Craft beer lovers are becoming increasingly interested in sour beers due to the peculiar flavour character that these beers possess. Even though this kind of beer has been brewed for the longest time, it is safe to say those sour beers made in the world that we live in now are not affordable.
This is even though this style of beer has been created for the greatest amount of time.
You're going to be thrilled to learn that you can brew your very own alcoholic beverage with a tangy taste all by yourself, so get ready for that news.
This beer's notably sour flavour originated from incorporating wild yeast and bacteria into the brewing process, which led to the beer's unique profile.
The extended ageing process that the alcohol went through for some months and sometimes even years results in the development of a flavour and aroma in the earthy and deep beer. This is because the beer was aged for so long.
Because we enjoy a touch of sourness in our beer, we have chosen to publish this instruction manual to show you how to make sour beer in the comfort of your home. In addition, we will provide you with some direction on how to improve your method for brewing, so make sure you stay tuned for that.
Equipment And Materials Required For The Production Of Sour Beer
- 5-gallon brew kettle
- Primary and secondary plastic fermenter bubbler
- Long-handled spoon- stainless steel or plastic
- Kitchen timer
- Kitchen thermometer
- Ice
- Storage bottles
Know The Fermentation Process Methods
Brettanomyces
This organism, frequently referred to by its common name, Brett, is a popular choice for sour brewing.
The feature of having a wide range of flavours, from fruits to hay, is frequently referred to as having a "horse blanket." Certain varieties give an astonishing variety of flavours.
This yeast strain responds strongly to fermentation age, producing fruitier flavours in shorter cycles and deeper, earthier tones in longer ones.
This is a wonderful option if you're unsure what yeast to use. It's cheap, accessible, and varied enough that even commercial breweries can use it.
Lactobacillus And Pediococcus
You can replace Brettanomyces yeast with these two types of bacteria.
The Lactobacillus strain is the superior option since it rapidly produces lactic acid, the principal souring agent. But it's also tricky to employ because it can't handle high concentrations of isomerised alpha acid in its surroundings.
That means your brewing method needs thorough testing and regulation before you can put it to use. An alternative to lacto that is simpler to work with is pediococcus or pedio. Beer needs a lot more time to properly sour, but it can take more abuse.
On its own, though, this kind of bacteria isn't very effective. So instead, Brettanomyces should be added to the mixture to help mask any undesirable flavours.
Pedio, in particular, has been shown to alter the beer's consistency during brewing. During the fermenting phase of sour beer, it is not uncommon for the beer to thicken up and take on a rope-like consistency.
Do not worry; throw away your beverage because you have witnessed this phenomenon.
Choosing A Beer To Brew
True home brewers should not be afraid to try new things, but even they may benefit from learning the basics of beer making by mastering certain classic recipes. Then, as luck would have it, skilled brewers shouldn't have any trouble recreating these.
Flanders
Belgian Flanders-style ales are light-to-medium in colour, have a low level of bitterness, and have moderate alcohol. The sourness is the most prominent flavour, although many also feature cherry, chocolate, and even wood-like notes.
To make a top-notch Flanders brew, you need to give the beer some time to mature in oak barrels, making it difficult to apply the shortcuts we just discussed.
Beginners are welcome to give it a shot, but this is the way to go if you have some brewing experience and want to try your hand at something more complex than a standard Berliner Weisse.
Blended Drinks
Many individuals take it a step further by blending beverages in the lambic style with components of varying maturities to make gueuzes. Adding extra fruit during fermentation to infuse a final flavour into the drink through blending can provide an incredibly varied range of flavours.
The most important takeaway here is that mastering the art of brewing will allow you to produce a wide range of unique sour beers. Although this may require some trial and error, it is usually well worth the effort.
Berliner Weisse
This beer from Germany is a wheat beer, and it's quite light in colour, with a mild hop flavour and a low alcohol content. To complement the naturally acidic and sour flavour of these beers, many drinkers add fruit flavours.
It's simple to brew on a home scale, and since there are a lot of independent producers out there, you can always find someone to ask for advice.
Lambic
The native bacterial cultures in Belgium likely contributed to the success of brewing sour beers and, therefore, the birthplace of lambic beers.
Since practically every aspect of a Lambic production is different from how other beers are brewed, it is widely considered the most difficult sour beer to brew. Some highlights include:
- Lambics undergo a harsh crushing process as opposed to the more delicate procedures often used.
- Hops are matured for a long time in a Lambic instead of using newer, fresher ones.
- Lambics require a much longer boil time than regular beer.
- True lambics ferment in the open air, which might be dangerous if you aren't sure what kinds of microorganisms are floating around.
This third part is particularly challenging since it implies that the location at which the beer is brewed will have a major effect on the beverage's ultimate flavour.
