Margarita Gose

[Morrey]

You think 5 or 6 caps straight into wort will be fine or will a starter be more effective? Have you tried using only the Swanson probiotics, if so what was your method for souring. I have read many mixed reviews on hows others have done it...

I use OYL-605 most of the time since it has never failed me. I had one pouch that was past exp and I was suspect. I added Swanson L Plantarum caps into the starter and all went fine.

I know many who just pitch direct into wort. To me, it stands to reason that making a starter with the caps would give the lacto a head start and get it working and ready for the big pitch. If you go the straight into wort route, I'd be interested in hearing your results. I bet it will work just fine.

 

[Izzie1701]

So just sampled this today for the first time. Advice to anyone looking to brew it. Over sour it if anything don't under sour it. Brew day came along thought I had Ph test strips and turns out they only test to 4.0. First sour attempt. I let it sour 36 hours as 24 hours the ph was still showing 4.4. At 36 I tested and it was off the paper. Apparently not enough though. I sampled the kettle sour and it seemed sour so thought it would get more sour after fermentation. Didn't really. The salt over powered everything and was like drinking a sweat filled beer. Yuck. I decided to add some lactic acid to see if I could save it. The more sour it got the better. Not sure where my PH is but I added a lot of lactic and now it's not awesome but drinkable. I'm guessing the lactic acid just doesn't have the complexity of a true sour to make it great as everyone has said. Going to have to try this again when I actually have a Ph monitor. Hopefully once carbed and aged for a few weeks it taste better. Was a warm sample too so that could add to it. Learning curve and an oops.

 

[Sillybilly]

So just sampled this today for the first time. Advice to anyone looking to brew it. Over sour it if anything don't under sour it. Brew day came along thought I had Ph test strips and turns out they only test to 4.0. First sour attempt. I let it sour 36 hours as 24 hours the ph was still showing 4.4. At 36 I tested and it was off the paper. Apparently not enough though. I sampled the kettle sour and it seemed sour so thought it would get more sour after fermentation. Didn't really. The salt over powered everything and was like drinking a sweat filled beer. Yuck. I decided to add some lactic acid to see if I could save it. The more sour it got the better. Not sure where my PH is but I added a lot of lactic and now it's not awesome but drinkable. I'm guessing the lactic acid just doesn't have the complexity of a true sour to make it great as everyone has said. Going to have to try this again when I actually have a Ph monitor. Hopefully once carbed and aged for a few weeks it taste better. Was a warm sample too so that could add to it. Learning curve and an oops.

You want to get the wine pH stripes, they measure 2.8 to 4.4. That's what I used because i have not justified pulling trigger on a proper pH meter ( I also had one of those 10 dollar meters which is about as precise as the strips).

How did you sour it and did you adjust pH to 4.5 before pitching lacto?

I brewed a kettle sour on Friday, I will post my results once its complete and i have my notes but off the top of my head i pitched 5 caps straight into 5.5 gallons of wort and had about a 24-36 hour lag without any noticeable pH drop, but so by 48 hours I saw some activity happening and it dropped from ~4.6 to ~4.2 and by 72 it was at like ~3.6. But by 72 hours the airlock was bubbling and what looked more like a krausen as opposed to the frothy foam so i got nervous i picked up something and decided to boil.

It had a nice tartness, but as a kid who grew up on Warheads and sour skittles, i would have liked much more. Next time I think I will do a starter though and give the lacto a good head start and maybe add one or two more caps. I also did not realize they need to be stored cold, hopefully between shipping and be leaving them out for a week i didn't lose much viability.

 

[TravelingLight]

So just sampled this today for the first time. Advice to anyone looking to brew it. Over sour it if anything don't under sour it. Brew day came along thought I had Ph test strips and turns out they only test to 4.0. First sour attempt. I let it sour 36 hours as 24 hours the ph was still showing 4.4. At 36 I tested and it was off the paper. Apparently not enough though. I sampled the kettle sour and it seemed sour so thought it would get more sour after fermentation. Didn't really. The salt over powered everything and was like drinking a sweat filled beer. Yuck. I decided to add some lactic acid to see if I could save it. The more sour it got the better. Not sure where my PH is but I added a lot of lactic and now it's not awesome but drinkable. I'm guessing the lactic acid just doesn't have the complexity of a true sour to make it great as everyone has said. Going to have to try this again when I actually have a Ph monitor. Hopefully once carbed and aged for a few weeks it taste better. Was a warm sample too so that could add to it. Learning curve and an oops.

