Acid levels - Brett Trois

[brycelarson]

So, I'm doing a Sour Skittles beer. It's my wife's favorite candy and she loves sour beers. I've got tasting notes from Brett Trois specifically mentioning skittles and candy flavors - so I'm going that way.

I did a basic Golden Strong recipe - but in place of the sugar I did a syrup of Sour Skittles.

The Skittles get their sour flavor from citric acid - it's actually 3rd on the ingredient list.

I've got the base beer fermenting right now - I intend to get it well under way before adding the candy syrup. My question is this: what will the large additions of citric acid do to the fermentation of the Brett?

 

[mabrungard]

Interesting. I was expecting a little malic acid in Skittles, but there is no mention. All citric acid and sodium citrate. I guess its OK since malic acid tends to provide that mouth-puckering tartness.

Anyhow, I know that Brett has a degree of tolerance to low pH. A quick search suggests that Brett can tolerate pH in the range of 2.5. So assuming that the candy's pH is probably not that low and the buffering offered by the existing beer provides some protection, it doesn't look like the infusion would kill the Brett.

If the resulting pH does drop too low for taste, this is a case where chalk can be used to moderate that pH. It will dissolve in a solution like this. The trick is figuring out how much chalk will be sufficient!

 

[brycelarson]

I fully expect this to be an ongoing project. I did 1.5# of skittles as a very thick syrup. The palm oil formed a skin on top - I'm going to remove that, i assume like any oil it'll drastically reduce head retention.

I plan to add it in small batches as fermentation slows. Tasting as I go. Good call on the chalk - hadn't thought about that, but if the acid levels are high enough it'll actually disolve.

This Gizmodo article shows skittles as a ph of 2.5 - so hopefully it'll all be good.

I'll report back.

 

[brycelarson]

https://v.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/48CA...p4?versionId=wAtQOlKpLQFD6kpReKxgs_btZEJr2tSK

I added some of the Sour Skittle syrup last night. Knocked the krausen down to nothing and either it's growing a pellicle or the scum from the skittles is forming a skin.

Still fermenting like crazy.