Questions after first sample of Sour Beer

[philosofool]

I made my first sour beer, pitched in January, added oak and have been aging about six months. Though I didn't really expect it to be ready, I decided to taste just a bit today. I made it with white labs sour ale blend (655) and a bunch of southern german lager yeast, IIRC. Fermented in primary at seventy.

It's pretty bland and the sourness is a little acetic. Will the acetic flavor change or go away, ever? I know there's nothing to do but wait, but I sort of what to assuage my conscience, or prepare it for the worst, now.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

You might try blending with some krausening (sac) beer in order to "clean up" some off the oxidized flavors? Just an idea..

 

[sweetcell]

It's pretty bland and the sourness is a little acetic. Will the acetic flavor change or go away, ever?

if it's truly acetic acid you have in there, it is unlikely to age out. is air getting into the vessel? is there a lot of headspace?

however, it might not be acetic. your beer likely has some more development to do. who knows where the final flavor profile will land...

for future sours, you should consider adding some commercial dregs to the premixed souring blends. those blends tend to produce only so-so sours. some diversity of bugs really tends to improve the beer.

I know there's nothing to do but wait, but I sort of what to assuage my conscience, or prepare it for the worst, now.

this is your true answer. if you can, give it a full year.

 

[youreanimpulse]

Agreed about the headspace. If it's in a bucket or has lots of headspace in a bottle it will get worse. Top up, transfer, CO2 purge, whatever you can to lower headspace and prevent acetic acid or ethyl acetate from ruining the brew.

 

[philosofool]

Well, it's been almost a year and I tasted it again. The beer has defintely developed more sourness, but clean lactic, not acetic, and some brett funk. That seemingly vinegar note is either gone or simply not detectable amid a stronger acid. I am going to give it a couple more months before bottling some and will consider a nice summer fruit for half the batch. Anyway, I think I was right from the start: wait and see is the only way.