I've never brewed a sour before. I'd like to give a kettle sour a shot. I'm asking for some recipe and process critique to see I'd I've nailed this down, along with asking a question or two. I have access to a metric ton of apricots and they normally just rot on the ground.
First the recipe:
Assuming a 12 gallon batch size at 70% efficiency
20 lbs 2 row
3 lbs flaked oats
2 lbs Honey Malt
1 lb carapils
1 oz Mandarina Bavaria @ 60
1 oz Mandarina Bavaria @ 30
1 oz Mandarina Bavaria @ 15
1 oz Mandarina Bavaria @ flame out
15 lbs fresh apricots (maybe)
2 oz Mandarina Bavaria dry hop
Using safale 05
1- Mash as normal
2- Boil for about 10 minutes to sanitize wort, not adding any hops at all.
3- Cool wort to 100 degrees
4- Adjust pH down to 4.5-5.0 ish. First question, roughly how much lactic acid is that going to take. I need to know how to calculate that, and also whether I need to buy more.
5- pitch llallemand wildbrew sour pitch
6- purge kettle with CO2 as best as possible. Is there any specific technique to do this? I was going to input CO2 from the bottom valve, letting air out the top recirculation port.
7- Wrap lid to kettle with saran wrap
8- Maintain temp at 100 while monitoring pH drop. Assuming this will take about 24 hrs. Is it ok for me to recirculate during this step? I'm assuming that will maintain temps better, but I dont necessarily have to.
9- Once pH is where I want it, start boil like normal and ferment as usual.
10- Apricots- I plan to use 15 lbs. Would you use a different amount? I will pit them and slice them into quarters. Freeze them, thaw them and freeze them again. Put them into hop socks and add them to fermenter when fermentation is nearly done.
I think that is about it. Anything I'm missing, doing wrong, or what you would change or do different?
Thanks
First the recipe:
Assuming a 12 gallon batch size at 70% efficiency
20 lbs 2 row
3 lbs flaked oats
2 lbs Honey Malt
1 lb carapils
1 oz Mandarina Bavaria @ 60
1 oz Mandarina Bavaria @ 30
1 oz Mandarina Bavaria @ 15
1 oz Mandarina Bavaria @ flame out
15 lbs fresh apricots (maybe)
2 oz Mandarina Bavaria dry hop
Using safale 05
1- Mash as normal
2- Boil for about 10 minutes to sanitize wort, not adding any hops at all.
3- Cool wort to 100 degrees
4- Adjust pH down to 4.5-5.0 ish. First question, roughly how much lactic acid is that going to take. I need to know how to calculate that, and also whether I need to buy more.
5- pitch llallemand wildbrew sour pitch
6- purge kettle with CO2 as best as possible. Is there any specific technique to do this? I was going to input CO2 from the bottom valve, letting air out the top recirculation port.
7- Wrap lid to kettle with saran wrap
8- Maintain temp at 100 while monitoring pH drop. Assuming this will take about 24 hrs. Is it ok for me to recirculate during this step? I'm assuming that will maintain temps better, but I dont necessarily have to.
9- Once pH is where I want it, start boil like normal and ferment as usual.
10- Apricots- I plan to use 15 lbs. Would you use a different amount? I will pit them and slice them into quarters. Freeze them, thaw them and freeze them again. Put them into hop socks and add them to fermenter when fermentation is nearly done.
I think that is about it. Anything I'm missing, doing wrong, or what you would change or do different?
Thanks