Troubleshooting viscous beer

[todddav]

My club did a saison in a red wine barrel last summer. The barrel had a lot of raw red wine in it so it took a bit of aging for the beer to taste good to me but I had really been enjoying it the last month or so.

Unfortunately the last couple I opened have started to have a very thick consistency. Like slightly watered down corn syrup, if I had to characterize it.

A little research suggests that I may have a strain of pediococcus in there. There are no buttery flavors and the beer still tastes good to me but the texture makes it unpleasant to drink.

I am thinking of putting whatever I have left in a carboy and pitching some brett in there in the hopes that it will eat the long chains of protein that the pedio is kicking out. Has anyone tried this with any success?

If the above is viable, should I sulfite the beer before pitching brett to kill off any microbes that are still living in there?

I have only used brett a couple of times so advice on strains would be welcome as well, if any of you thinks this would be a valid approach.

No matter what I do, I am also going to save a few to see just how gross they get, because... um science?

 

[eastoak]

sour beer goes through this "sick" stage and it will go back to normal eventually. Don't try to kill anything before pitching Brett.

 

[Calder]

Pitch some brett or a sour mix and leave alone for 6 to 12 months.

I wouldn't try killing anything.