topping up

Do you guys do it? If you do how do you do it without disturbing your pellicle?

I'm guessing here because I am new to sour brews myself-but will state my beliefs so other can comment to affirm or correct my line of thinking.

My understanding is you wouldn't disturb the Pellicle as it forms to protect the brew from Oxygen? Is this correct?

I also have a question of my own. I have read where others have made mention of "tasting" their brew to check on the developement of the sour notes of their brew. How is this done if there is a Pellicle in place on the top of the brew?

If you break the pellicle with a wine thief to taste the beer it will reform.

Is there any other reason to not disturb the pellicle? Is it strictly a means to keep O2 off the beer? Wouldn't topping up regularly achieve the same thing?

sw341034 said:

Is there any other reason to not disturb the pellicle? Is it strictly a means to keep O2 off the beer? Wouldn't topping up regularly achieve the same thing?

Click to expand...

Its the Brett using the oxygen in the headspace and growing/thriving, if there is no headspace and/or no oxygen then I would imagine you'd have less Brett'yness. I think that's why barrels are effective and used by the pros, right amount of oxygen for the brett (and others). My understanding at least.

If you had a ported better bottle, you could always take the sample off the bottom I suppose without messing with the pellicle. Topping off wouldn't work though...