Final beer ph 3.8~ tastes a bit tart, possibly infected?

[Colbizle]

I brewed a Honey Blueberry Ale for a friend last week. I mashed real high around 157-158 since I knew it was going to finish dry with the additions of 1 # of honey and some blueberry pureee in the secondary. I added the honey towards the end of active fermentation. I did not pasteurize it, it was raw unfiltered wild flower honey. I checked the gravity last night and its down to 1.011-1.012 which is right where I want it. I checked the PH and it's sitting at 3.8 which has me worried, because that seems awfully low for an ale. I planned on adding the blueberry puree in secondary and racking on top which I know will bring the gravity up a bit and restart fermentation for a couple days and will also probably drop the PH even lower.

I'm wondering if something went wrong from the addition of the honey, possibly an infection? The sample tasted good with great mouthfeel for a low abv beer but has a distinct tart almost sourish finish that has me worried. I used Wyeast 1272 which can contribute a tart finish if fermented low but I fermented this at 69-70F.

I'm wondering what I should do? The blueberry puree is freakin' expensive crap so I don't want to add it to a wasted batch. Would like some advice please!

My brew day PH notes:
Mash PH: 5.33
Pre Boil PH: 5.22
Post Boil/Cast out/Fermenter PH: 5.15
Current Final PH: 3.8

 

[Hermit]

An infection usually drops the gravity because it is using stuff the yeast couldn't. Let it ride in the secondary for a month or so and see where you are at. If the gravity continues to drop and it gets more sour then you have your answer.

Patience isn't a virtue. It is a tool.

 

[Colbizle]

An infection usually drops the gravity because it is using stuff the yeast couldn't. Let it ride in the secondary for a month or so and see where you are at. If the gravity continues to drop and it gets more sour then you have your answer.

Patience isn't a virtue. It is a tool.

This is true. Good point, but I suspect I'll have my answer in a week or so vs a month.

 

[SpeedYellow]

With a pH of 3.8, it's got to be infected; no way an ale yeast could do that. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Lots of folks have brewed blueberry sour beers!

Just be careful because if there's pedio/brett/etc. then you could have bottle bombs if you bottle too early.

 

[Colbizle]

With a pH of 3.8, it's got to be infected; no way an ale yeast could do that. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Lots of folks have brewed blueberry sour beers!

Just be careful because if there's pedio/brett/etc. then you could have bottle bombs if you bottle too early.

Ya man, this has been a recurring problem. Check out my other thread that I started:https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=542917

Thanks!

 

[madscientist451]

Next brew day, make a video of your process from start to finish, (no not every second) just the highlights, especially the sanitizing and transfers of wort/beer.
Post it on youtube, someone will pick up on something in your process.

 

[Gavin C]

Reading this and your other thread, you seem to put a lot of time into collecting pH data. How confident are you in the accuracy of these readings.

What do you use to take them and how do you calibrate it?

 

[Colbizle]

Reading this and your other thread, you seem to put a lot of time into collecting pH data. How confident are you in the accuracy of these readings.

What do you use to take them and how do you calibrate it?

Very confident. I have a 9 month old Milwaukee MW102 and I calibrate it with both 4.01 and 7.0 buffers before every use at room temp.

 

[Gavin C]

Very confident. I have a 9 month old Milwaukee MW102 and I calibrate it with both 4.01 and 7.0 buffers before every use at room temp.

Sounds like reliable data. Sorry I'm no help. Just wanted to find out more. Interesting threads BTW.

 

[Colbizle]

Sounds like reliable data. Sorry I'm no help. Just wanted to find out more. Interesting threads BTW.

Thanks anyways!