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mcnewcp · 02-18-2012, 06:38 PM

I've recently brewed a milk stout which I racked onto some cocoa nibs and while prepping to bottle it today (~1 month in secondary) I think it may be infected. I'm planning on just letting it go and see what it tastes like, but I was wondering if anybody had experience tasting a soured (intentionally or otherwise) milk stout.

**Franc103** · 02-18-2012, 06:53 PM

Did this beer have very low IBUs? Do you normally brew beers that are more bitter?
Second question: AG, PM, or extract?

**BrokenDog** · 02-18-2012, 07:14 PM

I believe you can get a sour flavor when you mash some specialty grains like chocolate, roasted barley etc at too high a temp.

mcnewcp · 02-18-2012, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franc103

Did this beer have very low IBUs? Do you normally brew beers that are more bitter?
Second question: AG, PM, or extract?

All grain and the IBUs were in the mid 30s, calculated. I've brewed the whole spectrum of bitterness and this is my first unintentionally infected brew in 4 years. I'm guessing it came from the cocoa nibs, since they were added in the secondary. I soaked them in a little bit of scotch, but not enough to completely cover them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokenDog

I believe you can get a sour flavor when you mash some specialty grains like chocolate, roasted barley etc at too high a temp.

I haven't actually tasted any sour yet, in fact it tastes like a fantastic chocolate milk stout. The reason I think it's infected is because I can visually see some growth on top of the beer, much like what leads to a pellicle, in my experience. What I was trying to ask with the original post is whether or not I was wasting my time by letting this one play out to see what it tastes like.

othellomcbane · 02-18-2012, 11:41 PM

I can't remember whether the bugs will eat lactose or not... pretty sure they can, so it'll just be a "sour stout." Not that that's anything other than an issue of semantics, but I have had a sour stout before, and it was great. Jolly Pumpkin's Dark Dawn. I'd let it go and see what happens, personally. Maybe pitch some dregs from something to make sure you get a mix of Brett and bugs?

Calder · 02-19-2012, 01:11 AM

If it's a "fantastic chocolate milk stout", I'd keg it and drink it while it's 'hot'. Bottling might be a different issue.

**ChshreCat** · 02-19-2012, 01:22 AM

If it does sour, you need to call it a "buttermilk stout".

mcnewcp · 02-19-2012, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calder

If it's a "fantastic chocolate milk stout", I'd keg it and drink it while it's 'hot'. Bottling might be a different issue.

That's the problem, I strictly bottle, so I don't want to make any bottle bombs.

mcnewcp · 02-19-2012, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by othellomcbane

I can't remember whether the bugs will eat lactose or not... pretty sure they can, so it'll just be a "sour stout." Not that that's anything other than an issue of semantics, but I have had a sour stout before, and it was great. Jolly Pumpkin's Dark Dawn. I'd let it go and see what happens, personally. Maybe pitch some dregs from something to make sure you get a mix of Brett and bugs?

There are definitely some bugs that can eat lactose, not sure which ones though. If brett and lacto can eat maltodextrin, then I bet they can eat lactose. I may pitch a mix to make sure I have the whole spectrum, but I'm going to give it a while first to make sure it actually is infected.

mcnewcp · 02-19-2012, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChshreCat

If it does sour, you need to call it a "buttermilk stout".

Yea, I was hoping to go the whole 'sour milk' stout route, but I wasn't sure people would get it. Also, sorry for the multiple responses, I can't figure out how to multiquote on my phone.