Sour Black - Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

MasterSki

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -24%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Thanks to Tom for sharing this rare tick. Served in a Half Acre taster glass.

A - Big tan foam settles to pretty much nothing at all. There's a partial thin collar initially, but then nada. Transparent dark amber-brown body.

S - Smells like a stout with brett. Fruity yeast notes, with some marshmallow, chocolate, and dark fruits from the malt bill. Light acetic and vinous note, but this is far more funky than sour.

T - The taste is very odd, as it's extremely bland. Somewhat like seltzer water, and super attenuated. Mostly musty brett and a hint of lemon. Not much stout, or really any flavor for that matter, left here at all.

M - Dry, medium body, with somewhat harsh carbonation. No alcohol, but unpleasantly zesty.

D - Not sure what they were going for here, but this tasted like an infected Irish stout or something along those lines. Low alcohol makes it a bit easier to take than some of Weyerbacher's other misses, but it's still not very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 04:57:15 | More by MasterSki

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.06/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sour black's appearance is just as the name states, very dark and opaque. There's an off-white ring of foam, which clings thoroughly to the sides of the glass as it goes down. The yogurt-y lactose quality is dominant within the aroma. After tasting the sourness is not as impactful as the aroma suggests... it's intermingled with baker's chocolate, burnt toast, and a tart n' tangy wine characteristic. It's mouth feel is quite light. Ultimately, I found this to be a very enjoyable pour. I'm proud to have Weyerbacher brewery practically in my backyard!

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 21:24:58 | More by Neorebel

Mertzy81

Maryland

4.48/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Deep dark brown with some reddish hues in the light on the pour. In the glass it looks solid black to the naked eye. A nice thick cap of light beige head forms and surprisingly sticks around for quite some time. Nice lacing and retention all the way down. Certainly a much different (and better) appearance than all the other "sours" from them.

S: Lightly toasted chocolate malt, generic "roast," wood and plenty of tannins. There's a dry red wine character here too along with an acidic sourness. Almost leaning towards the vinegary side of things.

T: Dark roasted malt base is evident first, plenty of chocolate and dark malts, toasted without being dominating. Plenty of barrel and red wine tannins come through midway. The sourness is on the back end, taking this beer the opposite direction but it's welcomed. Not overtly sour right now but sour enough.

M: Bubbly, highly carbonated but for the lower ABV I think it breaks up some of the dark ale/stout qualities and plays well for what a sour beer should be.

This was actually really good. I love the lower ABV on this and the flavor profile is well constructed without getting out of hand. The roasted base provides an interesting profile to sour and it just works.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 06:45:57 | More by Mertzy81

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

$25 for the single.
750mL to tulip
Sampled 30OCT12.

[A] Pours with a fluffy 3 finger high head, light brown and densely compacted. Retention is beyond thorough. Big slings of foamy lace coat the near side of the glass. The body is nearly black with dark amber-brown transparency only at the thinnest points.

[S] Sweet dark berry funk with some light roast, earth and cocoa in the background.

[T] Dark berry fruits with a nice inclusion of vinous red wine flavors. The barrel character is a touch above subtle and the oaky tannins add to the semi dry finish. Roasty flavors are somewhat downplayed by the lactic qualities. The modest level of sourness works well with base beer.

[M] Medium body with a pleasant acidity and tartness, accentuated by the dry finish and above average level of effervescence.

[O] Very enjoyable beer but now, having had it, I would never pay more than $15 for this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 13:20:37 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

Chas58

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle, purchased at the Brewery on November 10th, into my Firestone Walker Nonic Pint Glass

Appearance - The beer pours an inky black, with no transparency seen anywhere. The head is active and creates a thick inch high head that builds after the pour stops. the head does dissipate fairly quickly

Smell - a very strong sour nose note comes through, very string yet very pleasant. It is much harder to find other scents to compare it to since sour is do rarely found. Very little maltiness or yestiness is apparent, it is just a pungent, pleasant crispness. 

Taste -  The beer has a upfront crispness, and as with the smell is really void of any taste other than the prominent sourness. No sweetness, just crisp sourness. Once past the sourness a fruitiness does come through, with a hint of sour apple and other subtle floral notes. i expect and maybe am fooled by the blackness, but do expect a maltiness  the sourness is rich and tart, more like a lime, than a lemon. 

Mouthfeel  - the carbonation is very tight and initially stings. The beer is very crisp and leaves no lingerinng yeastiness  The mouthfeel is very pleasant, with the lingering sourness that is so prominent in tthis beer.

