Pellicle Photo Collection

[jessup]

One of my 1st sours - Flemish Red - was overly acidic so I let it sit around in bottles for a few years. 2 weeks ago it won 1st in overall for Belgians & took Best of Show for the comp. After getting the news i popped one after prob 2-3 years of sitting and WOW. Time really makes the difference! I think it is ~4 years old & finally in its prime.

I think a pic is on page 1 of this thread actually

 

[sweetcell]

I think a pic is on page 1 of this thread actually

"was" on page 1... pic isn't displaying anymore. looks like you're referencing an non-existent photo on Facebook. feel free to re-upload

 

[satownsend]

Here's the pellicle on my first sour after about 3 months. Based it on This Old Barrel Flanders Sour Ale recipe from Radical Brewing. The WLP655 vial exploded when I opened it. I was only able to pitch a small amount. So I also pitched the dregs from two bottles of Goose Island Sofie

 

[Cincy17]

Here's the pellicle on my first sour after about 3 months. Based it on This Old Barrel Flanders Sour Ale recipe from Radical Brewing. The WLP655 vial exploded when I opened it. I was only able to pitch a small amount. So I also pitched the dregs from two bottles of Goose Island Sofie

Might get something interesting there. I think the only thing in Sofie is Brett C. So it may end up kinda pineapply.

 

[satownsend]

Well I do like pineapple so that's cool.

 

[emily47]

My first Berliner Weiss! Made it "imperial" with an OG of 1.055. Pitch one pack of Wyeast 5335 Lactobacillus and a 1 cup homemade lacto starter. Keeping it under a carboy cooler hood with a fermwrap temp controlled at 100 F. This is about 18 hours later. Awesome!

Gonna let it go for a few days, then taste-test til it's at the right level of sour. Then we'll pitch 2 packs US-05.

I was thinking of also adding some Belgian candi sugar (bout a pound) with the yeast to get the alcohol up higher. Anyone with any experience with high alcohol sours? Or does anyone know how to calculate the ABV of something like this? From what I read lacto does not produce alcohol when it eats sugar, so technically some of your drop in gravy points are not contributing to your ABV. That is why I was considering adding some sugar with the yeast, to give it another kick. Can anyone educate me on how the yeast/lacto sugar competition works?

 

[TNGabe]

My first Berliner Weiss! Made it "imperial" with an OG of 1.055. Pitch one pack of Wyeast 5335 Lactobacillus and a 1 cup homemade lacto starter. Keeping it under a carboy cooler hood with a fermwrap temp controlled at 100 F. This is about 18 hours later. Awesome!

Gonna let it go for a few days, then taste-test til it's at the right level of sour. Then we'll pitch 2 packs US-05.

I was thinking of also adding some Belgian candi sugar (bout a pound) with the yeast to get the alcohol up higher. Anyone with any experience with high alcohol sours? Or does anyone know how to calculate the ABV of something like this? From what I read lacto does not produce alcohol when it eats sugar, so technically some of your drop in gravy points are not contributing to your ABV. That is why I was considering adding some sugar with the yeast, to give it another kick. Can anyone educate me on how the yeast/lacto sugar competition works?

View attachment 144489

Some lacto is homofermentive and makes only lactic acid and CO2. Some is heterofermentice and makes lactic acid, alcohol, and CO2. I think wyeast is the latter. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Possibly if I'm right. Your homemade grain starter also has some non-lacto bugs in there doing who knows what. 2 packs of 05 is probably overkill if you are rehydrating. Even with the acidic environment your pitching into, the 05 will pretty quickly outcompete the bacteria etc. I'd personally calculate abv based on the gravity when you add the 05 and sugar if you go that route. It might be slightly higher from what you have going pre yeast, but probably not much. I'd be wary that a sugar addition in a berliner will thin out an already thin beer to the point of being watery.

 

[emily47]

Some lacto is homofermentive and makes only lactic acid and CO2. Some is heterofermentice and makes lactic acid, alcohol, and CO2. I think wyeast is the latter. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Possibly if I'm right. Your homemade grain starter also has some non-lacto bugs in there doing who knows what. 2 packs of 05 is probably overkill if you are rehydrating. Even with the acidic environment your pitching into, the 05 will pretty quickly outcompete the bacteria etc. I'd personally calculate abv based on the gravity when you add the 05 and sugar if you go that route. It might be slightly higher from what you have going pre yeast, but probably not much. I'd be wary that a sugar addition in a berliner will thin out an already thin beer to the point of being watery.

Thanks for the answer!

Wyeast 5335 is lactobacillus delbrueckii, which is in the homofermentative group (from Wikipedia). I can't know what was in my homemade starter, but I would guess it's not producing significant amounts of alcohol, right?

I'll just calculate ABV based on the gravity at sugar + yeast addition. I'm curious, why do you say that the sugar addition will thin out the beer to the point of being watery? I plan to boil the wort again before I add the yeast, to kill off any other lacto - I was just going to add the sugar into that boil (so no extra water will be included in the sugar addition.) is that what you meant by watery or are you concerned about the general body of the beer after a sugar addition? This is my first time adding a fermentable after the initial boil, so any and all advice much appreciated.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Thanks for the answer!