That sucks. FWIW, I just did this beer and it was my first kettle sour. I got my ph down to about 3.2-3.3 in about 19 hours (IIRC). Were you keeping the wort warm while souring? That definitely speeds up the process. I kept mine in a bucket in a water bath with an aquarium heater and an air stone to move the water. Kept it around 80-85 degrees the whole time. It tasted mildly tart, but it was hard to really tell because of all the unfermented sugars in it. Well, after it fermented out on 05 for two weeks, it's nice and tart. And I'll be damned if the 05 didn't drop the gravity all the way to 1.004. I was impressed. Haven't used 05 since I started brewing. I just racked this beer to my keg yesterday on top of the two tinctures. Force carbed it so I'll give it a taste in a day or so. Although, I suspect this beer won't "peak" until all the flavors meld together.

 

[Sillybilly]

That sucks. FWIW, I just did this beer and it was my first kettle sour. I got my ph down to about 3.2-3.3 in about 19 hours (IIRC). Were you keeping the wort warm while souring? That definitely speeds up the process. I kept mine in a bucket in a water bath with an aquarium heater and an air stone to move the water. Kept it around 80-85 degrees the whole time. It tasted mildly tart, but it was hard to really tell because of all the unfermented sugars in it. Well, after it fermented out on 05 for two weeks, it's nice and tart. And I'll be damned if the 05 didn't drop the gravity all the way to 1.004. I was impressed. Haven't used 05 since I started brewing. I just racked this beer to my keg yesterday on top of the two tinctures. Force carbed it so I'll give it a taste in a day or so. Although, I suspect this beer won't "peak" until all the flavors meld together.

What was your source of lacto and did you use a starter?

 

[Morrey]

So just sampled this today for the first time. Advice to anyone looking to brew it. Over sour it if anything don't under sour it. Brew day came along thought I had Ph test strips and turns out they only test to 4.0. First sour attempt. I let it sour 36 hours as 24 hours the ph was still showing 4.4. At 36 I tested and it was off the paper. Apparently not enough though. I sampled the kettle sour and it seemed sour so thought it would get more sour after fermentation. Didn't really. The salt over powered everything and was like drinking a sweat filled beer. Yuck. I decided to add some lactic acid to see if I could save it. The more sour it got the better. Not sure where my PH is but I added a lot of lactic and now it's not awesome but drinkable. I'm guessing the lactic acid just doesn't have the complexity of a true sour to make it great as everyone has said. Going to have to try this again when I actually have a Ph monitor. Hopefully once carbed and aged for a few weeks it taste better. Was a warm sample too so that could add to it. Learning curve and an oops.

One of my first attempts with a Gose had a similar problem in that I wasn't really sure how sour (or how long) to let it go. If you do it by taste, the sweetness of the unfermented wort plays with your taste buds against the sour levels. That is the hardest part deciding when to kill off the lacto and stop the souring process. I like to go to 3.2 but is probably a more sour level than some choose. 3.3 is fine or 3.4 to feel your way around the low end. 3.6 is slightly sour so you can see how tight the numbers are at this critical level. I read Otra Vez from SN to be 3.7 and that is a mild sour in my opinion.

Bringing you to the critical decision to buy a decent ph meter. I went the Amazon route and bought a $15 meter. Worked fine til it displayed all 8888888's in the display screen and went belly up. 31 days to be exact and I was out of the return window. I read and researched and bought a Hach Pocket Pro + Ph meter. I think it was $124 or close, so this is something to give some thought. I do use mine all the time so I am getting my moneys worth.

You can certainly cut back on the salt per your individual tastes. I go a bit heavy on the salt as I am emulating the flavor profiles of a margarita with a salt rimmed glass. YMMV so add to taste....maybe 3/4 oz? With a heavy sour level and a high carb level, those factors offset the salt to me.

