beretta

Recipes 

Sunday, I had my most painfull brew session:

1. My sparge stuck, twice.
2. I couldn't get my mash temp above 144 F for reason 1, above.
3. I'm sure I got plenty of HSA do to reason 1, above.
4. Tropical Depression Ike shut off my power just after the sparge, but before the boil, so I decided to quit and leave the wort to boil monday.

Monday, almost 24hrs later, my wort went sour (I think). I boiled it up, anyway, and did my normal routine. I pitched my yeasties, and the fermentation took off in 12 hours (normal).

My main worry is that I have no sense of smell. I was born without it, and no, I wasn't dropped as a baby (I think). I couldn't smell the wort before or after boiling, and I can't smell the fermentation either. The fermentation and boil *looked* normal. The pre-boil wort tasted sour.

What's the deal?

LayMeister

Recipes 

Sounds like you're brewing a Sour Ale. I love sour beers, especially Lambics!

In the future you may want to keep a few Camden tablets on hand. Just crush up 1 per gallon and add to the wort. Should kill any beasties and give you about 24 hours grace.

Paul

avidhomebrewer

Recipes 

If you like the zip of lemonade with a nice alcohol kick, you should like sour beers. Lambics (LayMeister) and Berlinner Weiss' are exceptionally tasty.

BigKahuna

Recipes 

you are you are.

I put a lot of effort into my sour ale....you're getting one effortlessly....almost.

Sounds GREAT!

If you don't like it....put the word out. Plenty of us like sour beer!

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EvilTOJ

Recipes 

Barley grains are rife with lactobaccilus bacteria. That's why they say not to grind your grain in the same area as your fermenters. So yes, it's probably a bit sour. I wouldn't worry about HSA, it's a homebrewers bogeyman.

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

beretta

Recipes 

Very interesting. I not did know lacto grew along with barley. I've never had a sour beer, nor did I know how to make one. I guess I do now! Now I'm really pumped about tasting the beer. The wort didn't taste horribly sour, just a bit different and less sweet than I'm used to.