Sour Mash advice?

[Barr]

Anybody out there have any experience with a sour mash? I hear that you can accomplish a slight sourness by just letting your mash sit warm for a day or two. I'm fascinated but would really like to get a little more advice before giving it a try.

[Barr]

Planning a cherry wheat beer. Would be really interested in adding a gentle sour edge to that.

[amartin]

I did a sour mash once for a witbier. I mashed 5% I think (or maybe 10%) 3 days before, added some whey from yogurt, and then sat it on the furnace. Then I did the rest of the mash and added the sour mash to it for the sparge. It turned out nice, with a slight tang, but I wouldn`t do it again. It turns out I don`t really like sour beer.

[mr x]

Planning a cherry wheat beer. Would be really interested in adding a gentle sour edge to that.

Acidulated malt might be a more controlled way to do it. Charlie Papazian had a method IIRC.

[Barr]

Thanks guys. I'm interested but maybe I need to wait and study more before I try this. I don't really want to toy with a full on sour but a little tang would be nice.

[mr x]

Then the acidulated is the easiest route. Or lactic acid after fermentation.

[jeffsmith]

Then the acidulated is the easiest route. Or lactic acid after fermentation.

Check out Don Osborn on YouTube (donosborn.com). He had a video or two where he experiments with adding lactic acid to a Wit.

[jeffsmith]

http://youtu.be/atCAKLzPvkg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Barr]

Thanks Jeff. Interesting stuff but something in me wants to do it the old fashioned way. Probably have lots of bad ones before I get it right.

[jeffsmith]

Thanks Jeff. Interesting stuff but something in me wants to do it the old fashioned way. Probably have lots of bad ones before I get it right.

Might be a good way to test the waters with an approximate recipe before you go all in on a full batch.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

If you did one soured and another not, you could blend if it was too sour

[HPhunter]

I have lots of acidulated malt Les if you want some.

[mattvincent24]

Basic brewing video did a sour mash episode as well. if I remember correctly, they used an electric smoker to keep the mash temp over 24 hours. Might be worth a look.

[akr71]

I have lots of acidulated malt Les if you want some.

This is the way I'd go - just add some acid malt to your grain bill and carry on like a normal brewday.

[mr x]

I'd go at least 6%, maybe even 10%.

[Barr]

Thanks guys. So many ways to go.

[berley]

Can you just substitute acid malt for a sour mash (if that's what you guys are talking about)? I was under the impression that acid malt added to the grist decreases mash pH (by 0.1 for ~1% added); I didn't think it made a "sour" beer.

Unless you're talking about using acid malt in a sour mash...?

[mr x]

It's lactic, and maybe other stuff too. It's tart stuff. Just a different way to add lactic acid I guess.

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