landhoney
Well-Known Member
Did the Green Arrow get your attention?
Whether or not you can brew a sour/wild beer in a bucket has been coming up lately and I said I might give it a shot as an experiment. Today at lunch in a local sub shop they were selling 5 gallon food grade buckets* with lids for $2, so I got one.
The plan is to brew a Flanders, only ~4 gallons though to mimic the headspace you'd have in a ~6 gallon bucket with 5 gallons of wort in it. I was thinking of doing a side-by-side with glass, but I'm not sure that's necessary. The beer will turn out good, or it won't. Also I think even them same wort in the same type of vessel will turn out differently when making a sour beer. I'm going to make a pretty 'standard' recipe/gravity and use Roeselare. I have some that is 'second generation' so I may have to buy some to mimic 'normal' conditions.
Any thoughts or input on this? Something you like to see added/changed about this?
I get to drink the beer, but I'm doing this 'experiment' for the community. I realize that just because mine does or does not work, that it doesn't mean you can or cannot make a good sour beer in a bucket. There's little doubt that it has worked for some, and has not for others. My experiences will just add to the general knowledge, and help you make a better decision on what you want to brew in.
*The buckets are pickle buckets. Anyone know if I need to be worried that the brine has tainted the flavor of the bucket. Is there a way to test before my beer goes in? Or to clean in such a way that I will be assured the been won't taste like pickles? I should try a search, but I've never used a 'second hand' bucket before.
Whether or not you can brew a sour/wild beer in a bucket has been coming up lately and I said I might give it a shot as an experiment. Today at lunch in a local sub shop they were selling 5 gallon food grade buckets* with lids for $2, so I got one.
The plan is to brew a Flanders, only ~4 gallons though to mimic the headspace you'd have in a ~6 gallon bucket with 5 gallons of wort in it. I was thinking of doing a side-by-side with glass, but I'm not sure that's necessary. The beer will turn out good, or it won't. Also I think even them same wort in the same type of vessel will turn out differently when making a sour beer. I'm going to make a pretty 'standard' recipe/gravity and use Roeselare. I have some that is 'second generation' so I may have to buy some to mimic 'normal' conditions.
Any thoughts or input on this? Something you like to see added/changed about this?
I get to drink the beer, but I'm doing this 'experiment' for the community. I realize that just because mine does or does not work, that it doesn't mean you can or cannot make a good sour beer in a bucket. There's little doubt that it has worked for some, and has not for others. My experiences will just add to the general knowledge, and help you make a better decision on what you want to brew in.
*The buckets are pickle buckets. Anyone know if I need to be worried that the brine has tainted the flavor of the bucket. Is there a way to test before my beer goes in? Or to clean in such a way that I will be assured the been won't taste like pickles? I should try a search, but I've never used a 'second hand' bucket before.