I have read more than just your post in that many first time Gose brewers say I wished I had let it sour a bit longer. I'm not sure if its a situation that the brewer is so anxious to move forward, or if it is a play it safe this time situation. Possibly it is a not knowing what to expect or look for. Long story short, I don't think I have ever heard a first time kettle sour brewer say I got it over soured this first time. Seems to be a common denominator to under sour your first Gose. Good plan to use the lactic, but as you found, it seems a bit one dimensional in comparison. Carbing helps some too as does chilling. It may get better as it mellows. Now that you have a benchmark to compare it, your next brew will be much more comfortable.

(Note: This is an advanced level beer due to so many things to consider. You did very well and will only get better)

 

[Morrey]

But by 72 hours the airlock was bubbling and what looked more like a krausen as opposed to the frothy foam so i got nervous i picked up something and decided to boil.

Did you do your kettle sour in a fermenter or carboy with an airlock? I have always simply left mine in the boil kettle with the lid on sitting right on my burner. Dropping the ph down to 4.5 with lactic acid prior to the lacto pitch helps stave off any nasties.

 

[Izzie1701]

Did you do your kettle sour in a fermenter or carboy with an airlock? I have always simply left mine in the boil kettle with the lid on sitting right on my burner. Dropping the ph down to 4.5 with lactic acid prior to the lacto pitch helps stave off any nasties.

Wow I didn't expect that many responses that quickly. I did it in my temp controlled kettle. I lowered my Ph to 4.5 after my mash with lactic acid. Then pitched white labs lacto basilis (later read this stuff isn't the greatest when I posted worries after 24 hours that it wasn't doing anything). Held temp at 100F the entire time. I also used cling wrap sitting right on top of the wort to keep O2 off of it. I tested at 7am before I left to work and when it taste it it taste pretty sour and was below 4. I actually panicked thinking whoa if it's sour now when it ferments it's going to be really sour. I guess maybe at 7am not so sour taste really sour. Anyways I cracked my kettle up to 170 that morning let it sit there for 5 mins then shut it off covered he wort again went to work and then boiled it that night.

The salty wasn't hmm salty. I don't think it's to much salt because when you add more lactic to it the salt is perfect. It's just before it gets really sour it taste like when you have sweat roll down your face and onto your lips. Salty but gross salty. Sorry not sure how to explain it. It's mostly the after taste. Once soured to sour the salt plays well with it. I literally think I just under soured it.

 

[Sillybilly]

Did you do your kettle sour in a fermenter or carboy with an airlock? I have always simply left mine in the boil kettle with the lid on sitting right on my burner. Dropping the ph down to 4.5 with lactic acid prior to the lacto pitch helps stave off any nasties.

I soured in a plastic fermenter bucket with airlock mainly because I dont have CO2 to purge with so i wanted to minimize head space. I figured there might be something hiding in FV, but was banking on the lacto finishing up before anything could take hold. And there is still a chance it was just the lacto being busy because it only dropped 2 gravity points, but if i didn't boil at that time i would have to wait 24 hours so if there was something else in there, it could do some damage before I could boil.

I did lower pH to 4.5(-ish *pH strips*) before pitching. This too is my first kettle sour attempt, so all things consider I am happy with the progress thus far. Pitched full pack of re-hydrated us-05 for each 2.5 gallon split last night.

 

[Morrey]

Then pitched white labs lacto basilis (later read this stuff isn't the greatest when I posted worries after 24 hours that it wasn't doing anything).

Way back when, I tried one of those White Labs lacto packs and it ended up being contaminated with yeast. It started fermenting in the starter, then it finished fermentation in the kettle...it never did sour but it fermented out in 3 days. Pitched that one down the drain, shifted to Omega Labs OYL-605 and haven't had a failure since. Very forgiving with a wide range of souring temps.

**White Labs was very gracious and sent me a complimentary gift card for a yeast of my choice at the LHBS.

 

[TravelingLight]

What was your source of lacto and did you use a starter?

I used OYL-605. Yep, did a starter (no stir plate though, because lacto).

