Sour this Doppelbock?

[scottatdrake]

I made a dopplebock a few months ago that I'm not totally pleased with. Fermentation stalled out and I don't think it will ever get down to a decent FG. I think it's between 1.020-30. There's something good lurking underneath but it's tough to get past the sweetness.

I love me some sour beers and am thinking about throwing bugs in and forgetting about it for a year or so. Trouble is, I don't know a lot about them yet.

Would you do this to an un-loved doppel? How about a packet of Wyeast's 3763 Roeselare blend? Or maybe brett and lacto... and.... I have no idea.

Any opinions appreciated. Thanks!

 

[frankstoneline]

If you have the fermentation space, it'd be worth a shot. Doppelbock's generally arent too hoppy so its probably a fairly good candidate for souring.

 

[MalFet]

Sounds like a good call to me. If you're not going to enjoy it as it stands and if you've got the space, let that thing ride on some bugs. It sounds like you've got enough long chain sugars to get something interesting, potentially.

 

[scottatdrake]

Cool. Any suggestions about which bugs?

 

[cfonnes]

Not really sour but Brett C may add a little fruity/pineapple essence that would be nice in a dopplebock.

Some of the bug in the Roselare blend may not like the higher alcohol that is typically in a dopplebach.

 

[smokinghole]

Before you go making a sour out of a beer that was not intended to be a sour beer, have you considered amylase enzyme?

 

[motobrewer]

Before you go making a sour out of a beer that was not intended to be a sour beer, have you considered amylase enzyme?

i agree to the disagreement of just souring a random beer that didn't exactly turn out.

what was the OG? how long has it been lagering?

FG of Celebrator is also "1.020 - 30". and that's the BEST. DOPPLEBOCK. EVER. as far as I'm concerned.

 

[scottatdrake]

Smokinghole -- I don't understand what you mean by "have you considered amylase enzyme?" I believe amylase enzymes are active during the mashing process but are you suggesting they can somehow be added later to help attenuate?

Motobrewer -- Agreed. Celebrator is definitely the best dopplebock ever! I would be thrilled if mine was even in the ballpack. Unfortunately, it is far more sweet and sticky than that. (Don't recall my OG and FG off hand. It has been lagering for 3-4 months.)

 

[motobrewer]

you can buy amylase on the shelf. or in the grocery store in the form of bean-o.

 

[dcp27]

dont use beano, it isnt the same as amylase (its alpha galactosidase). id also test using some amylase to salvage it before converting it into a sour

 

[smokinghole]

Amylase enzyme can be bought at the LHBS. Don't get beano.

 

[scottatdrake]

Hmm. This is really interesting! I've never heard of adding amylase later.

This was an extract brew however (my last one ever), so I don't think it had to do with too many unfermentable sugars-- more to do with under-pitching and/or under-aeration. In addition, it has been kegged and carbed. I've drawn off a few samples and with it the last of the yeast off the bottom (probably). In this case, amylase probably wouldn't help, would it?

 

[smokinghole]

It might help. The extract is likely all mashed at the same temperature. So if they say it's 75% fermentable then that's what you will get with no additional amylase activity. However if you steep some grains with diastic power with extract you will increase the fermentable sugars by chomping up some of those sugars in the extract. So amylase can and probably will help bring you down a few more points.

 

[pkalder]

Old thread, I know, but I just opened our spanishcastleale dopplebock we made and it got infected from the bucket we did a quick lambic in. Really friggin good. It has this whole sour dark fruit marshmallow toast sugar that is not at all off putting. I like this better than how the dopplebock would have turned out. I may actively try to make this in the future. You would think toasty dopplebock and sour would not go together. It does.

 

[pkalder]

I figured it out! It tastes like salty caramel, that is what makes it so good!

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