiscent of a gueuze...funky, stinky cheese, sulfur, slight mineral aroma, and sour. As the beer breathes a bit, there is a distinct fruit snack aroma...smells just like some delicious gummi fruit snacks. Fruity and nice amount of oak. Taste is not quite as good as the nose. Initially tart, but then immediately turns bitter. Oaky with hoppy bitterness. ..more like an ESB type bitterness than an IPA. Some white fruit with funk and sourness. Mouthfeel is dry and crisp. Drinkability is somewhat high. Overall, kinda disappointed by the taste. By no means does it taste bad, it's just that the bitterness is a little off-putting for this style. Glad I got to try this for sure!

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 06:31:43 | More by DovaliHops

drabmuh

Maryland

3.83/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle opened by Huhzubendah, thanks! At the time of this review, this beer is currently the #29 beer on the "Top Beers - Lambic - Fruit" on beeradvocate.com. Served in a Stone IRS snifter.

Beer is yellow and hazy with a soft white head of small bubbles, no lacing, low retention, moderate carbonation.

Aroma is sweet, mildly fruity, mostly lactic, mild oak, mild acetic perhaps.

Beer is really light and airy on the palate, leaves almost no impression at first, the tartness of it creeps up on you, surprises me a little, the more I drink this the better it gets. I'm on the fence but I suppose I would have it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 02:54:49 | More by drabmuh

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750 mL bottle shared by Matt.

Pours a clear, light orange-peach color with a nice, dense white head; good retention and lacing. Aroma is oaky, cheesy, lemony and what I assume is lychee fruity. Flavor is similar, but mild. Effervescent light body with a mild sour and fruity body. Nice, but a little boring.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 01:22:02 | More by yourefragile

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Bruery snifter.

Gotta love it when you buy a beer from its namesake, right? Big props to Kristina at West Lakeview for holding down the fort at an awesome bottle shop. Her beer pours a hazy sunrise straw topped by about a finger or so of lightly cream-white foam. The nose comprises lemon zest, light lime, tart orange zest, light oak, and a light nuttiness that escapes further characterization. The taste takes the citrus-heavy notions of the smell and tweaks them a bit, sorta fading them out slightly in favor of more of the faint nuttiness, more oak, and a bit of soft cheese. I assume this is the lychee fruit's doing, though my never having heard of the damn thing before this beer really doesn't help me in this regard. This is an interesting fruit flavor, I must say. The body is a light medium, with a moderate carbonation and a sticky finish. Overall, a nice lambic, but I gotta figure it's this newfangled lychee fruit that's keeping things from being great. I can't call it bad, just odd, really...

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 18:42:48 | More by TMoney2591

womencantsail

California

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear golden color with a tall white head. Some fruitiness on the nose, though nothing that overtly states lychee. Slight sweetness, some orange and grapefruit, and a bit of lemon. As it warms, a touch of lychee. Light straw and oak to the nose as well. The flavor is a blend of tartness and sweetness. Some mild funk notes of straw, grass, and must. Some lychee, grapefruit, and lemon peel tartness. Good, but not amazing.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 20:51:29 | More by womencantsail

macrosmatic

Florida

3.65/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes. Poured from bomber into snifter.

A: Pours a nice copper color with bit of haze. A ring of foam forms, no true head.

S: Sour musty aroma. Some fruitiness here that I can make into a lychee aroma if I really try.

T: Sour fruit flavor up front, fades a bit into a more flat, nondescript sour flavor. Not overly mouth-puckering. No overt lychee flavor that I get, however. It gets more vinous as it warms somewhat.

M: Good amount of carbonation with a nice dry finish.

O: A tasty beer, but I expected more.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 20:52:46 | More by macrosmatic