Alcohol-free beer

What is a sour beer? Tartness, fruit and how it differs from IPA

Peach Berry Sour pouring into a glass on a sunlit terracotta ledge

A sour beer is a beer brewed to taste deliberately tart. The sharpness comes from acidity rather than from hops, and brewers often add fruit to balance it. A good sour feels closer to a crisp, dry fruit drink than to a bitter pint.

For a low-alcohol version, IMPOSSIBREW Peach Berry Sour is a fruited sour at less than 0.5% ABV, led by tart raspberry with a hint of peach.

What does a sour beer taste like?

Expect sharpness first, then fruit, then a dry finish. Bitterness is usually low. Sours range from gently tart to puckering; fruited sours tend to sit at the gentler, more refreshing end.

When you taste one, notice three things: how sharp the first sip is, which fruit comes through, and how clean the finish is.

Why is sour beer sour?

A sour beer is sour because it is acidic. Many brewers raise the acidity with lactic acid bacteria, the same family of bacteria used in yoghurt. Methods vary between beers, so the label and the brewer's own description are the best guide to any particular sour.

How does a sour differ from an IPA?

An IPA gets its edge from hop bitterness. A sour gets its edge from acidity. Both can taste citrusy, but bitterness lingers at the back of the mouth, while sourness is a bright, quick sharpness at the front.

If you find IPAs too bitter but lagers too plain, a fruited sour is a useful style to try.

How does a sour differ from lager?

A lager aims for clean malt and a crisp, neutral finish. A sour aims for tartness and fruit. A cold lager suits almost anything; a sour works best when you want something sharper and more refreshing, or with rich food.

Can sour beer be low in alcohol?

Yes. Sour is a style, not an alcohol level. A low-alcohol sour should state its own ABV.

IMPOSSIBREW Peach Berry Sour is brewed in the UK at less than 0.5% ABV. It lists 22.1 kcal and less than 0.1g sugars per 100ml, and it is gluten-free below 20ppm. It contains malted barley, malted wheat and oats, so check the ingredients for cereal allergies, and choose a 0.0% product if you need zero alcohol.

See the Peach Berry Sour product page for current price and availability. For a malt-led alternative, see Golden Ale.

About IMPOSSIBREW

IMPOSSIBREW makes alcohol-free beer brewed with Social Blend™ (L‑theanine, ashwagandha, magnesium and vitamin B1), developed with pharmacologists at Durham University, for the calm, relaxed feeling of a drink without the alcohol.

Dr Paul Chazot, Chair of Pharmacology at Durham University, who developed Social Blend with IMPOSSIBREW
2
91/100from the judges

Gold Medal for our Lager at the London Beer Competition, the first alcohol‑free beer to win Gold there. Judges noted citrus, light lemon and tropical aromas with a crisp finish.

3
GoldWorld Beer Awards

Voted the UK's best-tasting alcohol‑free lager at the World Beer Awards (Gold and Country Winner). Enhanced Lager and Enhanced Hazy Pale also each hold a Great Taste Award.

4
17kcalper 100ml

60% fewer calories than a standard 5% lager. Enhanced Lager is gluten-free (below 20ppm) and vegan.

As seen on BBC's Dragons' Den, with more than 100,000 customers.

*Highest TrustScore among alcohol‑free beer brands with over 1,000 Trustpilot reviews, checked 28 October 2026. See the scores.

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IMPOSSIBREW Peach Berry Sour with fresh peach and raspberries in a kitchen
IMPOSSIBREW Peach Berry Sour on a courtyard table