Sour mash

[hoptopia]

Test

 

[hoptopia]

Ok so my app wasn't allowing me to post new threads so I did a test first.

Can someone explain to me how you make a sour mash? If you have a sour mash do you need to add bugs? Or are the optional?

I know some bugs create acidic acid which is sour, but can you just do a sour mash and skip the bugs? Then you wouldn't have equip concerns.....

 

[jvlpdillon]

To make sour mash I suggest starting with just a partial mash and not the full grain bill.

You mash your grain as usual, however do not drain it off when it is done. Instead hold it between 140-150F for 12-24 hours. Then sparge. The smell can be marriage ending, so be prepared. You can add yogurt culture too, but there should be enough lactic acid on the grain to not need it.

After the sparge just add to the boil. If you boil the sourness level will be set. All of the bugs will be killed. There is no reason to keep separate equipment for this.

 

[dcHokie]

To make sour mash I suggest starting with just a partial mash and not the full grain bill.

You mash your grain as usual, however do not drain it off when it is done. Instead hold it between 140-150F for 12-24 hours. Then sparge. The smell can be marriage ending, so be prepared. You can add yogurt culture too, but there should be enough lactic acid on the grain to not need it.

After the sparge just add to the boil. If you boil the sourness level will be set. All of the bugs will be killed. There is no reason to keep separate equipment for this.

I thought lactobacillus can't survive at temps over 140? Doesn't it reproduce in the range of 90-135 F with closer to 110 being the proverbial 'sweet spot'.

 

[jvlpdillon]

You may be right about the temps. I was doing that from memory and not data. The Complete Joy of Homebrewing has the right numbers.

 

[edmanster]

I did a mini sour mash with only 1lbs of grain and let it sit for almost a week, then added it to my main mash... It added about the right amount of "stinky feet" to a farmhouse ale I did