Accidental Sour?

Sharkeydude · 10-03-2009, 01:01 PM

Last night I finally tapped my keg of Cream Ale (Northern Brewer kit) I put down last month. Everything looked great except for some excessive cloudiness. I gave it a taste and was surprised to find that it had a fruity and sour taste. Not a bad sour taste just a touch. I drank 4 glasses of this and I'm still not dead so, I'm going to finish it. Putting an orange in it made it taste just like a Blue Moon Belgian White.
I know that somewhere down the line I picked up some "critters".

The day I brewed it was 89F and humidity was 70% (gets wet here in Mississippi) at 7pm. I also put a fan on the wort to cool it faster (not blowing into the pot) with the immersion chiller. I suspect this is where the sour made it's entry. I know the fan didn't help looking back on it but, could the outside temp and humidity be a factor in sour beer?

I pitched at 75F, my fermchamber stayed at 67, I pitched dry yeast Safale US-05.

**Yooper** · 10-03-2009, 01:33 PM

It sounds like it could be a lacto infection- cloudy and sour lead me to think that's what it is.

I'm not sure where you would have picked it up. It's commonly found on grain (that's why we boil the wort after using grain, to kill those critters) and it's found throughout many households. Usually, if it's lacto, it'll get worse. The beer may get more sour with time, and then start to gush out of the bottle when opened because the lacto keeps working. So, if it's lacto, and it tastes pretty good, drink it while it's fresh!

Sharkeydude · 10-03-2009, 01:43 PM

That's what I figured. It hasn't seemed to get any worse...yet. I put some gelatin in it a couple of weeks ago and that did nothing so, I figure I'll stock up on oranges, invite my buddies over and tell them I brewed Blue Moon! LOL!

naturaltwenty · 10-10-2009, 10:22 PM

Weird - I just brewed last week from the same extract kit and kegged part (3 gallon keg) and bottled the rest.

After forced CO2 I also got a cloudy appearance and a slight sour taste. I used Wyeast 1056 American Ale smack packs (2 of them).

First time I've gotten this flavor

It's not bad but I'll be drinking it all tonight (party beverage

)

Later

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharkeydude

Last night I finally tapped my keg of Cream Ale (Northern Brewer kit) I put down last month. Everything looked great except for some excessive cloudiness. I gave it a taste and was surprised to find that it had a fruity and sour taste. Not a bad sour taste just a touch. I drank 4 glasses of this and I'm still not dead so, I'm going to finish it. Putting an orange in it made it taste just like a Blue Moon Belgian White.
I know that somewhere down the line I picked up some "critters".

SNIP.