 

[Morrey]

I used OYL-605. Yep, did a starter (no stir plate though, because lacto).

OYL-605 is seriously the way to go. It costs more but the results are predictable. If someone dumps a batch that didn't sour correctly, what does that cost as a comparison?

 

[TravelingLight]

UPDATE...

I got my first attempt at this kegged on Monday of this week. Did my standard practice of 30 psi, rolling the keg, 24 hours later, down to serving pressure, blah blah you all know the process. Anyway, tasted the first sample yesterday. Pretty pleased for my first gose. I wish it had more of a pucker factor, but I put the blame for that firmly on me. When I make this again, I'll let it sour longer before boiling. I don't have my notes with me, but from what I remember, my ph was down to about 3.3 in 19 hours. Next time I'm taking it down to 3.0 (if possible). I feel like the salt is spot on. It's just barely there in the background. The lime is good, but I imagine in about 2 weeks it'll be spot on. Overall, I'm super pleased for my first kettle soured gose. Ready to do this again!

Side note: When I made a starter with my 605, I followed my usual practice of overbuilding and harvesting off 500 ml or so and stored in the fridge in a jar. I always do this with sacc yeasts but this is my first time with a pure lacto culture. Will I have any trouble pitching that into a starter when I'm ready to brew another gose?

 

[Morrey]

UPDATE...

I got my first attempt at this kegged on Monday of this week. Did my standard practice of 30 psi, rolling the keg, 24 hours later, down to serving pressure, blah blah you all know the process. Anyway, tasted the first sample yesterday. Pretty pleased for my first gose. I wish it had more of a pucker factor, but I put the blame for that firmly on me. When I make this again, I'll let it sour longer before boiling. I don't have my notes with me, but from what I remember, my ph was down to about 3.3 in 19 hours. Next time I'm taking it down to 3.0 (if possible). I feel like the salt is spot on. It's just barely there in the background. The lime is good, but I imagine in about 2 weeks it'll be spot on. Overall, I'm super pleased for my first kettle soured gose. Ready to do this again!

Side note: When I made a starter with my 605, I followed my usual practice of overbuilding and harvesting off 500 ml or so and stored in the fridge in a jar. I always do this with sacc yeasts but this is my first time with a pure lacto culture. Will I have any trouble pitching that into a starter when I'm ready to brew another gose?

I have never saved back a lacto starter, but I know KeyWestBrewer does regularly. You may need to refresh or feed the starter occasionally.

Now that your Gose has had a week or two to settle off, are you enjoying the beer?

 

[TravelingLight]

I have never saved back a lacto starter, but I know KeyWestBrewer does regularly. You may need to refresh or feed the starter occasionally.

Now that your Gose has had a week or two to settle off, are you enjoying the beer?

Oh man, I'm definitely enjoying it! I've gotten lots of compliments on it. And for that, I thank YOU! I'm already thinking of other gose variants I can do with this base. I feel like the keg gets better with each pour. I'm anxious to see what it's like in another few weeks...if it lasts that long!

 

[Morrey]

Oh man, I'm definitely enjoying it! I've gotten lots of compliments on it. And for that, I thank YOU! I'm already thinking of other gose variants I can do with this base. I feel like the keg gets better with each pour. I'm anxious to see what it's like in another few weeks...if it lasts that long!

Oh man...it won't last long. I love a watermelon Gose too if interested.

 

[Sillybilly]

How would you go about bottling this beer? My plan is to add tinctures to bottling bucket and prime to 3.0 volumes.

 

[TravelingLight]

How would you go about bottling this beer? My plan is to add tinctures to bottling bucket and prime to 3.0 volumes.

That's exactly what I would do. Put the liquid from the tinctures in the bucket along with your priming solution and rack on top to mix.

 

[Sillybilly]

Sounds like a plan, Thanks!

