DO NOT add crushed grains. Use uncrushed grains for sour mash.
I have my first sour mash in the fermenter right now. I used crushed grain to add the lacto since I had some laying around. Why is it you should not use crushed grain?
DO NOT add crushed grains. Use uncrushed grains for sour mash.
4 days at 110F - Creamed corn, hot garbage smells. Insanely sour. Think of the warhead candy. Too sour.
1/2 of batch 4 days at 110F blended with 1/2 non-sour - Puckeringly tart, sour, but pleasant.
5-7 days at room temp with saran wrap over it and airlock on bucket - minimal smell, some creamed corn, lightly sour, mellow even. Sourness took a back seat.
I have read crushed grains will add a grainy-ness to the finished beer that uncrushed grains do not
I have my first sour mash in the fermenter right now. I used crushed grain to add the lacto since I had some laying around. Why is it you should not use crushed grain?
I read that the crushed grains can leave unconverted starch behind which can cause haze
As a data point... mine is finished now. I used 10% Acidulated Malt (as I've mentioned) and had it at an average of 93°F for exactly 4 days. I'd say I'm at that puckeringly tart, sour level (I do love sours). I used a handful of very random base grains (took it out of a bunch of bags: pils, MO, rye, wheat) in a paint strainer bag. I have no idea whether the amount of grain makes a big difference (I did not measure).
You may have mentioned it, but I'm not going searching. Did you get ant foul smell from the souring wort? What measures did you take to reduce it. I'm asking to see if the acidulated malt kept it in check.
Currently waiting for my homemade lacto starter to do its thing prior to a 2a brew.
As previously noted, I am trying to replicate the kumquat BW I had at cigar city.
I have 2 lbs of kumquats...I was thinking about adding half at fllameout and then half after active fermentation dies down(frozen and thawed).
Any opinions? Should I just add it all post ferm?
2 lb of kumquat for 5 gallons? I haven't had the CCB beer but if it has a big fruit flavor you're going to need a lot more then 2 lbs for 5 gallons. I think the common addition rate is 1lb/gallon but I've found that isn't even enough.
As far as adding, I'd add them all post fermentation, I don't think you're going to get too much at flameout.
The CCB has tons of kumquat flavor. This once cheap beer keeps getting more expensive.
Have you specifically used kumquats? There is some variance within the 1 lb per gallon dosage rate between fruits based on the assertiveness of the fruit in question, right?
Yeah there's definitely a difference on fruits, which is why you'll hear people say not to use peaches or to use raspberries. I haven't used kumquats but just from my fruiting experience, I've always found more is better.
Xpertskir said:Thanks for the advice. Besides being tough to find, I'm paying 8 bucks a pound...Looks as though this is going to be one of my most expensive batches to date. I'll try 5 lbs and report the results. I would hate to spend 20 bucks on fruit and not get any flavor.
Xpertskir said:Currently waiting for my homemade lacto starter to do its thing prior to a 2a brew.
As previously noted, I am trying to replicate the kumquat BW I had at cigar city.
I have 2 lbs of kumquats...I was thinking about adding half at fllameout and then half after active fermentation dies down(frozen and thawed).
Any opinions? Should I just add it all post ferm?
In this case, more is not better. I think you will find 1 lb is probably more than you need. Once it is in there you can't pull that flavor out, but you can add more later (taste it after a week or 2 and then add more).
A lot of the flavor in kumquats comes from the oils in the skins. Similar to oranges.
I added some to 1 gallon of a Lambic and it is probably too much. My wife had bought a small pack. Probably 6 ozs, it was the same size as a small pack of raspberries. I used what was left over after a couple of weeks in the beer; probably closer to 3 ozs in the gallon.
Chop them up and soak them in vodka for a week and add the fruit with the vodka. The higher alcohol of the vodka will better extract the oils and will also sanitize the fruit.
Has anyone seen fermentation just from the lacto culture off the grains? I had soured for 8 days at room temp and after a quick 10 minute boil I took my gravity reading and it read 1.013!! It should have been 1.039!
Many species of lactobacillus is generally homofermentative and will produce lactic acid and very little else. More likely you have a super sour beer with very little alcohol.
So you're saying it was converting sugars into lactic acid and not ethanol?
That's what you want when adding lacto.
True, but I haven't seen this extreme of a drop in gravity in my 4-5 times I've soured my wort. I'm going to have a 1% beer at this point.
Has anyone seen fermentation just from the lacto culture off the grains? I had soured for 8 days at room temp and after a quick 10 minute boil I took my gravity reading and it read 1.013!! It should have been 1.039!
Many species of lactobacillus is generally homofermentative and will produce lactic acid and very little else. More likely you have a super sour beer with very little alcohol.
It had a light odor in the mashtun but nothing serious. The aroma actually got stronger after a 15 minute boil, and worse still after fermentation with US-05. The taste is actually not bad but the aroma is so off putting there is no point in drinking it.
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