First go at a sour

bandarker · Post by **bandarker** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:17 am

Hey all,

So I've got 10gallons of beer that I want to rack off 1 gallon and try to sour it. Everything I've read suggests brett and oak - anyone have experience or recommendations?

bandarker · Post by **bandarker** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:44 am

To correct - A "wild" ale - there's already 3% acid malt in the grain bill

CartoonCod · Post by **CartoonCod** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 10:09 am

Brett won't do much for souring (unless it has access to oxygen then it could make some vinegar), but it will provide lots of interesting character. If you're looking for a funky brett character I suggest pitching low if your beer has already been through a primary fermentation.

Are you looking to get more sour character than what your acid malt is giving you? If so you will need to pitch some other organisms (Lacto or Pedio). You could use a blend of all three by getting a white labs or wyeast pack. It will be tricky to sour with only lacto if your beer has already fermented and if there are even low levels of IBU, you might need the blend or just pedio.

Oak won't do anything for souring, but it will provide an oak character and a substrate for the yeast and bacteria to grow on.

Can you provide some details on the type of beer and more details on what your trying to get at?

Post by **chalmers** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 10:10 am

Lots of experience here, but to give useful advice, I've got a couple of questions:

Can you tell us what your base beer is?
What are you looking for in the "wild" beer: acidity, funkiness, bit of both?
Are you looking to reproduce a style or specific beer, that'll help too.

The characteristics you want could be from different yeasts/bacteria, hence the questions.

LiverDance · Post by **LiverDance** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 11:22 am

bandarker wrote:To correct - A "wild" ale - there's already 3% acid malt in the grain bill

I doubt you will taste any "sourness" from just 3% acid malt

gm- · Post by **gm-** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 12:15 pm

Tricky if the wort is already fermented. What are the IBUs? Lot of bugs are sensitive to higher hop levels. If the wort is not fermented yet and has low IBUs, I would just pitch roselare blend from wyeast, great bug blend.

bandarker · Post by **bandarker** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 2:45 pm

Sorry guys it sounds like I haven't provided enough info Andorra maybe too late already.

The acid malt was to keep a low pH. It's a Belgian wit targeted at 10-20 ibu. 50% pale malt, 40 flaked eheat, 7 oats 3 acid malt. OG was 1042

I wasn't sure whether the funky and sour could be done after primary (which is now done - 7 days into it)

I was hoping to try to impart some funk and sourness into it but not at all overwhelming. Just present. I've also read that fruit skins generally have Brett in some amount on them, but how does the beer keep from spoiling if left on fresh fruit for months?

bandarker · Post by **bandarker** » Sun Jul 26, 2015 10:01 am

After a bit of reading, it seems I'm not too far gone and could rack into a corny keg with brett/lacto/Pedio or some combination thereof and let age for several months. Good thing I picked up a spare corny keg yesterday!

bandarker · Post by **bandarker** » Sun Jul 26, 2015 10:03 am

Does anywhere have brett yeasts that are open today?

Woody · Post by **Woody** » Sun Jul 26, 2015 2:55 pm

Everwood is closed today as you probably know but you could give Dave a call and see if he is around to pickup. I think he has some in stock. Noble Grape I believe has to special-order them in but you could call in the off chance.

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