The best flavour in a lambic beer comes from ageing it for at least a year. So if you live in a somewhat cooler environment where there are more bacterial strains in the air, this strategy will be extremely effective for you. However, it's possible that the findings wouldn't be the same in hot and humid locations.
Officially, lambics can only be produced in certain regions of Belgium around the Zenne river valley, which is home to the bacterial strains that originated this beer production.
Some people use the term "Methode Traditionelle" to differentiate the place of origin of beers brewed in the lambic style that were not really brewed in Belgium.
Traditional Souring
Beer is traditionally sour when yeast and bacteria are added to the brew and allowed to ferment for an extended period of time.
Aged hops are often the first step in the traditional souring process, as they create a more conducive environment for the growth of yeast and bacteria.
Beers are aged in wood barrels containing cultures of the appropriate bacteria for sourness after they have undergone the standard fermentation process. With enough time, this combination will generate the sour beers we're after.
Beers fermented using pediococcus, an alternative to lactobacillus can take many months to sour appropriately. Some brewers age their beer for a year, while others wait six months.
Since the action of traditional souring agents is sluggish, pressure should not build up rapidly after bottling. You can stop the fermentation process by filtering or processing your beer if you're still worried about it.
Quick Souring
This technique, also known as "cheating," swiftly sours beer without sacrificing too many of its desirable characteristics. When brewing with Brettanomyces, quick souring won't bring out the beer's full flavour, but it works great with lactobacillus-based beers. Let's talk about the three most common techniques to fast sour a drink.
Sour Mashing
To make a sour mash, make a regular mash and let it cool to around 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Aim for a number that's as close to 115 as you can get.
For up to four days, the mash can be kept at this temperature while lactobacillus cultures are added (or unmashed foundation grain is added, which often includes lacto in it).
Ensure you get as little air in your lungs as possible, and don't go outside while doing this. If you don't, airborne bacteria could grow in your beer and damage the taste.
When mashing in a lot of cultures, you won't get the same depth of flavour as you would from a long fermentation process. However, as long as the drink tastes excellent, most people won't care. However, maintaining the ideal temperature might be difficult without the proper tools.
Add Acid Directly
Some people look down on adding acid to beer since it alters the final product rather than making it naturally sour during brewing. If you do it right, though, you'll have a simple and effective technique to adjust your drink's ultimate level of sourness.
To achieve the desired level of sourness in your beer, buy a dose of lactic acid and add it to the brew. Moderation is key here, but feel free to experiment with different proportions.
Kettle Souring
The souring process in the kettle is similar to the sour mashing process. However, it occurs later in the brewing procedure. Continue with the brewing process as usual until you reach the wort, and then chill it to 115 degrees, the temperature we recommend for best results. You can assist prevent bugs from flying in by adding a lactobacillus culture and then flushing the system.
Once you've achieved the desired level of sourness, you can begin boiling. You should add components like lactic acid to maintain a pH of 4.5 if you can't quite get there naturally. This is a necessary condition for lactobacillus to be effective in preventing the overgrowth of bacteria.
Make Sure The Mash Is Ready
Whole grains, including wheat malt and pilsner malt, will be used in this recipe. Using a commercially prepared mash extract will produce results that are comparable.
The time has come to begin mashing. Bring 5 gallons of water to a boil in a brew kettle preheated to 1700 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilsner malt and wheat malt should be crushed and added to a mash tun.
You can add rice hulls to keep the mush from clumping together and adhering to the bottom of the tun. On the other hand, if you don't have any rice hulls, you don't have to use this method.
When added, the grains should be submerged in water, so stir them in. Adding grain will cause a decrease in temperature, but the ideal range is between 150 °F and 15 400 °F. Use this temperature range to mash the grains for 60 minutes.
Heat The Sparge Water
It is best to start getting the sparge water ready while the mash-in continues. The term "sparging" refers to "cleaning" the wort. In brewing, wort refers to the liquid byproduct of separating spent grain.
Sparge water should be heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit in a separate brew kettle. Our target volume is roughly 5 gallons, so make sure you have enough hot water to top off your wort.
You'll now be responsible for the physical act of sparging or washing. To begin, drain half a gallon of wort into a bucket or other container. Next, this wort will be poured back into the mash tun. This page demonstrates how this is accomplished.
Next, sparge the grains by slowly pouring water preheated to 200 degrees over them. The wort is then drained from the tun after being cleaned. It may take up to an hour to finish sparging and drain the wort. The beer's final gravity and quality will suffer if you try to hurry the process.
Prepare The Wort By Boiling It.
The boiling process can begin once you have obtained enough wort to make around five gallons of beer. The wort was pasteurised through the boiling process, killing any bacteria that could compromise the beer's taste or safety.
Prepare your wort by boiling it in a crockpot and setting the timer for 60 minutes. Kettle finings, if used to clear the wort, should be added 15 minutes before the boil has finished.
