Why do I keep getting a somewhat "sour" taste to my beers?

[olllllo]

Re-reading the OP, it seems as though you are only tasting from the bottle.

Have you tasted it at various points?

It very well could be a lactic infection in your bottling equipment. It's the same type of infection you might get at a bar that doesn't routinely clean it's draft lines.

I've been brewing for over a decade and I can say that would never rule out infection.

You still haven't answered my question. What type of sour? I've answered many of these questions only to find out the some people can't discern sweet from fruity from sour.

High ferm temp of yeast will give you fruity esters and high solventy flavors, not sour. However if there are wild yeasts, those yeast will beat out your pitched yeast.

 

[sfrice80]

I would say more of a vinegar sour, that's especially true with my Weizenbier. I taste that one each week and its getting more mild every week. My latest blueberry belgian wit is kegged and that might be just from the blueberry fruit and puree.

 

[brian_g]

I've noticed that sometimes yeast can have a taste that I would describe as "tart". Are you letting the yeast settle to the bottom of the bottles or are you shaking them up every day to make them carb faster?

 

[sfrice80]

letting the yeast settle to the bottom. I don't shake them.

 

[olllllo]

I'd taste at a minimum every time you rack.

Acetic generally doesn't go away but carbonic acid (result of C02 and carbonation) does.

Are you familiar with what that tastes like?

 

[sfrice80]

No

 

[olllllo]

Carbonic acid is more of a sensation, it can accentuate other flavors. It's more of a bite.

Is it a taste you pick up immediately or an aftertaste?

Is this "sour" taste reminiscent of drinking an overly sweet soda and you get that sour flavor well after you are done? That's carbonic acid amping up sweet.

Were you beers well attenuated? What was the FG?

 

[sfrice80]

I would have to look at my notes at home but I'm pretty sure all attenuation rates were good. You pick it up immediately and with my weizenbier, you can somewhat even smell a sour smell. Its hard to put a taste into words. Its not like sour to the point where you just know something is rancid, its still palatable but definitely not good.