Vanderfell
Active Member
Hello everyone. I have done a number of kettle sours in the past and had great results. This will be my latest attempt at a Sour Blonde. Anyone think I am missing anything? This is about the most extensive write up I have ever done in 5 years of brewing, so criticism is great too!
Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Omega Lacto Blend + Imperial Yeast Citra (Maybe Imperial Flagship/Wyeast 1056, see primary fermentation)
Yeast Starter: Yes, for the Lacto. Imperial Yeast no, as it's so fresh here in the Portland area that it will be ripping within a few hours as a direct pitch. If I am really feeling it, I will do a small start to wake the yeast up ahead of my pitch, but this is not necessary.
Batch Size (Gallons): 5 gallons (I do 15 gallons at a time, so everything here will be tripled for me)
Original Gravity: 1.062
Final Gravity: 1.008
Boiling Time (Minutes): 15 for kettle sour, 60 for regular boil
IBU: 15 - 25
Primary Fermentation: Until it is done, usually about 10-14 days. At the 7 day mark (or when fermentation has slowed down), I may pitch a fruit puree in one of the three fermenters I will have, most likely apricot. If I were adding a non-citrus fruit, which I may, I will use Imperial Flagship yeast for that batch which is the same as Wyeast 1056 American Ale. Imperial Citra is a great yeast, as it mimics some Brett-like qualities while being a Saccharomyces strain, but also as the name implies, will add a citrus like quality. If adding say sour cherries, citrus is quite the clash. Flagship/Wyeast 1056 does not add any yeast characteristics, and is a great substitution in this case.
Grain Bill:
7 lb Belgian Pilsner malt
3.5 lb White wheat
8 oz Flaked rye
8 oz Flaked oats
Hops:
1 oz Cascade at 30 minutes (I may use mosaic instead, great citrus flavor)
Water:
I am spoiled on this. Pacific Northwest water, especially in Beaverton, is pretty pristine. I have gotten into the habit of pre-boiling my water the night before. I have a half-barrel system, so I will bring 20 gallons of water to a boil for 5 minutes to boil off any chlorine, and when I get up first thing in the morning I only need to bring the temp up a few degrees for my mash. It may be more anecdotal, but I have found my beer has been coming out better since I have been doing this. It also REALLY cuts down on the brew day. I usually am able to mash in, make my coffee, shower, make a little breakfast, all before 8am with no stress, and no need to use my thinky-thinky parts early in the morning.
Other:
I add whirl-floc and Yeast nutirant at the 15 minute mark as well, as well as a 15 min whirlpool prior to chilling.
Process:
Day 1
Make a 500ml starter with the lacto blend.
Day 2
Mash day/lacto pitch
Brew like a normal brew day, nothing special here. Bring to boil, follow hop schedule, finings etc, chill, pitch yeast.
What are everyone's thoughts here?
Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Omega Lacto Blend + Imperial Yeast Citra (Maybe Imperial Flagship/Wyeast 1056, see primary fermentation)
Yeast Starter: Yes, for the Lacto. Imperial Yeast no, as it's so fresh here in the Portland area that it will be ripping within a few hours as a direct pitch. If I am really feeling it, I will do a small start to wake the yeast up ahead of my pitch, but this is not necessary.
Batch Size (Gallons): 5 gallons (I do 15 gallons at a time, so everything here will be tripled for me)
Original Gravity: 1.062
Final Gravity: 1.008
Boiling Time (Minutes): 15 for kettle sour, 60 for regular boil
IBU: 15 - 25
Primary Fermentation: Until it is done, usually about 10-14 days. At the 7 day mark (or when fermentation has slowed down), I may pitch a fruit puree in one of the three fermenters I will have, most likely apricot. If I were adding a non-citrus fruit, which I may, I will use Imperial Flagship yeast for that batch which is the same as Wyeast 1056 American Ale. Imperial Citra is a great yeast, as it mimics some Brett-like qualities while being a Saccharomyces strain, but also as the name implies, will add a citrus like quality. If adding say sour cherries, citrus is quite the clash. Flagship/Wyeast 1056 does not add any yeast characteristics, and is a great substitution in this case.
Grain Bill:
7 lb Belgian Pilsner malt
3.5 lb White wheat
8 oz Flaked rye
8 oz Flaked oats
Hops:
1 oz Cascade at 30 minutes (I may use mosaic instead, great citrus flavor)
Water:
I am spoiled on this. Pacific Northwest water, especially in Beaverton, is pretty pristine. I have gotten into the habit of pre-boiling my water the night before. I have a half-barrel system, so I will bring 20 gallons of water to a boil for 5 minutes to boil off any chlorine, and when I get up first thing in the morning I only need to bring the temp up a few degrees for my mash. It may be more anecdotal, but I have found my beer has been coming out better since I have been doing this. It also REALLY cuts down on the brew day. I usually am able to mash in, make my coffee, shower, make a little breakfast, all before 8am with no stress, and no need to use my thinky-thinky parts early in the morning.
Other:
I add whirl-floc and Yeast nutirant at the 15 minute mark as well, as well as a 15 min whirlpool prior to chilling.
Process:
Day 1
Make a 500ml starter with the lacto blend.
Day 2
Mash day/lacto pitch
- Conduct 60 minute mash as normal using above grain and water
- Collect enough wort that you will end up with your desired amount for preboil/post boil volumes.
- Bring wort to a boil.
- Boil for 15 minutes.
- Chill to 95-100 degrees.
- Bubble CO2 through the wort from the bottom. DO NOT OXYGENATE. Ideally, purge O2 Out of wort with CO2. I do this for 2-3 minutes. I start the next step while bubbling CO2 into wort.
- Cover boil kettle with saran wrap.
- Before kettle is completely covered, pitch the lacto
- Finish covering kettle with saran wrap
- Put lid on kettle over the saran wrap
- Let sit 24-36 hours. That will drop pH into 3.2-3.7 range. Sometimes, I pre-acidify with lactic acid, I may do that here. Usually in the morning and the evening I will fire the kettle until it warms back up to 90 degrees when it drops below 80.
Brew like a normal brew day, nothing special here. Bring to boil, follow hop schedule, finings etc, chill, pitch yeast.
What are everyone's thoughts here?
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