First batch results: A tad sour

[hobbes]

I made a Wheat and Barley from extract kit, partial boil. Was in the fermenter for 2 weeks, bottle rested for at least a week. Final result was "not bad", but had a sour after taste to it. I don't feel that was intended in the kit, so does that indicate a possible infection?

I am sure I sanitized all bits of equipment and was very careful about what touched the wort, so all I can figure is something "fell in" while the wort was chilling in the sink ( ice bath ).

What do you all think?

 

[edmanster]

I've had wheat beers that have had a sourness to them but it's not an infection.. is it more of a twang then sour?

 

[Hamsterbite]

Hey Neighbor.

Was the wort covered while chilling or left open to the air? How long did it take to chill before you pitched your yeast?

 

[hobbes]

I've had wheat beers that have had a sourness to them but it's not an infection.. is it more of a twang then sour?

Maybe, but I don't know that I know the difference.

Hey Neighbor.

Was the wort covered while chilling or left open to the air? How long did it take to chill before you pitched your yeast?

Left open to the air, and I got it down to ~80 degrees in about 20 minutes via the ice bath.

I was thinking on my next batch I am going to put the lid on the kettle while it cools.

( oh, hey, just noticed your location. Grew up there )

 

[TopherM]

I make alot of Hefes, which are 50% wheat malt, and usually drink them at the 21 day mark, but I had a batch recently that was sour like you are describing, and it certainly wasn't an infection. I aged it for an extra 3-4 weeks, and it was fine. Let these sit and condition at room temp while you brew another batch!

FYI, short of having some wild yeast or wicked bateria breeding in your kitchen, there's not really much chance of infecting the beer while you cool it down. You don't really need to put a top on it during cooldown, and since heat ecapes mostly through the top, you are going to add quite a bit of time and extra ice to your cooldown if you go that route.

Good luck!

 

[Hamsterbite]

FYI, short of having some wild yeast or wicked bateria breeding in your kitchen, there's not really much chance of infecting the beer while you cool it down. You don't really need to put a top on it during cooldown, and since heat ecapes mostly through the top, you are going to add quite a bit of time and extra ice to your cooldown if you go that route.

Good luck!

Not to start a debate, but I think it's fair for the OP to know that it is generally a good idea to limit cool side wort exposure to open air. Bacteria/wild yeast inhabit dust particles. Your wort picks up all kinds of yeast and bacteria throughout the coldside process. It can be minimized, but not eliminated. A very low level of exposure would be considered sanitary. No exposure would be considered sterile, which for all practical purposes is not possible for homebrewers.
We want to limit this exposure as much as possible, because every spec of dust that makes it into your wort is a potential competitor of the yeast you pitch. Some wild yeasts and bacteria can thrive in the most inhospitable competitive environments. This is why we limit exposure where we reasonably can.