Wyeast 5335 is lactobacillus delbrueckii, which is in the homofermentative group (from Wikipedia). I can't know what was in my homemade starter, but I would guess it's not producing significant amounts of alcohol, right?

I'll just calculate ABV based on the gravity at sugar + yeast addition. I'm curious, why do you say that the sugar addition will thin out the beer to the point of being watery? I plan to boil the wort again before I add the yeast, to kill off any other lacto - I was just going to add the sugar into that boil (so no extra water will be included in the sugar addition.) is that what you meant by watery or are you concerned about the general body of the beer after a sugar addition? This is my first time adding a fermentable after the initial boil, so any and all advice much appreciated.

Any type of sugar is almost completely fermentable and tends to dry the beer out and thin the body of the beer, making the mouthfeel less full and more watery. This is great in a big DIPA, Belgian Strong, or Barleywine but not so much in smaller beers. I use sugar a lot in my brews to create balance or to intentionally make some more dry. Is this your first time making this beer? You could split the batch and add maybe .25# of sugar to one and leave the other be and decide which one you like better from a side by side comparison. Just my 2¢

 

[vineyardbmw]

This is a Belgian Blond. I later inoculated with a sour mix from WL. After several months I added several lbs of macerated strawberries and raspberries. Yumm!

 

[prohl84]

Wild bugs moved in. Not sure what it is. The beer is an experimental low grav. rye gruit from 2nd runnings. Tastes unlike any beer I've ever had; likely because there are no hops. Sharp, lingering tartness.

Lacto?

 

[pdallasanta]

Any guess on which bugs can produce a pellicle like this? It has formed on the surface of hopped wort exposed to night air and has a powdery consistency.

 

[DisturbdChemist]

Looks like a bucket filled with ramen noodles. ^^

 

[atoyot]

looks similar to the pellicle on my apple cider vinegar.

 

[prohl84]

Like a morel mushroom pillow.

 

[sweetcell]

i see extremely finely grated parmasan/romano cheese.

i'm sure these comments are super helpful for the OP. you're welcome.

 

[atoyot]

looks similar to the pellicle on my apple cider vinegar.

I added a pic i found for reference.

 

[TNGabe]

i see extremely finely grated parmasan/romano cheese.

i'm sure these comments are super helpful for the OP. you're welcome.

Maybe not, but the comments are a good indicator that you can't judge a bug by it's pellicle. I do agree with you for once. Looks like cheese to me, too.

I added a pic i found for reference.

I liked my mental image of your autocorrected pelican better.

 

[scottsaxman]

Can anyone help identify this?

Also, a question: This was unintended. I did not notice a pellicle in the primary, only in the secondary as shown. It has been there about a week. Final gravity when I racked it was 1.010 on an ordinary bitter, so this isn't a high alcohol brew. When would it be safe to bottle? Is it worth keeping? I've never made a sour on purpose, but I do enjoy some sour beers.

 

[milldoggy]

Can anyone help identify this?

Also, a question: This was unintended. I did not notice a pellicle in the primary, only in the secondary as shown. It has been there about a week. Final gravity when I racked it was 1.010 on an ordinary bitter, so this isn't a high alcohol brew. When would it be safe to bottle? Is it worth keeping? I've never made a sour on purpose, but I do enjoy some sour beers.

Looks like heaven

 

[sweetcell]

When would it be safe to bottle? Is it worth keeping? I've never made a sour on purpose, but I do enjoy some sour beers.

i'd give it at least 6 months. at 5 months, take a gravity reading; then another at 6. if it's stable, then carb low when bottling. if you want high carbonation, unless you have thick bottles i'd give it 9-12 months.

worth keeping? who knows. only time will tell. if you can spare that fermenter, i'd strongly encourage you to go for it. you have a spontaneous beer with your "house flavor" - unique!

 

[scottsaxman]

Thank you. That is both good and bad news. Good in that all is not lost, bad in that this was brewed for a smash contest next month!

 

[NuclearRich]

Thank you. That is both good and bad news. Good in that all is not lost, bad in that this was brewed for a smash contest next month!

Maybe next year!

 

[whatsleftofyou]

This is a rhubarb berliner weisse that I brewed in June of 2011, and bottled today. 1/2 packet of US-05 and Lactobacillus from Wyeast.

 

[hunterlab]

Lambic from 02/13 looking good

 

[badlee]

whatsleftofyou, yours looks like it is growing 'shrooms on top.

hunterlab, sometimes, so they say, less is more. You showed just enough "wood" to make it beautiful and exciting. Looking good.

 

[TNGabe]

This is a rhubarb berliner weisse that I brewed in June of 2011, and bottled today. 1/2 packet of US-05 and Lactobacillus from Wyeast.

It's been in a bucket the whole time? Sounds like you'll have carbonated vinegar.

 

[bottlebomber]

It's been in a bucket the whole time? Sounds like you'll have carbonated vinegar.

For reals?

 

[TNGabe]

For reals?

For reals you don't want to leave beer in a bucket for 2 yrs? For cereal.

 

[bottlebomber]

For reals you don't want to leave beer in a bucket for 2 yrs? For cereal.

But why? It's really the first time that I've heard that.