Who's brewing sours?

One of the best sours I enjoyed was a sour pale ale. Anyone brew one? Another thing I’d like to try although I haven’t tasted one is a Bret pale ale which I know isn’t a sour but throwing it out there.

I’m getting ready to brew a kettle sour. I usually hit them with late hop additions on the boil. Although this time I’m leaning more towards fruit additions.

Still no desire for Bret. Takes too long, the need for dedicated equipment. Takes so long to go through 5gal. Just easier to buy one if I feel the ‘want.’

Not yet - lots of local craft independent brewers in “my neck of the woods” brewing fun beers I can get in sampler sizes. And, of course, “scale up” on the good beers.

I will admit that my first sour a number of years ago left with me with a “sour” after taste. But why re-live the past when there are so many good opportunities on the horizon?

I made a really bad malty IPA with diacetyl early this year and I’ve been meaning to add Brett to it. Maybe tonight. That’ll fix it!

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The Bret is nice with the malty beers. I’ve heard about Bret IPAs but haven’t had one. I’m my head it doesn’t sound like it’s a good match.

If I was going to add Bret to a sour I would do a kettle sour then ferment with an ale yeast then secondary with Bret. Cuts the time down to maybe three months

I’ve brewed a kettle sour orange gose that I’ll mix half and half with a pale ale. Really tasty. Sorta reminds me of a lagunitas Aunt Sally. Kind of a hoppy shandy without the sweet.

Cheers,

Ron

Do you think you could brew it as a single beer

I’ve been digging kettle sours, especially with the Omega Lacto blend.

I have been brewing for a long time and never tried a kettle sour. Read up a little on it and it sure sounds easy, how I like brewing. A couple of questions. Seems like there would be no reason not to split off 5 gallons of my usual 20 to try a kettle sour. Are they good enough I would want 20 gallons? Second what is everyone’s favorite? A Flemish ale sounded good to me but I see all kinds of sour IPAs and stuff.

You could split off a small portion to get your feet wet. I bottle them since its not something I drink all the time. Fin to brew though . I have lots o people to share them with.

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I kind of leaned toward the Flemish ale thinking it’s supposed to be sour so I could just do the entire batch. I tried some sours the traditional way years ago and was disappointed after the long wait. Over the winter I tried a Gose (wish I could remember the name) and it was great.

Friends helping wise, it depends on who and timing. Had a bunch of takers last weekend for Irish red and blew through five gallons. Sometimes it’s all me. The nice part about big batches is you can always set some aside and break out a keg later.

Another question. So you just short boil, cool a little then add the bugs. Just put the lid on your kettle?

EDIT: OK two questions. The lacto or whatever can be built up in a starter or will one pack sour more than five gallons?

One pack is plenty. There are some folks who use yogurt or Good Belly (pro-biotic juice) as well.

I pitch the bugs at about 100° and let it free fall; usually it’s tart enough after 36-48 hours. Some people will wrap their kettle with a heat wrap and keep it warm for a faster turn around.

If you’re splitting off from a 20 gallon batch, make sure you split off the wort before you add hops. Hops will kill the lacto.

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Good belly all the way no Ned for starters. Nok the pH down a bit with lactic acid pitch the good belly around body temperature. I tape the lid of my kettle and lid

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Probably could. Just kill the lacto (which I did anyway)and figure out a good hop schedule. Course the hops will stop the lacto anyway. If I kegged I’d just keep both separate and mix the pour; that way you can go more or less tart depending on your mood. I’ll betcha @porkchop would have some good ideas on this. Hopefully he’ll chime in.

Cheers,

Ron

I think porkchop hates us all. :frowning:

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Your harsh Unc… mean spirited…:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: Sneezles61

Nah he’s just sour

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Can’t speak for @porkchop but he helped me awhile back on a kettle sour. @hd4mark your process is how I did it via his help. I used good belly. Add some lactic acid to get to 4.5pH to avoid other bacteria that can grow and cause off flavors. Once tart enough (I waited 30 hours) boil it to kill lactic and add whatever hops you want. You’ll need a large healthy pitch due to the lower pH.

Here’s the original thread, with lots of information about Goodbelly:

I’ve been meaning to try this, as I’m slowly dipping my toe into sours (not literally… although that might even work).

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