Overall  - This is a very special beer. Sour ales are not something everyone enjoys, but the pure flavor and cripness of this makes it very drinkable, very enjoyable and really special. Weyernacher has createdd a sour with a great flavor profile and should be a beer tried by those who love to explore and stretch their flavor enjoyment.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 02:19:48 | More by Chas58

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.78/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The cork seemed a bit too easy coming out and the pop seemed just a bit too loud. Ten minutes later I am finished cleaning the beer off my pants and desk. Open yours over the sink, you have been warned. Pours a solid dark brown/ black color with a huge beige head that takes a while to settle down. The aroma is quite tart with sour cherries and lemons atop a vinous dark fruity aroma as well as hints of caramel and chocolate. The flavor is mostly fruity and tart, if there was any roast or chocolate in there when fresh, that's long gone. Brown sugary sweet with lemons and cherries and a hint of funk, vanilla, balsamic, and wood. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet tart kind of mouthfeel going on. Not a bad beer, aside from the mess it made. Thanks to Alex M for hooking me up.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 01:06:41 | More by johnnnniee

brentk56

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a pitch black color capped by a huge beige head that grows rocky as it fades, while leaving a smattering of lace behind

Smell: Oaky, with lactic sourness and vinous elements; black bread underneath

Taste: Dried dark fruit, up front, with prune and tart cherry flavors; in the middle, the lactic sourness emerges along with the vinous character, with the oaky dryness bringing up the rear; after the swallow, the red wine barrel aspect takes over, bringing a dry and tannic finish that retains some lactic elements

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and creamy, with gentle, though high, levels of carbonation

Overall: I am winding up scoring this higher than I expected, due to its unique character, though I feel the red wine barrel aging clashes with the underlying flavor in a less than optimal way

Thanks, acurtis, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 01:15:41 | More by brentk56

wagenvolks

Texas

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml corked & caged bottle into Delirium Tremens tulip. Thanks to mkurylko for the trade!

A twist of the cork and it shot out easily, followed by a predictable rupture of foam that I swiftly corralled into my glass. Sour Black lives up to the name in appearance, as the body is a deep, cola-brownish black hue. The head is gorgeous--mocha in color, sizable, and well-retained for the style. Intricate aromas greet the nose, suggesting merlot barrels, red grape skins, tropical fruit, light hints of vinaigrette, and some chocolatey breadiness from the malt. Really well put-together so far.

Maybe this beer is too young for my tastebuds? The sourness doesn't really come across as well as the aroma led me to believe. Still, there's a nice, funky tart twang that hits the tongue mid-sip, amidst dark fruits like plum, red grapes, and dark cherry. A little roast and chocolate to the malts is a nice complement. Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied and bursting with big carbonation bubbles. Thankfully it falls just short of effervescent on the palate. Although I would've like a bit more 'Sour' with my 'Black', Weyerbacher has a worthy creation on their hands. I just wish I had another bottle to see how it tastes in a year...

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 04:59:40 | More by wagenvolks

claspada

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours hazy black color with a moderate tan head that recedes to leaves some spotty lacing.

Aromas begin with light dark malt and tart fruits. The base beer brings notes of an Irish Stout (slight chocolate, cocoa and grainy notes). But the real great quality of the beer emerges as it warms and it comes from the Pinot Wine Barrels (earthy, musty oak, big cherry and blackberry notes).

The tastes follow the nose with a medley of light darker malt flavors but soon after you get the tart berry flavors. As it warms you get the lactic tartness, light oaky barrel, vinous dark grape notes. The blackberry, cherry and raspberry sour fruitiness complements the dark beer base perfectly.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Finish is farily dry and sour but not overly so of either.

Overall this is my favorite dark sour I have ever had. Compared to something like Tart of Darkness with is just dark roast and cherry sourness, this is much more complex from the wine barrel adding that extra vinous/berry fruitiness which takes this to the next level. The sourness is definitely there but by no means overwhelming and will definitely probably develop more with time but I like it now so I can appreciate the subtle red wine flavors in this beer. With the exception of Idiot's Drool, Weyerbacher is really dialing in their Wild Ale program.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 15:22:41 | More by claspada

Etan

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle into a Cantillon tulip.

A: Pours a rich blackish brown with a soft tan head. Good retention.

S: Lots of brett notes in the nose. Heavy gamey hay, vinegar tartness, some mildly sweet malts floating behind. Very funky.

T: Horseblanket, soft notes of coffee and roasted grain, moderate berry-like tartness, some slightly drying wine tannins.

M: Light with zesty carbonation.

O: Not as sour as I was expecting, which is a good thing - the beer is superbly balanced and drinkable. A very surprising success, and one of my favorite Weyerbacher beers so far.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 22:11:57 | More by Etan

metter98

New York

4.23/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very dark brownish red in color. It poured with a thin layer of tan bubbles on the surface; these died down but never completely faded away.
S: There are moderate aromas of oak in the nose along with some hints of cherries.
T: The taste is very similar to the smell and also has a light to moderate amount of sweetness.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. No dryness is perceptible.
O: This is a very nice wild ale that seems to balance the perfect amount of sourness with fruity flavors.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 02:19:05 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with some very light hints of dark brown when held up to the light. The beer has a half finger tall light beige head that reduces to a medium sized patch of extremely thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Minimal to light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of sour/tartness with smells of sour cherries, balsamic vinegar, and some oak.

T: This beer is very tasty with lots of sour/tartness that has an almost balsamic vinegar like flavor. There are some light hints of roasted malts with some barrel notes of oak and maybe even a little bit of dark grape. Some light notes of cherry as well.

M: Slightly less than medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Moderate amounts of acidic prickliness which lingers.

