I want to brew a generic sour brown oaky beer

[spm1327]

I have a lot of questions about brewing a "sour". Yes - just a generic sour. From what I've tasted and read there is a lot of ambiguity between Oud Bruins and Flandres Reds, Belgian Browns...
Here's what I was thinking: (from what I've read)

4lbs belgian pilsner
1lbs caramunich 37L
1lbs caravienne 20L
1lbs tf&s dark crystal 70L?
.25 tf&s pale chocolate
1lbs candied beet sugar

1 package of pasteur champagne starter & 1 Wyeast Brettanomyces Lambicus

Primary 1 month, Secondary 2-3...

I'm shooting for a close to 6% ABV low IBU sour brown with a little oak. Hopefully low gravity < 1.012

When do I add wood chips? How much? Where do I get them?

I've had Monk's Cafe and Dutchese des Bourgogne a few times - not a big fan - too much residual sugar.

Bourgogne des Flandres or La Folie from New Belgium are more what I'm shooting for.

PS I understand maybe my expectations are unrealistic, but regardless I'm going to start brewing this in a few hours! ! ! ! ! ! :rockin:

 

[spm1327]

ok I did a champagne / brettanomyces starter and plan on starting this in the morning, hopefully some experienced sour peeps will see this (and help)

 

[kbuzz]

you might want to try reposting this here, you might get some more replies. Wish I could help, but I'm not much for sour beers...

 

[Homebrewtastic]

Brett L. doesn't really make that much sourness on it's own. It has a barnyardy/smoky quality. For sour beer Brettanomyces is typically used in conjunction with other bugs like pedio or lacto.

That being said I suggest fermenting your beer with a clean yeast, then adding bugs (I'm a big fan of Wyeast Roeselare Blend).

Also you posted this in the wrong place.

 

[Stratotankard]

Yes wrong place, but I'll answer anyway.

The champagne will likely dry out your beer and leave the slow acting brett with very little to chew on. Like Tastic says start with either a clean fermenting yeast (Cal ale is a good choice) and then pitch a blend of bugs or my personal preference is to just pitch the Roselare blend at the start (it does contain Sacc yeast).

Or if you want something not Belgian, but still brown and sour and oaky you could try a sour mashed Kentucky Common using 40% flaked corn and about 5% dark crystal in the mash. Then add oak in the fermenter (perhaps with a bit of bourbon?).

 

[spm1327]

thanks guys, this is a big help... but I'm wondering - how and where do I post? - new here :/ sorry