Sour beer? Pucker up

A bartender pulls on the beer tap handle, and a rosy liquid streams into a waiting glass. Take a sniff and it smells like a barnyard. The bartender assures you that it tastes a lot better than it smells. So you take a sip. It's tart enough to make your lips pucker, but you can't wait to take another sip. This is Chez Monmee, a tart cherry ale from Alpine Beer Co. that's part of a new wave of refreshing American sour beers.

By Joshua Lurie

July 1, 2009