Brooklyn Bel Air Sour 6Pk

Brooklyn Bel Air Sour 6Pk is a dry-hopped sour ale from Brooklyn Brewery in New York, packaged as six 12 oz cans at 5.8% ABV. Rated 98/100 by Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, this expression stands apart through its use of a proprietary Lactobacillus strain and generous Amarillo dry-hopping, delivering a sour ale that reads as both genuinely tart and vividly tropical.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.8%  |  Origin: Brooklyn, New York  |  Style: Dry-Hopped Sour Ale  |  Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery

Production & Heritage

Brooklyn Brewery was founded in 1988 in Brooklyn, New York, and has been guided for decades by James Beard Award-winning Brewmaster Garrett Oliver. Bel Air Sour is built on a grain bill of American 2-row, Pale Wheat malt, and Carafoam, then soured with the brewery's proprietary Lactobacillus culture before fermentation with Brooklyn's house ale yeast. Simcoe hops contribute during the boil, while a heavy Amarillo dry-hop charge layers in the tropical and stone-fruit aromatics that define this beer's character — a technique that bridges the gap between American IPA hop intensity and traditional sour-ale acidity.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Passion fruit and tangerine leap from the glass first, followed by ripe peach and a subtle green-apple tartness. A faint lactic tang underneath signals the sourness to come without overwhelming the fruit-forward aromatics.

Taste: The entry is bright and immediately tart, with lemon and pineapple flavors arriving clean on the front palate. At mid-palate, stone fruit — peach, apricot, and plum — fills out the body, while the Lactobacillus-driven acidity keeps everything crisp. A light wheat roundness provides just enough malt structure to prevent the tartness from becoming sharp.

Finish: Medium-short and refreshing, with lingering tangerine zest and a whisper of funky yeast character. The finish dries out cleanly, making each sip invite the next.

How to Drink Bel Air Sour

Pour into a tulip glass or wide-mouth pint at around 40–45°F to let the dry-hop aromatics open up; drinking straight from the can mutes much of its tropical complexity. Bel Air Sour also works in beer-based mixed drinks: try it in a Berliner Shandy topped with a splash of lemonade to amplify the citrus tartness; in a Tropical Radler blended with guava or mango juice for a brunch-ready sipper; or as the sour component in a Beer Mimosa, replacing champagne with this ale and adding a pour of fresh orange juice.

Best For

• Introducing hop-forward beer drinkers to sour ales without the shock of extreme acidity
• Warm-weather cookouts and rooftop gatherings where a light, tart beer outpaces heavier styles
• Pairing alongside a brunch spread — its acidity cuts through rich, egg-based dishes
• Gifting to craft beer fans who appreciate New York brewing heritage

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Bel Air Sour taste like? Bel Air Sour is tart and tropical, dominated by passion fruit, tangerine, and peach flavors with a clean lactic sourness. The Amarillo dry-hop gives it a citrus-forward brightness that distinguishes it from traditional, more austere sour ales.

How does Bel Air Sour compare to a traditional Berliner Weisse? A classic Berliner Weisse relies on lactic acid for a lean, sharp tartness with minimal hop character, while Bel Air Sour layers heavy Amarillo dry-hopping on top of its Lactobacillus sourness, resulting in a much more aromatic, fruit-driven profile. Bel Air Sour also uses Carafoam malt for slightly more body than most Berliner Weisse expressions.

Is Bel Air Sour good for sour-beer beginners? Yes — the generous tropical hop character and moderate 5.8% ABV make it one of the more approachable sour ales on the market. The tartness is present but never punishing, giving newcomers an accessible entry into the style.

Where is Bel Air Sour made? Bel Air Sour is brewed by Brooklyn Brewery, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. The brewery was established in 1988 and operates under the direction of Brewmaster Garrett Oliver, a James Beard Award recipient.

What foods pair well with Bel Air Sour? Grilled shrimp tacos benefit from the beer's citrus acidity cutting through charred richness. A fresh goat cheese salad mirrors the lactic tang. Eggs Benedict gains contrast from the tartness against hollandaise. Thai green papaya salad echoes the tropical fruit notes, and soft pretzels with mustard play off the wheat body and sour bite.

What sizes does Bel Air Sour come in? Bel Air Sour is widely available in a 6-pack of 12 oz cans, which is the standard retail format.

Is Bel Air Sour worth the price? Bel Air Sour positions in the mid-range craft beer tier and delivers complexity — a proprietary souring culture, quality grain bill, and heavy dry-hopping — that justifies its price point within the American sour ale category, particularly given its 98/100 score from Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine.

Why Bel Air Sour?

The 98/100 rating from Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine is not accidental — it reflects a beer engineered from the ground up to balance two often-opposing forces: aggressive dry-hop aromatics and clean lactic sourness. Brooklyn Brewery's proprietary Lactobacillus strain is the engine behind that balance, producing a controlled tartness that lets the Amarillo and Simcoe hop character shine rather than compete. Under Garrett Oliver's leadership, Bel Air Sour has become a benchmark for the dry-hopped sour category, proving that accessibility and genuine brewing craft are not mutually exclusive. For drinkers seeking a sour ale with real depth that remains effortlessly drinkable at 5.8% ABV, this six-pack makes a compelling case.