The sour season has kicked off, and raspberries are rife!
Raspberries hold a trifecta of winning elements for a sour beer – they have an aesthetically pleasing hue, the balance of sweetness and acidity complements sourness well and adds complexity, and on the technical side, cell walls of raspberries break down easily with freezing and processing, giving yeasts plenty to work with when extracting flavour and colour in the brew. Raspberries also add tannins, which gives structure and a nice dry finish, and prevents a thready, thin mouthful.
Dangerous Ales ‘Killer Raspberry’ Fruited Sour Ale – big raspberry jam vibes with a strong tart finish
Boatrocker Brewers ‘Miss Pinky’ Raspberry Sour Ale – 250kg of Aussie raspberries in a 400L brew, this brings a stunning colour and intense fruitiness, finishing nice and tart as it should.
Hope Brewery Imperial Raspberry Sour – New world sour that is super refreshing and packs a nice punch.
Jervis Bay ‘Berry Bomb’ Raspberry Sour – Magnum hops bring subtle black pepper and citrus notes to the party.
Bridge Road Brewing Non-Alcoholic ‘Free Time’ Raspberry sour – Perky, tart, refreshing with a good raspberry zing – all you would expect from a raspberry sour, minus the alcohol!
Honourable mention – Bentspoke Brewing Co ‘Frenzy’ Raspberry Beer - fruited wheat beer with just a touch of fruity tartness and balanced sweetness.
