My blackberryyarrowelderflowerMunichmalt ale tastes amazing, pity it&#

[TimT]

So my blackberry-yarrow-elderflower-Munich-malt thing - latest herbal brewing effort - has sme kind of an infection. Lacto-bacilli, most likely.

It might have got in when I filtered out the fruit and herbs the other day, or could have just come from the berries. A bit puzzling because the fermentation seemed very healthy right to the end. Finished a bit high, 24 or so - but maybe some/most of that sugar came from the berries I added mid-ferment.

It's too good to throw out: the elderflower smell is amazing, it looks brilliant, and the taste is quite refreshing. So, what to do?
- Filter it out and add sugar to carbonate (though I suspect this won't work, the LB might scarf up all the sugar leaving none for the yeast)
- Filter it out and go for a still ale (it would still be very interesting)
- Try to zap the bacteria somehow but leave the yeast intact (is this possible?)

Advice folks?

 

[TimT]

Is there any way of modifying the title?

 

[Tahoose]

was reading for fresh cider making that they use sodium metabisulphate? to kill the wild yeasts then 24-48 hrs later addd the yeast they want to use..

Maybe use some of this, then add some fresh sugars and yeast for bottling?

 

[TimT]

I think the sodium met is for bacteria. I have done similar with some ciders.

I suppose bottling wouldn't be too bad for it anyway, deprive the bacteria of oxygen.

 

[manticle]

Sodium met will inhibit yeast activity too.

Bottling it if there's any fermentation still happening would not be a good idea. I'd chuck it in a demijohn with some access to co2 egress and leave it for six months.

 

[Mardoo]

Some of them like it like that. Feckers.

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

Kegs aren't an option? 1.024 is a bit high to bottle, though I'd have though you needn't worry about which bug provides your carbonation.

You *could* bottle in PET and fridge/drink quick when the bottles get hard - it sounds like a champagne spritz would lift the beer further and counter act the sweetness. You could even try not adding priming sugar to some bottles and hope the remaining grav carbonates it.

All that said, manticle's idea is more solid if you have the time, space, and patience.

 

[TimT]

Yeah, I'll chuck it in the shed. An ageing period was on the cards anyway because of the unpredictable sugars I added in the form of blackberries.

It's a pity I don't know what went on between the start of fermentation and the end - I added blackberries twice, hoping that each time the addition of blackberry sugars would keep nudging the fermentation along (which they seemed to do). Starting gravity would have been around 1.064 - a tad on the low side; I had been thinking I'd get a bit more out of the malt.