Should I blend a new stout with my sour stout?

hammacks · 01-13-2009, 12:41 AM

So I have a simple stout that got infected and soured on me. I let it sit in the keg for a few months, then cooled and carbed. It's not terrible at all, but not a good pint. I was just going to drink it anyway but then I thought of blending it. The original recipe was ("Guiness" style from BM's Ode to Arthur):

6.25 lb Pale Ale Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 66.7 %
2.25 lb Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 24.0 %
0.75 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 8.0 %
0.13 lb Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 1.3 %
0.75 oz Goldings, East Kent [4.60%] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 16.2 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [4.50%] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 10.6 IBU

Now I was thinking I'd brew something similar (maybe up the roasted to 10%), but without the acid malt. I could then use the soured brew to give it a little tang. I think the ratio should probably be something like [2 parts new brew] to [1 part sour].

I'm worried the new stout will taste too good to mix in soured beer come kegging time

.

CGengo · 01-13-2009, 01:38 AM

One third soured may be a bit much but Guinness themselves adds soured beer to their stout to tune of 3% to make it pop. Just play around with it until you find a percentage you like before mixing the whole batch.

Chris

hammacks · 01-13-2009, 07:50 PM

Yeah I'll mix them cold and a little carbed so I can get a good feel for what I want. You think I should nuke the soured one with campden tabs to be sure the nasties don't feast on the fresh unfermentables?

**Saccharomyces** · 01-13-2009, 08:45 PM

I'd add some campden tabs 1 per gallon plus a half teaspoon of potassium sorbate per gallon to the sour keg and let that sit for a few days before blending, that should toast whatever nasties are at work.

Seems like a good idea, if you like the sourness I think it should work out well.