Accidental Lambic Stout

[LordofMisrule]

Hi guys

So, I recently tried to brew a Rye Stout. Hearing somewhere that a higher strike temperature might mitigate the much-dreaded stuck sparge, I mashed very hot, at around 82 (C) and also sparged a great deal (7.5 gal, preboil). The OG was sufficiently high after a huge boil (down to 1.05), and I pitched my ale yeast to leave it.

Around a week ago, the yeast conked out, with the gravity at 1.02. A week later, a sturdy looking pellicle developed. With some subsequent readings online, I've learned that the high boil may have denatured the enzymes and produced some sugars unfermentable by ale yeast.

I've used this barrel before for lambic styles, and thought it had been sterilised, but I guess not (In any case, i'd still like to keep it going to see what comes of it). My question is this: is the Brett likely to be able to ferment the sugars/proteins left in by the high boil, or are these unfermentable to brett, lacto & the gang?

Yours

DMC (LoM)

 

[ThatVideoKid]

I have heard that it is almost impossible to get Brett out of a barrel. They can work their way several mm deep into the wood. I'm not sure about the other bugs though. I don't think it is possible to truly sterilize something so porous like a barrel.

 

[Dcpcooks]

Wow that's a hot mash! I'm not sure what you've got left in the form of sugars, or if they are fermentable or not. I am pretty sure you did not sanitize the barrel. Your just gonna have to wait this one out to see what you get.

 

[LordofMisrule]

The result of this experiment was that, while the wild yeast was, indeed able to ferment the remaining gravity to bottling level, when combined with cherry bar, it produced a funky, medicinal mess. back to the drawing board!