Sour Dark

[YAPN]

After finding Brett strains at the local homebrew shop I had to jump in and try some.

I used a Coopers Dark kit, nothing else, and threw in some Belgian Sour Mix 1 for a 17lt wort. Just to see what would happen. I was told I could expect some weirdly good aromas but even then I was surprised. The ripe licorice smell is bloody amazing.

Anyway after a month in the fermenter and upon reaching a suitable fg (forget what it actually was) I went and bottled it. Now I learn that Sours need to stay in the fermenter for up to twelve months.

So my second batch is a Coopers Dark kit + I kg Dextrose, 23lt wort, fermentation started with kit yeast and Belgian Sour Mix 1 pitched after 12 hours. It hasn't replicated the licorice aroma yet but it's early days.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has tried to sour a k & k recipe.

 

[Phoney]

Not sure about sour k&k but I've long read that sour and dark roasts don't play nicely together. Although there's a few commercial sour porters produced o/s but I havent tried them so can't comment.

 

[JB]

I've done a few AG sours - but with your mixed fermentation - so if the Belgian sour mix has some brett + Belgian sacc yeast in it + some pedio or lacto, giving it time in the fermenter would allow some really complex flavours to develop even further.

If you ferment with only brett though, that could finish up in 2-3 months, but the flavour complexity will be much more subtle.

The thing that you might need to be wary of though is the FG gets way low with brett + sacc & it Brett can be a slow mover - so if you've bottled at for example 1.010 then the brett can keep slowly working away, given the right conditions, and create bottle bombs. Because you're happy with the current flavour profile I'd chill & drink them soon.

Also if you're aging beer for 3-12+ months you want to use a steel fermenter or glass carboy. Normal plastic fermenters will let oxygen in over time & your beer may get acetic.

Have fun

 

[Mardoo]

8 Wired’s Cosmic Chaos sour black IPA is a good one to try. Out there, for sure.

 

[Garfield]

I'm not familiar with sours requiring 12 months

 

[Garfield]

Also if you're aging beer for 3-12+ months you want to use a steel fermenter or glass carboy. Normal plastic fermenters will let oxygen in over time & your beer may get acetic.

That explains my aceto Vienna lager last winter. Oops. I didn't realise plastic fermenters are not air proof

 

[YAPN]

Normal plastic fermenters will let oxygen in over time & your beer may get acetic.

I do like to keep things simple so I won't be buying any special fermenters. Thanks for your advice.

 

[mtb]

I do like to keep things simple so I won't be buying any special fermenters. Thanks for your advice.

*** flavoured beer can be pretty simple. JB's advice is crucial for long-term fermentations.

 

[YAPN]

*** flavoured beer can be pretty simple.

You may have misunderstood my reply to JB. I don't think I'll keep going with sours if I need to buy expensive equipment.

 

[Midnight Brew]

You may have misunderstood my reply to JB. I don't think I'll keep going with sours if I need to buy expensive equipment.

Could always ferment in a keg with some simple modifications.

 

[paulyman]

Could always ferment in a keg with some simple modifications.

Agreed. I ferment my sours in kegs. Simple and cheap if you get them second hand, easy to clean as well.

 

[Garfield]

It sounded like the warning was against long-term brewing in plastic rather than souring in plastic. I have a plastic fermenter designated for sours only but I have never aged longer than a month or two

 

[hirschb]

I believe Mike Tonsmiere wrote a BYO article a few years ago about sour dark beer recipe considerations. At a minimum, check out his bog and book as he has several sour dark beer recipes: https://www.themadfermentationist.com/