When the 60 minutes are up, remove the wort from the heat and pour it into the primary fermenter bubbler vessel; let it cool to 95 degrees Fahrenheit before adding yeast. Fermentation cannot take place if yeast is added to a wort that is too hot because the yeast enzymes will be destroyed.
A wort chiller is ideal for rapidly cooling the wort, although an ice bath in the sink can suffice in a pinch.
The Wort Should Include Lactobacillus.
The wort is fermented with two strains of bacteria and one yeast strain to create sour beer. For starters, there's lactobacillus, a bacteria responsible for the production of lactic acid from sugar. Beer gets its tangy taste from the lactic acid that is added to it.
Pediococcus is another bacterium that contributes acidity to beer. Beer fermented with this bacterium turns sourer as it ages.
You've learned about the bacteria strains that go into making sour beer; now it's time to get back to the basics of making beer. Add a sachet of lactobacillus to the wort is recommended once it has cooled. The fermenter should be placed in a warm, quiet place for 12-18 hours to allow the alcohol to absorb fully.
Approximately 85 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal growth temperature for lactobacillus. This temperature range must be maintained for the bacteria to sour the wort successfully. Experts suggest wrapping the fermenter vessel with something warm, like an insulating wrap, to trap heat if your kitchen or brewing area is cool.
Add The Brewer's Yeast
The wort must now be pitched with regular brewer's yeast. Prior to adding yeast, agitate the fermenter for 10 minutes to aerate the wort. Oxygenation is essential for the brewer's yeast to grow and get the fermentation going. Next, activate the yeast by stirring it into 3/4 cup of warm water and setting the mixture aside for 10 to 15 minutes before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.
The yeast should be added to the fermenter, mixed in, and the container sealed. Then, put the fermenter back in a warm, dark place for another two weeks or until fermentation is complete.
The process is complete when fermentation stops producing bubbles at the wort's surface. The beer's sour taste, which may be anything from mildly twangy to extremely bitter, will develop at this stage.
There is no harm in taking a sip of the beer now. No one wants their beer to taste or smell rancid, so if that happens, they'll have to start over with the brewing process. Do not give up if your first attempt at making sour beer is less than perfect. You'll need a little more time and effort in the lab before you can create the ideal beverage.
Add Brettanomyces
Brettanomyces, often known as "Brett," is a type of wild yeast that adds a more earthy flavour to beer, counteracting some of the sourness.
The key takeaway is that we must minimise the amount of oxygen contact the beer undergoes during its fermentation. This is because the beer loses its carbonation and flattens out when exposed to oxygen, making it an enemy of the beverage.
Pour the beer into a carboy. Carboys are designed to be airtight, reducing the amount of oxygen in the container. The carboy should be filled to the brim with Brettanomyces yeast, with no space left for air to enter. Remember to secure the carboy with the airlock and bung.
Conclusion
With their distinctive flavour profiles, Sour beers are gaining popularity among craft beer drinkers. The addition of wild yeast and bacteria during brewing is responsible for the beer's distinctive sour flavour. Alcohol that has been aged for a long time—months or even years—develops a distinctive flavour and scent. While bacteria like Brettanomyces and Lacto are ideal for fermenting Lacto, they can also cause the beer to become extremely thick, almost rope-like. Pediococcus, often known as pedio, is a lacto alternative that is less complicated to work with but takes longer to ferment.
Lambic is a type of sour beer that is notoriously difficult to create. Beer's final flavour is heavily influenced by its brewing site. Some brewers wait a year for their beer to fully sour, while others settle for six months. A beer fermented with Brettanomyces will not benefit from rapid souring. However, beers fermented with lactobacillus will benefit greatly from this technique. You can control the overall soreness of your drink with relative ease if you follow these steps.
This recipe calls for the use of both wheat malt and pilsner malt, both of which are whole grains. If the pH level drops below 4.5, add lactic acid to bring it back to where it needs to be. The water used for the sparge should be heated to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit in a separate kettle. Get your work ready by boiling it in a slow cooker and leaving it there for 60 minutes. After the wort has cooled, toss in a lactobacillus sachet.
Adding yeast to boiling wort will result in a wasted effort because fermentation will not occur. The most important thing to remember is to limit the time the beer is exposed to air during the fermentation process. When the wort's surface no longer foams from fermentation, it's done. As a result, the beer will develop a sour flavour that might range from mildly twangy to bitter.
Content Summary
- Craft beer lovers are becoming increasingly interested in sour beers due to the peculiar flavour character that these beers possess.
- This beer's notably sour flavour originated from incorporating wild yeast and bacteria into the brewing process, which led to the beer's unique profile.
- Because we enjoy a touch of sourness in our beer, we have chosen to publish this instruction manual to show you how to make sour beer in the comfort of your home.