O: This is a very enjoyable and easy to drink beer - I can appreciate the lower ABV making this beer almost sessionable. I'm super happy that I got a bottle of this beer and would gladly have more of it - it is really a nice sour black ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 20:35:57 | More by dbrauneis

macrosmatic

Florida

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to millerbuffoon for this one! Reviewed from notes. Poured from bomber into CCB pint glass.

A: Very dark brown to black, almost opaque but it does let a bit of light come through at top. Forms a solid, three finger size tan head, but there is not much visible carbonation, and has poor lacing throughout.

S: Sour and tangy, hints of coffee, a little vinous.

T: Like the smell, it's sour, tangy, with a bit of hop bitterness and hop fruitiness. Certainly not overly sour. Tannins lead to a fairly dry finish.

M: Medium body, good carbonation sensation, and the alcohol is well-hidden.

O: What's here is tasty, although it doesn't blow me away. There really isn't a whole lot of complexity, but it's good. Glad I had the chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 22:35:37 | More by macrosmatic

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL bottle poured into a snifter tasting glass; shared with a couple of friends

Sour Black slides into the glass a dark chestnut brown with a cola-like, fizzy khaki cap. The head rose about a finger before settling to a thin collar. No discernible lacing.

The nose is predominantly balsamic notes, with underlying cocoa powder, oak, roast malt, and wine. Very similar to rapture, but slightly sweeter balsamic notes.

On the palate, sweet balsamic vinegar with soft cocoa and roast through the middle. The finish is another rush of balsamic, with a dose of oak tannins and red wine. Simple, yet complex. The balsamic notes are sweet, cloying at times, but never truly in the way. The oak barrel really dries out the finish.

Light to medium body with moderate carbonation. The finish is an underlying blend of cocoa and roast with huge balsamic acidity.

Very tasty, complex, and just plain delicious. Rapture notes are heavily evident with the added cocoa/roast complexity giving this a huge boost. A really well done sour.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 11:36:38 | More by ColForbinBC

hakedr

4.43/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark black pour. Good head on the pour, released amazing hints of red wine. Taste similar to Concentration by Russian River. Great mouthfeel, bubbly, true to style. Dry, sour taste. I was pleasantly surprised. Will pick up more bottles of this when I'm at the brewery.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 15:35:08 | More by hakedr

kylehay2004

Florida

4.53/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Single finger tan head on a near jet black body. Nice lacing. Aroma is fantastic with sour cherries, red wine and grape notes. Flavor is a little smokey with sour cherries, Pinot red wine and raspberries. Medium body and moderate carbonation. This is an excellent sour with the unique wine barrel aging. In my experience wine barrel aging can ruin beers but this one is great and a must try.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 21:23:38 | More by kylehay2004

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This poured out as a dark brown color with a tan colored head on top. The smell of the beer has an interesting balance of raosted burnt notes as well as a well balanced amount of sour wine-like aromas. The taste of the beer is decent to me, it's tart upfront then it fades into the roasted malt finish. This beer has a good amount of wine characteristics which makes sense due to the barrel aging of it. The mouthfeel of the beer was smooth, a little water and yet carbonated enough to keep it alive. Overall this beer is pretty good but not worth $17 a bottle in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 19:49:54 | More by Knapp85

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml corked & caged bottle
Served into a tulip glass

A: Deep dark brown with some reddish hues in the light on the pour. In the glass it looks solid black to the naked eye. A nice thick cap of light beige head forms and surprisingly sticks around for quite some time. Nice lacing and retention all the way down. Certainly a much different (and better) appearance than all the other "sours" from them.

S: Lightly toasted chocolate malt, generic "roast," wood and plenty of tannins. There's a dry red wine character here too along with an acidic sourness. Almost leaning towards the vinegary side of things.

T: Dark roasted malt base is evident first, plenty of chocolate and dark malts, toasted without being dominating. Plenty of barrel and red wine tannins come through midway. The sourness is on the back end, taking this beer the opposite direction but it's welcomed. Not overtly sour right now but sour enough.

M: Bubbly, highly carbonated but for the lower ABV I think it breaks up some of the dark ale/stout qualities and plays well for what a sour beer should be.

This was actually really good. I love the lower ABV on this and the flavor profile is well constructed without getting out of hand. The roasted base provides an interesting profile to sour and it just works.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 12:45:10 | More by ShanePB

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL bottle poured into taster

Pours an inky black color with a solid crop of lightly tanned head resting on top. Retains nicely, leaving a coating of film and a few spots of lacing on the glass.

Tart and vinous in the nose with touches of red grape skin. Some red wine notes and oak with a roasty malt touch. Sour and faint sweetness.

Pretty sour right up front with pleasant red wine and grape notes. Vinous and earthy with oak and soft tannins. Touches of roasted malt and faint sweetness in the backbone. Increasingly tart on the back end, but still fairly mellow. Finishes sour and dry.

Fuller medium body, higher carbonation, a bit creamy and dry on the tongue. The presence of Rapture is felt a bit in this beer, and I definitely enjoyed the red wine characteristics. The sourness isn't over the top which meshes well with the darker flavors.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 03:37:48 | More by xnicknj