 

[Sillybilly]

Got it bottled up this weekend, sample tasted good, just a bit sharp on the tequila and lime, but i image that will fade after awhile. Definitely wish i could have gotten pH closer to 3.1, but oh well... Excited for this guy to get carbed up. I think the probiotics pills worked well, but next time I am going to make a starter

 

[Sillybilly]

Its bottled, carbed, and quite delicious. For 2.5 gallons, I added ¾ oz sea salt (from memory, I’d have to check my notes to be sure) at 5 minutes and made my tincture using 3 limes and maybe 1 oz of oak chips in tequila for 2 weeks which was added at bottling. pH was only 3.5 at bottling but the higher carbonation and lime helps increase the acidity. It has a nice lime/citrus and tequila aroma. Tastes tart and finishes dry, I get lime and tequila initially with some saltiness and with a hint of oak afterwards, as quoted by a fellow brewer, “tastes like a margarita”.

Goals for next time: Get pH lower, add more oak - probably just go with cubes, and possible add some more salt (next time I visit my brother in S. Carolina, I’d love to bring back some seawater for my salt addition, although that’d probably be better suited for a regular Gose).

Thanks Morrey for the awesome recipe and I look forward to brewing this one again!

 

[Morrey]

Love it when a plan comes together!

 

[zmanzorro]

I had recently created a Margarita Gose too, using a very similar method. If you want save a few bucks and can find it, use GoodBelly Lemon/Ginger SuperShots. They are about $1.50 each and contain 50B cells per Shot.

 

[Morrey]

I had recently created a Margarita Gose too, using a very similar method. If you want save a few bucks and can find it, use GoodBelly Lemon/Ginger SuperShots. They are about $1.50 each and contain 50B cells per Shot.

I wish I could find GoodBelly probiotic shots locally. I sometimes use Swanson L Plantarum tablets...in fact I started a culture last night with these tablets to pitch in a batch I will make on Thursday and kettle sour until the weekend.

 

[bkboiler]

i would love a recipe for this also if you'd be so kind as to share! pm me, please or post.
Ballast Point is down the street from me and makes a "Gose down with the Ship" that is pretty fantastic.

 

[chumpsteak]

I made this a few weeks ago and it turned out awesome. It was my first fast sour and the LHBS was out of Lacto and the L plantarum tablets I ordered hadn't arrived yet so I was forced to do the malted grain method. Tried holding wort in kettle over 100 degrees but probably dropped to mid 80s a couple times. After about 42hrs the wort was down to a pH of 3.45. I had to get going on the boil so I added enough lactic acid to get it down to 3.35...took about 9ml. Boiled for 15 min with the hops and added 1oz crushed toasted coriander and a little less than 1oz of red Sea salt at 5 min. Chilled and fermented at 68 with US05 with no issues for 11 days and then cold crashed for 3 days. Kegged with 3/4 cup of tequila that had been soaking with peels of 2 limes for 2weeks, and 3/4 cups tequila soaked with about 15 light oak chips. Force carbed and it tasted awesome immediately. Smells like a margarita and tastes pretty close too. I think the 3.35 pH is pretty good for my taste. All the goses I've tried recently have been 3.3 to 3.5 so I think it's pretty normal.

Anyway it's an awesome beer and now I'm hooked on fast sours. Thanks for the recipe.

 

[Sillybilly]

i would love a recipe for this also if you'd be so kind as to share! pm me, please or post.
Ballast Point is down the street from me and makes a "Gose down with the Ship" that is pretty fantastic.

The recipe is on the first post, but basically, 50-50 wheat/2-row to OG 1.040, kettle sour the wort, once soured bring to boil and add hops for LOW IBUs, cool and ferment with sacc yeast (US-05 is good choice), while fermenting make tinctures with lime & tequila and oak & tequila which are added to taste at packaging.

 

[Morrey]

i would love a recipe for this also if you'd be so kind as to share! pm me, please or post.
Ballast Point is down the street from me and makes a "Gose down with the Ship" that is pretty fantastic.

BKBoiler shoot me an email at [email protected] and I'll reply with a detailed recipe as a word doc.

 

[Morrey]

TravelingLight posed a question to me that made sense: Why do you do a 60 min boil with this Gose. I think my answer was "I have always done it that way". LOL Old dog syndrome. But I have thought about this a good bit since he asked.

