Sour Mash: How long to sour?

Mainer28 · Apr 5, 2012

I have 4.5 gallons of wort that I put in an old bottling bucket with a handful of grain to sour. Ive been able to keep it about about 100-120 degrees.

How many hours would you let this go? I don't have a PH meter to measure PH.

Nateo · Apr 5, 2012

2 days for tart, 3 days for sour. At least that's what works for me. YMMV and so on.

Mainer28 · Apr 5, 2012

Thanks, I am at 36 hours right now.

barrooze · Apr 23, 2012

I did 48 hrs. Got VERY tart.

messersc · Jun 29, 2012

I did 25 hours on my first kriek. Just tasted the wort and, while the sweetness of the unfermented stuff might be masking some of the sourness, I would say that no matter what your taste, you'll want to let it go longer. There's a noticeable tartness, but not quite true-to-style.

Nateo · Jun 29, 2012

messersc said:
I did 25 hours on my first kriek. Just tasted the wort and, while the sweetness of the unfermented stuff might be masking some of the sourness, I would say that no matter what your taste, you'll want to let it go longer. There's a noticeable tartness, but not quite true-to-style.

It will taste much sweeter before it's fermented. If you're using Brettanomyces or other highly attenuative bugs/yeast it will get much more sour post-ferment.

messersc · Jun 30, 2012

That's good to hear!

I'm using the "Lambic blend" culture cocktail from Wyeast: Brett, sherry yeast, a Belgian wheat yeast, and lactic acid bacteria.

Nateo · Jun 30, 2012

Unless I'm making a Berliner Weisse, I'll only pre-sour about half the wort. Krieks aren't necessarily particularly sour, in the grand scheme of sour beers. Kriek de Ranke is around 3.5, though pH alone can be misleading. Cherries contain mostly malic acid, which is perceived as "more sour" than lactic acid.

Sour Mash: How long to sour?

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