I have a wee heavy, 7.5%, been aging since January in a better bottle with some oak chips soaked in bourbon. Second time using the chips and little to no flavor from them, and no infections at all. I could bottle or keg but thinking of adding fresh oak soaked in bourbon and a bug mix of some kind? Sound good?
A beer I'm considering souring
- Thread starter bd2xu
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Here's what I'm thinking now. I have plenty of Belgian 750's, corks and cages. Thinking of getting a brett culture and adding it to the 5 gallon batch while bottling. Beer is 1.076 OG and 1.021 now, Wee Heavy.
- Do I need to add any sugar at bottling, or is 1.021 enough residual for the Brett to consume and carb?
- Add any more yeast, like champagne yeast, along with the Brett?
- If add a little bourbon at bottling, with Brett, that ok?
- Do I need to add any sugar at bottling, or is 1.021 enough residual for the Brett to consume and carb?
- Add any more yeast, like champagne yeast, along with the Brett?
- If add a little bourbon at bottling, with Brett, that ok?
inflictor-of-grimness
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't bottle a brett beer at 1.021. Too unpredictable. It would probably carbonate, and way over carbonate at that gravity.
feinbera
Well-Known Member
Heh, I did the same thing with a disappointing holiday ale a few months ago; I'll tell ya how it came out in a couple months!
At least in terms of getting the flavors you're looking for, you probably don't need to add any sugar; 1.021 will leave plenty for the bugs to chew on. Ditto on the champagne yeast; bugs work slow, so it might take 2x-3x as long, but they will carb the beer. However, your best bet is probably to let the bugs chew on the residual sugars for a few months, then once the gravity's stabilized again, add your simple priming sugar of choice as if you're bottle carbing a clean beer.
Finally, if you're looking for sour rather than just funky, you're going to need more than just brett (although, you'll want the brett, too, to clean up after the pedio). You can get a vial of sour blend, or just grow up a starter from dregs of one or more favorite commercial sours.
At least in terms of getting the flavors you're looking for, you probably don't need to add any sugar; 1.021 will leave plenty for the bugs to chew on. Ditto on the champagne yeast; bugs work slow, so it might take 2x-3x as long, but they will carb the beer. However, your best bet is probably to let the bugs chew on the residual sugars for a few months, then once the gravity's stabilized again, add your simple priming sugar of choice as if you're bottle carbing a clean beer.
Finally, if you're looking for sour rather than just funky, you're going to need more than just brett (although, you'll want the brett, too, to clean up after the pedio). You can get a vial of sour blend, or just grow up a starter from dregs of one or more favorite commercial sours.
