Crooked Stave Petite Sour Blueberry 16oz

Crooked Stave Petite Sour Blueberry 16oz is a 4.5% ABV oak-aged wild ale brewed with Washington blueberries in a 16-ounce can. Rated 94/100 on BeerAdvocate across more than 470 reviews, this expression has earned a strong reputation among sour beer drinkers for its layered Brett character and restrained, food-friendly tartness.

Quick Facts: ABV: 4.5%  |  Origin: Denver, Colorado  |  Style: Fruited Wild Ale  |  Brewery: Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

Production & Heritage

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, based in Denver, Colorado, built its identity around mixed-culture fermentation and barrel aging. Petite Sour Blueberry begins with a primary fermentation using a proprietary mixed culture of wild yeast, then undergoes secondary fermentation in large oak foeders with generous amounts of whole Washington blueberries sourced from the brewery's preferred growing regions. The result is a sessionable wild ale where oak tannins, Brett complexity, and genuine fruit character converge at a restrained 4.5% ABV — a deliberate contrast to the higher-gravity sours that dominate the category.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Unmistakable Brett funk leads, followed by oaky, vinous qualities and a subtle undercurrent of blueberry. The nose suggests hay and aged wood before a whisper of stone fruit emerges with warmth.

Taste: The entry is lightly sweet, with blueberry fruit surfacing cleanly before a building tartness takes hold at mid-palate. The middle carries a musky, must-like depth alongside the blueberries' distinctive sagey herbaceousness. Oak adds structural complexity throughout, with Brett and vinous notes weaving through the fruit without overwhelming it. Tartness remains manageable rather than aggressive.

Finish: Dry and oak-driven, with lingering wood tannins and a faint blueberry echo. The low ABV keeps the finish clean and refreshing, encouraging another sip rather than demanding a pause.

How to Drink Petite Sour Blueberry

Pour into a tulip glass or stemmed goblet at around 45–50°F to let the Brett aromatics open up while keeping the fruit crisp. This ale is built to drink on its own but also shines in beer-forward mixed drinks. A Berliner Shandy — combining Petite Sour Blueberry with a splash of lemonade — highlights the fruit and tempers the funk for warm-weather drinking. A Wild Spritz using the sour ale in place of wine with a dash of elderflower liqueur and sparkling water creates a refreshing aperitif. For a more adventurous serve, use it in a Sour Beer Michelada with lime, hot sauce, and Worcestershire — the blueberry tartness pairs surprisingly well with savory, spicy flavors.

Best For

• Introducing a craft beer drinker to mixed-culture wild ales at an approachable ABV
• Summer cookouts and outdoor gatherings where sessionability matters
• Pairing with a cheese board or charcuterie spread
• Building a sour beer tasting flight alongside heavier Belgian-style wild ales

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Petite Sour Blueberry taste like? It delivers lightly sweet blueberry fruit up front that builds into a manageable tartness, layered with oaky complexity, vinous depth, and the haylike funk characteristic of Brettanomyces fermentation.

How does Petite Sour Blueberry compare to The Bruery Beauregarde? Both are fruited sour ales with oak influence, but Petite Sour Blueberry runs at a softer ABV and gentler acidity while leaning harder into wood-driven drying notes. Beauregarde tends toward a fuller body and more pronounced sweetness from its fruit additions.

Is Petite Sour Blueberry good for sour beer beginners? Yes — the 4.5% ABV and restrained tartness make it one of the more accessible wild ales available, while still delivering genuine Brett character and oak complexity for experienced drinkers.

Where is Petite Sour Blueberry made? It is brewed by Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project in Denver, Colorado. The blueberries are sourced from Washington state growing regions selected by the brewery.

What foods pair well with Petite Sour Blueberry? Soft-ripened cheeses like brie or camembert complement the oak and fruit. Grilled salmon benefits from the tartness cutting through fatty richness. A mixed green salad with goat cheese and berries echoes the ale's fruit notes. Pork belly or duck confit works well against the Brett funk and drying tannins. Dark chocolate with a high cacao percentage bridges the blueberry and oak flavors.

What sizes does Petite Sour Blueberry come in? Petite Sour Blueberry is commonly available in 16-ounce cans, which is the standard format for this expression.

Is Petite Sour Blueberry worth the price? It positions as a mid-range craft sour — more affordable than many one-off barrel-aged releases but priced above standard sours, reflecting the mixed-culture fermentation, oak foeder aging, and whole-fruit additions that go into each batch.

Why Petite Sour Blueberry?

What separates this beer from the crowded field of fruited sours is the production method: genuine mixed-culture primary fermentation followed by secondary aging on whole fruit in large oak foeders. That process yields complexity that kettle-soured shortcuts simply cannot replicate. The 94/100 BeerAdvocate score — accumulated across hundreds of independent reviews — confirms this is not a niche curiosity but a consistently well-executed wild ale. At 4.5% ABV, it occupies a rare space where real barrel-aged sour character meets genuine sessionability, making it one of the more versatile fruited wild ales in production today.