When Is It Considered a Sour?

[Virginia_Ranger]

Recently just finished a Stout I did with 3 lb raspberries to 4 gallons beer and its freakin delicious. While tasting it with the fiancee she asked me so is this a stout or a sour? Just the day before we had a Raspberry Berliner Weiss that was very good but really had a similar taste profile (minus the stoutyness). Obviously a Berliner Weiss is a sour style and this a stout with a ton of raspberry added.

What do you consider a sour? Is it by taste or process / style?

 

[RPh_Guy]

"Sour" isn't a style, it's a taste. It's not uncommon for stouts to taste a little acidic.

 

[Andrew Hodgson]

To me sour is a taste or flavor, you can get it several different ways and experimenting with the subtle differences is all the fun!

 

[Virginia_Ranger]

"Sour" isn't a style, it's a taste. It's not uncommon for stouts to taste a little acidic.

To clarify I also mean the act of intentionally souring i.e. kettle souring vs. sour taste from fruit tartness or other non Berliner Weiss style attributes.

 

[RPh_Guy]

There are a few different ways to produce sour taste in beer:

• Lactic acid bacteria -- most traditional
• Fruit
• High percentage of acidulated malt
• Adding acid directly (e.g. lactic acid)
• Yeast that produce acid or leave a tartness

If it's fruit-forward from added fruit, I'd classify that as a fruit beer (BJCP 29A). Sourness is part of the fruit flavor profile.

But it's your beer so you're free to call it whatever you want I guess