BacklitAvenger

Recipes 

So this stuff is used to lower the PH since it naturally contains lactic acid. What would happen if you were to use a much higher percent of it? THe point would be to add a subtle sourness without Having to use lactobacilli. You guys think this would work? What percent would you ballpark recommend?

z987k

Recipes 

eh yeah it'd lend a sourness after a good bit I would think, but if you're going to go the easy route, you might as well just buy some lactic acid and add it to the finished beer.

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Beer Style Guidelines - Kaiser's Brewing Experiments - American Society of Brewing Chemists - Journal of the Institute of Brewing

DeathBrewer

Recipes 

It takes a bit to add the sourness, and it doesn't give the flavor you would think. I didn't like it, personally, although I still use it in some beers (in small quantities)

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Easy Partial Mash Brewing - Stovetop All-Grain Brewing

"Death is always with us." - Brewpastor

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BacklitAvenger

Recipes 

I see. I was wondering because I've been told that lactoBs don't like high IBU beers. I'd rather not just add lactic acid in, I'd rather derive it from the malts if not from lactobacilli themselves. I was told they tend to work poorly in 10 to 20+ IBUs. Any workarounds you guys know of?

Jack

Recipes 

I used it at 3.5% in a recent beer. And I think it gives the beer a subtle sourness, but I could be projecting what I think/hope it should taste like.

As for it being the easy route... Isn't sour malt just regular malt that's already undergone a sour mash? And that's why it was used by Reinheitsgebot-conscious brewers?

z987k

Recipes 

It's slightly inhibited, but if put a pure culture in there, and a lot of them, they are not going to have that big of a problem.

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Beer Style Guidelines - Kaiser's Brewing Experiments - American Society of Brewing Chemists - Journal of the Institute of Brewing