Need helpful input on Sour Chocolate Stout

[MZzzz]

This is the second stout I tried, and after 1 week in the bottle it has a sour taste and no head. I know I should wait longer to try, but it had this overly sweet sort of sour taste when I did my last hydrometer reading as well. I was pretty thorough in sanitation I thought. Not sure what I did wrong, here is a detailed layout of process. Any input is appreciated.

This is a 2.5gal recipe. Steeped chocolate malt, crystal malt, black patent malt and carapils for 30 minutes at 160-175F in approx. 1.5 gallons. Bring same water to a boil, and add 3.3lbs LME and 1oz Columbus hops. Start timer for 60min. Boil and stir until 16 min mark and add in additional 1oz hops. Boil until 9.5 min mark. Add 2.5oz chocolate and boil til 0. Cool and pour into fermenter containing 1 gallons cold (pre-boiled) water. Pitch yeast. Took hydrometer reading after yeast was pitched, so I added a little more yeast in case any was lost. Fermented in 3gal carboy for 2 weeks and then siphoned to mr.beer bucket and left for another 5 days. Bottle with 1.2oz(weight) or ¼ cup corn sugar to 2 cups of water. Some of the sugar solution spilled during filling the container

• 7.5% initial – Final 5%
• OG is 1.0565 – Final 1.017

 

[Atonk]

Could be a few different things (of course, that's stating the obvious). Are you saying you don't have this problem when you brew other styles?

You're right, one week is too early to judge, but just out of curiosity, what did you ferment at, and what was the temp when you pitched?

 

[bottlebomber]

It's been in the bottle for a week, that's what's wrong with it. It could have thrown off a little acetaldehyde, or else you could just be tasting the bite of the dark malts.

 

[MZzzz]

Well I've brewed a few ales that came out ok. My 1st stout i only used a primary and when bottling i got a lot of yeast into the bottles so i tried filtering the yeast out. Im prety sure that is what ruined that beer. The ones that had yeast in them tasted good. Temp was around 67 for the fermentation. I didnt actually measure the temp when i pitched yeast but i made sure to cool wort to what seemed like room temp.

 

[Atonk]

There should still be enough yeast in suspension to carbonate properly, even with your filtering. Sometimes pitching too warm can result in off flavors, that's why I asked. Please post your results after it's been three weeks.

 

[C-Rider]

This is the second stout I tried, and after 1 week in the bottle it has a sour taste and no head. I know I should wait longer to try, but it had this overly sweet sort of sour taste when I did my last hydrometer reading as well. I was pretty thorough in sanitation I thought. Not sure what I did wrong, here is a detailed layout of process. Any input is appreciated.

This is a 2.5gal recipe. Steeped chocolate malt, crystal malt, black patent malt and carapils for 30 minutes at 160-175F in approx. 1.5 gallons. Bring same water to a boil, and add 3.3lbs LME and 1oz Columbus hops. Start timer for 60min. Boil and stir until 16 min mark and add in additional 1oz hops. Boil until 9.5 min mark. Add 2.5oz chocolate and boil til 0. Cool and pour into fermenter containing 1 gallons cold (pre-boiled) water. Pitch yeast. Took hydrometer reading after yeast was pitched, so I added a little more yeast in case any was lost. Fermented in 3gal carboy for 2 weeks and then siphoned to mr.beer bucket and left for another 5 days. Bottle with 1.2oz(weight) or ¼ cup corn sugar to 2 cups of water. Some of the sugar solution spilled during filling the container

• 7.5% initial – Final 5%
• OG is 1.0565 – Final 1.017

Was this "Add 2.5oz chocolate " addition malt or chocolate?

 

[MZzzz]

Ill definitely update after the 3 weeks. The chocolate i used was Bakers brand unsweetened chocolate.

 

[MZzzz]

Updating since it has now been 3 weeks. Its more carbonated for sure and the flavor is a bit different. Overall it has a sour flavor and is undrinkable. Any insight?

On a positive note, I did just open one of my IPAs after 2 weeks in the bottle and it is came out excellent! I brewed it with amarillo, simcoe and warrior.

 

[MZzzz]

I will also note that the stout still does not have any head to it.