Looking to start a Solera what base recipes do people recommend?

[GJOCONNELL]

Was thinking of using one or all of the Rare Barrel base receipes and starting with that.

Just pulled down the base recipes for the Rare Barrel. Was planning on keeping things simple and using a Spiedel 120L 31.7 gallons or possibly 1 BBL Chronical (I know I am getting crazy). Wanted to get some advice on what base beer(s) to use as I would like to pull 5-10 gallons a year and top off as I go. Going to fruit the pulls so I can have a steady supply of sour throughout the year.

Thanks in advance!

 

[twistedjosh]

I have a 15 gallon stainless keg fitted with a stainless racking cane, pressure gauge, and ball lock posts that I use as a solera for my Flanders Red. Once or twice a year I pull a 5 gallon corny and replenish with a fermented “clean” beer a couple weeks later. I can adjust the flavor of the mother culture by adjusting what goes in based off of what just came out. Good luck in your endeavors!

 

[505-Brewer]

Did u buy it or make it? Im using carboys and cornys for my sours but i like the idea of a solera. Might just have to do this. Way less hassle than a bbl.

 

[cactusgarrett]

I plan on doing mine in the style of New Belgium's La Folie and maintaining it with identical replenishes. I've read about some people who continuously change the overall batch by making each replenish batch lighter and lighter or darker and darker. You could go ANY way with this you'd like. Personally (and obviously), I would avoid anything over 10 IBU for the base.

 

[suprchunk]

It really depends on what you want the end to be. Do you want a light or dark beer? I believe The Rare Barrel (just re-read and noticed you are a step ahead...) has a couple of their bases up as recipes that you could use. I personally like paler beers for my sour bases and tend to go with a 70/30 pils/wheat, low hopping with a Saaz or other noble hop (<5ibus).

 

[radwizard]

A Sanke Keg makes an excellent Solera vessel. You can just open the top and remove the spear and slap on an airlock, or get really fancy with different fittings and options. I am using a Sanke right now on my Solera. You can get 5-10 outta them a year without issue.

I agree with the above. I prefer the pale sour as well. I may darken it up in future top off batches, but that is the glory of Solera, it can be ever-changing. I started with a basic saison profile. I fermented in Carboys first, and then transfered to the Solera. The base beers were pretty much the same farmhousey type grain bills.

I have seen the Rare Barrels recipes up on MTF, but have never used those exact recipes. My sours tend to have pretty simple grain bills, even the darker styles.

Good luck on the project.

 

[GJOCONNELL]

I think I am going to use a Spiedel 31.7 gallon container and the Rare Barrel Red base (sort of a Flanders Red) and just go from there and pull off maybe 3-4 times a year 5 gallons at a time and throw on various seasonal fruits and see what happens.

I might opt for the 15.7 gallon depending on the space constraints I have....

 

[LakesideBrewing]

I have a few going: one 10 gallon and one 15 gallon. Both stainless kegs. I do a 70/30 pilz/wheat grain bill, turbid mash, 5ish IBU's of aged hops. I take out 5 gallons every year to put on fresh fruit, and then add 5 gallons of fresh(ish) beer back into the solera.

I also think a light (pale) sour base works the best.