I have a batch kettle souring now so I have decided to try a 30 minute boil. I have adjusted my hop addition to give me 8 IBU with a 30 min boil vs a 60 min boil, and I adjusted my full volume mash to reflect a shorter boil time with less evaporation. My only other concern is DMS but I don't think this will be a huge issue, plus any temp over 170-180F will kill off the lacto...no concern here. With these factors considered, I am exbeerimenting with a shorter boil time. I saved a couple of bottles of my last Gose (60 min boil) before the keg kicked, so I'll compare to see if I can detect any differences in the shorter boil time. Ok TravelingLight, maybe this old dog has learned a new trick! Thanks Bro.

 

[TravelingLight]

TravelingLight posed a question to me that made sense: Why do you do a 60 min boil with this Gose. I think my answer was "I have always done it that way". LOL Old dog syndrome. But I have thought about this a good bit since he asked.

I have a batch kettle souring now so I have decided to try a 30 minute boil. I have adjusted my hop addition to give me 8 IBU with a 30 min boil vs a 60 min boil, and I adjusted my full volume mash to reflect a shorter boil time with less evaporation. My only other concern is DMS but I don't think this will be a huge issue, plus any temp over 170-180F will kill off the lacto...no concern here. With these factors considered, I am exbeerimenting with a shorter boil time. I saved a couple of bottles of my last Gose (60 min boil) before the keg kicked, so I'll compare to see if I can detect any differences in the shorter boil time. Ok TravelingLight, maybe this old dog has learned a new trick! Thanks Bro.

Yeah man! You may or may not remember, but I didn't do a full 60 minute boil on mine. I had planned for a 30 minute boil, but truthfully, it ended up only boiling for about 15 minutes because I ran out of propane. Then my back up tank rank out. Then my back up for my back up ran out. So, in all, I only boiled for about 15 minutes. Didn't have any trouble. Still hit my numbers too, for the most part, IIRC.

 

[Sillybilly]

I'd have to check my notes, but I am pretty sure my boil was 30 minutes as well...

 

[chumpsteak]

I only did a 15 min boil on my batch. Figured it for 15 min in beersmith before I started so gravity came out fine. Hops at 15 min for 8 IBU and salt/coriander for 5 min. I did forget worlfloc at 15, but being a wheat beer I suppose it doesn't matter much. Chiller goes in at 15 min too.

 

[TravelingLight]

...I did forget worlfloc at 15, but being a wheat beer I suppose it doesn't matter much...

You bring up a great point. I used moss in mine because that's just what I usually do. Never used whirlfloc before but it's essentially the same thing as irish moss, right? Or at least does the same thing?

Reason I ask is, has anyone done this grist without any moss/whirlfloc? When I first kegged this beer it looked nice and cloudy, like a 50% wheat beer typically would. I cold crashed but did not gelatin or otherwise fin. I'm at the tail end of my keg now, and it's been on a while. But it is absolutely clear as hell now. I don't mind it at all. I'm just curious. I gave a bottle to a Bell's rep buddy of mine who said the clarity was "brilliant." As he also said, I guess time is really the best fining agent? I might have one full pint left in the keg. If it's as clear when I pour it I'll try and snap a pic.

Morrey, do yours clear up a helluva lot in the keg after a while?

 

[Morrey]

Morrey, do yours clear up a helluva lot in the keg after a while?

Absolutely. I never use Whirfloc in a wheat styled beer of which I make several including Alagash White, Blue Moon, Hefeweisen, Gose, Hoppy Gumball Head, etc. Of course these beers containing wheat are cloudy as this is a typically desirable.

But, in answer to your question, the beer does clear gradually in the keg over time. All of the proteins and yeast cells in these low flocculating beers finally do settle out and get drawn up in the dip tube. After a month in the keg at low temps, you'll have virtually clear beer.

This is not only true of a beer containing wheat, but any beer for that matter. I made a Pilsen Lager that had a bit of cloudiness after a month lagering. After I tapped and started serving the lager, it was clear as a bell by half thru the keg. Cold crashing takes a good while if not aided by gelatin or a similar fining agent. Even then it is not as quick as some think

 

[chumpsteak]

Made this again this week since the last batch turned out so good and is almost gone. This time made a starter with 10 L.Plantarum caps for a 10 gallons batch. Starter dropped to 3.3 within 2 days and 10 gallons of wort dropped to 3.3 in about 40 hours at room temperature. Very impressed with the L.Plantarum. will do 5 gallons of margarita gose and 5 gallons of another flavor.

