Scottish Ale gone SOUR

[dragonlor20]

Well, I tried my scottish ale today and things are not looking good. Before, I had a problem with the fermentation at 9 days in I was still very high on gravity. Today when I tried it, I took my sample, found the beer at 1.016 and had a sigh of relief that the fermentation had indeed finished...

...then I tasted it. WHOA, this stuff was sour, like pucker sour. There was some (what looks to be) yeast above the top line of beer, but no visible signs of infection.

So, what is the likely cause and what's next?

Notes:


BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Great Scott!sh Ale
Brewer: Scott
Asst Brewer:
Style: Scottish Export 80/-
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.051 SG
Estimated Color: 15.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 15.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
9.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 86.5 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 9.6 %
0.25 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 2.4 %
0.15 lb Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 1.4 %
1.00 oz Williamette [4.60%] (60 min) Hops 15.7 IBU
1 Pkgs Edinburgh Ale (White Labs #WLP028) [StarteYeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 10.40 lb
----------------------------


Notes:
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[Snowhere]

I brewed a scottish ale recently with the same yeast strain. I had read to give it plenty of time at cooler temps to get a clean fermentation. So I let it sit in my primary for 22 days and then transferred to my secondary at a SG of 1.015. Ten days later I bottled it at a FG of 1.005, it tasted like a Scottish ale to me at that point.

I would bet yours is way to green at this point. What does it have, 10 days fermenting as opposed to mine at 32 days? I also plan on aging mine for 2-3 months before really drinking it. I believe these type of beers need plenty of time to mature properly and this is my test batch. So I will not know until I start tasting it and I will crack one bottle in about 3 weeks. Right now mine is 7 days into the bottle.

 

[dragonlor20]

I brewed a scottish ale recently with the same yeast strain. I had read to give it plenty of time at cooler temps to get a clean fermentation. So I let it sit in my primary for 22 days and then transferred to my secondary at a SG of 1.015. Ten days later I bottled it at a FG of 1.005, it tasted like a Scottish ale to me at that point.

I would bet yours is way to green at this point. What does it have, 10 days fermenting as opposed to mine at 32 days? I also plan on aging mine for 2-3 months before really drinking it. I believe these type of beers need plenty of time to mature properly and this is my test batch. So I will not know until I start tasting it and I will crack one bottle in about 3 weeks. Right now mine is 7 days into the bottle.

Oops, sorry, let me clarify... The first time I tasted/tested it, it was at 9 days. It is now at about 21 days...

 

[joety]

Oops, sorry, let me clarify... The first time I tasted/tested it, it was at 9 days. It is now at about 21 days...

That is still awfully soon to sour.

 

[dragonlor20]

That is still awfully soon to sour.

I hope you are right... I am leaving it in the carboy for now. I will try to taste test again in a week.

 

[Dok]

I had the same result with a scottish ale I did last summer. I brewed and bottled ten gallons for a fundraiser. This stuff was not drinkable. It was a disaster. I believed my problem to be mash related. I still open one up occasionally. It has cleared up but it is still bitter and sour.

 

[dragonlor20]

I had the same result with a scottish ale I did last summer. I brewed and bottled ten gallons for a fundraiser. This stuff was not drinkable. It was a disaster. I believed my problem to be mash related. I still open one up occasionally. It has cleared up but it is still bitter and sour.

While not comforting... helpful, thanks.

 

[lastsecondapex]

Was it a lemony sour flavor? You might want to check with your malt supplier... the HBS I talk to most said they have received bags of acidulated malt mislabeled as 2-Row Pale in the past from the supplier

 

[dragonlor20]

Was it a lemony sour flavor? You might want to check with your malt supplier... the HBS I talk to most said they have received bags of acidulated malt mislabeled as 2-Row Pale in the past from the supplier

Yeah, I might describe it that way... Lemony sour could definitely fit. I will ask the HBS whether they have had similar complaints... Good idea, thanks.