- An alternative to lacto that is simpler to work with is pediococcus or pedio.
- Pedio, in particular, has been shown to alter the beer's consistency during brewing.
- The most important takeaway is that mastering the art of brewing will allow you to produce a wide range of unique sour beers.
- Berliner Weisse, This beer from Germany, is a wheat beer, and it's quite light in colour, with a mild hop flavour and a low alcohol content.
- The native bacterial cultures in Belgium likely contributed to the success of brewing sour beers and, therefore, the birthplace of lambic beers.
- Since every aspect of Lambic production differs from how other beers are brewed, it is widely considered the most difficult sour beer to brew.
- The best flavour in a lambic beer comes from ageing it for at least a year.
- Some people use the term "Methode Traditionelle" to differentiate the place of origin of beers brewed in the lambic style that was not brewed in Belgium.
- When brewing with Brettanomyces, quick souring won't bring out the beer's full flavour, but it works great with lactobacillus-based beers.
- Let's talk about the three most common techniques to fast sour a drink.
- To achieve the desired level of sourness in your beer, buy a dose of lactic acid and add it to the brew.
- Kettle Souring The souring process in the kettle is similar to the sour mashing process.
- Bring 5 gallons of water to a boil in a brew kettle preheated to 1700 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The pilsner malt and wheat malt should be crushed and added to a mash tun.
- Use this temperature range to mash the grains for 60 minutes.
- Heat The Sparge Water It is best to start getting the sparge water ready while the mash-in continues.
- Next, this wort will be poured back into the mash tun.
- It may take up to an hour to finish sparging and drain the wort.
- Prepare your wort by boiling it in a crockpot and setting the timer for 60 minutes.
- The wort is fermented with two strains of bacteria and one yeast strain to create sour beer.
- Adding a sachet of lactobacillus to the wort is recommended once it has cooled.
- Add The Brewer's Yeast The wort must now be pitched with regular brewer's yeast.
- Oxygenation is essential for the brewer's yeast to grow and get the fermentation going.
FAQs About Sour Beer
How Long Does Sour Beer Last?
Sour beer lasts longer than many other types of beer. Wide varieties can continue aging in a bottle for several years, and it's not unusual to see a sour beer last at least one year after bottling. Ultimately, no beer lasts forever, but they are a good choice if you want to keep something in storage for a while.
However, as with all beers, it's often better to drink them sooner instead than later. Most beers taste great shortly after bottling, and it's often easier to enjoy them right away rather than risk turning flat over time.
Should I Put Sour Beer In The Fridge?
Sour beer usually stores best around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If you need a fridge to reach that temperature, store it there. However, many cellars and underground areas can reach this temperature without additional refrigeration, so those are viable alternatives to active cooling.
Is Sour Beer Hard To Brew?
Sour beer is somewhat more complicated to brew than regular beer. Even if you're cheating and adding lactic acid after brewing, you'll need to get that ingredient, mix it in properly, and use the right tools to measure acidity before you seal it up. In other words, it's always harder to brew sour beer than regular beer, although not ridiculously.
Brewing sour beer correctly may require additional equipment, including cooling tubs exposed to open air. These can be hard to get in some areas, so many sour beers come from smaller breweries that can focus their attention on brewing them well.
What Gives A Sour Beer Its Distinctive Taste?
Bacteria give sour beers their distinctive taste, while yeast adds the funky and earthy quality. Today's sours are primarily influenced by two types of bacteria and one type of wild yeast. The first is lactobacillus, a bacteria that turns sugars into lactic acid.
How Do You Cool Sour Beer Quickly?
You can use a wort chiller to cool the wort fast, but if you do not have a chiller, you can use a simple ice bath in your kitchen sink. What makes sour beer sour is the addition of two types of bacteria and one type of yeast to the wort. The first bacterium is lactobacillus, which converts sugar into lactic acid.
Sour beer is somewhat more complicated to brew than regular beer. Even if you're cheating and adding lactic acid after brewing, you'll need to get that ingredient, mix it in properly, and use the right tools to measure acidity before you seal it up. In other words, it's always harder to brew sour beer than regular beer, although not ridiculously.
Brewing sour beer correctly may require additional equipment, including cooling tubs exposed to open air. These can be hard to get in some areas, so many sour beers come from smaller breweries that can focus their attention on brewing them well.
Bacteria give sour beers their distinctive taste, while yeast adds the funky and earthy quality. Today's sours are primarily influenced by two types of bacteria and one type of wild yeast. The first is lactobacillus, a bacteria that turns sugars into lactic acid.
You can use a wort chiller to cool the wort fast, but if you do not have a chiller, you can use a simple ice bath in your kitchen sink. What makes sour beer sour is the addition of two types of bacteria and one type of yeast to the wort. The first bacterium is lactobacillus, which converts sugar into lactic acid.