 

[Morrey]

Made this again this week since the last batch turned out so good and is almost gone. This time made a starter with 10 L.Plantarum caps for a 10 gallons batch. Starter dropped to 3.3 within 2 days and 10 gallons of wort dropped to 3.3 in about 40 hours at room temperature. Very impressed with the L.Plantarum. will do 5 gallons of margarita gose and 5 gallons of another flavor.

Good deal! I got a Gose in the fermenter and lime zest in tequila as we speak preparing to rack into keg this Sat. I hit my all time low of 3.16ph with L Plantarum this time. This one is sure to be tart.

I brew in an unheated mancave, so I was hesitant to leave the kettle out to sour with our crazy weather in SC. I racked into a fermenter to sour in a controlled chamber at 87F, then hit 3.16ph right at 48 hours. Maybe this controlled, even temp made the difference.

Added one step by racking into fermenter, then back into kettle after souring but well worth it IMHO.

 

[TravelingLight]

Good deal! I got a Gose in the fermenter and lime zest in tequila as we speak preparing to rack into keg this Sat. I hit my all time low of 3.16ph with L Plantarum this time. This one is sure to be tart.

I brew in an unheated mancave, so I was hesitant to leave the kettle out to sour with our crazy weather in SC. I racked into a fermenter to sour in a controlled chamber at 87F, then hit 3.16ph right at 48 hours. Maybe this controlled, even temp made the difference.

Added one step by racking into fermenter, then back into kettle after souring but well worth it IMHO.

Still using 605 or did you use capsules this time?

 

[Morrey]

Still using 605 or did you use capsules this time?

I had both caps and two pouches of 605. The 605 was expiring almost 6 mos old to the day, but Lance at Omega says do a starter and it may be ok. To be on the safe side I used both pouches in the starter and it seemed to work very well....3.16 is my lowest yet. But was it two pouches or in a controlled fermenter that got me so low? I'd bet on fermenter.

The drawback is 605 is $11 a pouch plus expires in 6 mos. I have a couple of bottles of Swanson L Plantarum and they are certainly cheaper and seemly store longer than 605. This may be my shifting point to caps only.

 

[TravelingLight]

I had both caps and two pouches of 605. The 605 was expiring almost 6 mos old to the day, but Lance at Omega says do a starter and it may be ok. To be on the safe side I used both pouches in the starter and it seemed to work very well....3.16 is my lowest yet. But was it two pouches or in a controlled fermenter that got me so low? I'd bet on fermenter.

The drawback is 605 is $11 a pouch plus expires in 6 mos. I have a couple of bottles of Swanson L Plantarum and they are certainly cheaper and seemly store longer than 605. This may be my shifting point to caps only.

Nice. Thanks. I've got a tube of 605 in my fridge from the last time I brewed it. I always harvest off 500ml or so of my starters to save for the next time. But I've never done this with lacto, so not sure what to expect. Next time I brew a lacto, I'll probably try to use the 605 I've got but have some capsules on hand in case the 605 doesn't drop the ph enough.

 

[Morrey]

As my thinking evolved with this Margarita Gose, the way I was approaching tinctures needed to be fine tuned. I discovered the appeal of Oaked Tequila so I decided to do it in larger quantities...not only for the Gose infusion but maybe for other uses as well.

I found that oak spirals (medium toast) found at most brew stores would fit right into the neck of most 1.75L spirit bottles. I tried a 1.75L bottle of white tequila from Costco and the spiral fit right in the neck. Several weeks later the tequila had become beautifully oak infused and the color of iced tea. (They say 8-9 weeks the oak has fully worked and given up all of it's vanillins and tannins)

I used this oaked tequila to cover the lime zest to make the tincture two weeks, then pitch to taste. My last batch was 1.5C of oaked tequila over the zest of two medium limes.