Hey,
Thought I might start a new thread. Been polluting another thread with off-topic posts for months now, and want to quit the habit.
Since sour beers are growing in popularity it seems, I thought this might be a spot for beginners at brewing sour beers could post questions and look for answers. Maybe over time, the content could be distilled into a sticky or something, but for now, I had a few questions about process that are all over the board.
Personally, I've been homebrewing since 1999. Had my first intentionally sour beer at the Russian River brew pub in 2007 I think it was - Consecration. Bought a few different bottles while out there (incl Temptation, and another Consecration) to take home. I can honestly say that I didn't really love the beers back then. I didn't hate them, but they were different than I expected or knew. When I got home with the bottles I had purchased, and had time to drink them eventually, I moved more towards the "like them" end of the the spectrum, and after a recent trip last fall to San Diego (with more Consecration and some Red Poppy and a Dogpatch) I decided that I really liked the stuff! When I got home, I brewed a Consecration clone (split and fermented two ways), and then the next month a KBS clone which I pitched half of with Roeselare. Since then I've been addicted to beer trading and www.craftshack.com, much to the detriment of my bank account, though I've collect a nice library of craft beers - though most are the kind that you'd split with a friend, or sip slowly over a long weekend night as opposed to consuming in front of the TV on a weeknight or over dinner, many are actually sour beers that I've been greatly enjoying.
So where am I headed with this post - well, I have since brewed one more large batch of sour beer for fruit additions, and I now have about 5 carboys of sour beer aging, and I am planning the next two brew sessions later this month for sour beer production (Flanders Red, and Oud Bruin most likely). I read the excellent book by Michael Tonsmiere (AKA Oldsock here on HBT) which is an awesome book for folks like me wanting to make their own sour beer. I really enjoy the American take on Flanders Red in its many varieties, and I really like the fruited sour beers I've tried.
On to the point.. my questions...
Tonight, I was enjoying a recently acquired Jester King sour beer, and afterward was adding the dregs to the KBS clone soured half carboy. When I got the bung pulled out, a tremendous hiss issued from pressure (I was using solid bungs). Moving the carboy ruined the delicate pellicle it had developed. I dumped the dregs in, and replaced the bung. Is it unusual to observe pressure being released when using sold bungs? Will disturbing the pellicle due to moving the carboy be detrimental to the beer? It is my understanding that you want to avoid overly acetic beer by minimizing oxygen exposure. Unfortunately, the moving of the carboys was unavoidable. Once I noticed the marked pressure release, I vented the solid bungs on my 4 other sour beers that are going. The fruited sour beers I still have air locks on. I was wondering when one should exchange air locks for solid bungs?
Moving on to my next question, secondary Brett fermentations. I have kegged two beers, into which I have pitched Brett. One is a Tripel which I was lazy about bottling, and let it sit too long on the yeast. It tasted distinctly "homebrewish". I thought that Brett might metabolize the dead yeast parts that are detracting from the beer, which is also a bit cloudy, though had not been on earlier testing near the end of primary fermentation. at any rate, this beer is tasting great now, but still cloudy to a mild degree. Can I expect the Brett to clear it up over time? The second beer, a saison, I also pitched Brett into the keg after primary fermentation. This beer finished up with a lower FG 1.006. I didn't add any fermentables. It is taking a very long time to develop brett character. I was thinking about adding some Maltodextrin in hopes this would fuel the Brett, but not the residual primary saision yeast. Its been in kegs for about 7-8 weeks now and still not developing brett character. Was wondering if there is any care and feeding suggestions anyone can add?
Thanks
TD
Thought I might start a new thread. Been polluting another thread with off-topic posts for months now, and want to quit the habit.
Since sour beers are growing in popularity it seems, I thought this might be a spot for beginners at brewing sour beers could post questions and look for answers. Maybe over time, the content could be distilled into a sticky or something, but for now, I had a few questions about process that are all over the board.
Personally, I've been homebrewing since 1999. Had my first intentionally sour beer at the Russian River brew pub in 2007 I think it was - Consecration. Bought a few different bottles while out there (incl Temptation, and another Consecration) to take home. I can honestly say that I didn't really love the beers back then. I didn't hate them, but they were different than I expected or knew. When I got home with the bottles I had purchased, and had time to drink them eventually, I moved more towards the "like them" end of the the spectrum, and after a recent trip last fall to San Diego (with more Consecration and some Red Poppy and a Dogpatch) I decided that I really liked the stuff! When I got home, I brewed a Consecration clone (split and fermented two ways), and then the next month a KBS clone which I pitched half of with Roeselare. Since then I've been addicted to beer trading and www.craftshack.com, much to the detriment of my bank account, though I've collect a nice library of craft beers - though most are the kind that you'd split with a friend, or sip slowly over a long weekend night as opposed to consuming in front of the TV on a weeknight or over dinner, many are actually sour beers that I've been greatly enjoying.
So where am I headed with this post - well, I have since brewed one more large batch of sour beer for fruit additions, and I now have about 5 carboys of sour beer aging, and I am planning the next two brew sessions later this month for sour beer production (Flanders Red, and Oud Bruin most likely). I read the excellent book by Michael Tonsmiere (AKA Oldsock here on HBT) which is an awesome book for folks like me wanting to make their own sour beer. I really enjoy the American take on Flanders Red in its many varieties, and I really like the fruited sour beers I've tried.
On to the point.. my questions...
Tonight, I was enjoying a recently acquired Jester King sour beer, and afterward was adding the dregs to the KBS clone soured half carboy. When I got the bung pulled out, a tremendous hiss issued from pressure (I was using solid bungs). Moving the carboy ruined the delicate pellicle it had developed. I dumped the dregs in, and replaced the bung. Is it unusual to observe pressure being released when using sold bungs? Will disturbing the pellicle due to moving the carboy be detrimental to the beer? It is my understanding that you want to avoid overly acetic beer by minimizing oxygen exposure. Unfortunately, the moving of the carboys was unavoidable. Once I noticed the marked pressure release, I vented the solid bungs on my 4 other sour beers that are going. The fruited sour beers I still have air locks on. I was wondering when one should exchange air locks for solid bungs?
Moving on to my next question, secondary Brett fermentations. I have kegged two beers, into which I have pitched Brett. One is a Tripel which I was lazy about bottling, and let it sit too long on the yeast. It tasted distinctly "homebrewish". I thought that Brett might metabolize the dead yeast parts that are detracting from the beer, which is also a bit cloudy, though had not been on earlier testing near the end of primary fermentation. at any rate, this beer is tasting great now, but still cloudy to a mild degree. Can I expect the Brett to clear it up over time? The second beer, a saison, I also pitched Brett into the keg after primary fermentation. This beer finished up with a lower FG 1.006. I didn't add any fermentables. It is taking a very long time to develop brett character. I was thinking about adding some Maltodextrin in hopes this would fuel the Brett, but not the residual primary saision yeast. Its been in kegs for about 7-8 weeks now and still not developing brett character. Was wondering if there is any care and feeding suggestions anyone can add?
Thanks
TD
