getting experimental here!

[phillipzayas]

Hello all,

I was curious if anyone on this board has ever tried a sour mash. If so, with what success and how did the beer come out? How did you do it and did you run into any issues?

Also, I had this weird idea. Ok, so you know how people centuries ago brewed beer in barrels ,right. Well I assume that they pitched the yeast, let it ferment, tapped it and drank it straight from the same barrel it was fermented in. They didn't know about secondary fermentation or beer filtration or any of that. No secondary fermentation at all, right? Has anyone ever tried brewing beer, putting it in a corny keg, pitching yeast, letting it sit inside the serving keg to ferment and then tapping it straight from it and drinking it? I mean it would have tons of natural carbonation in it and I'd think that the corny keg could hold up to the pressure, but do you think it would turn out good? I mean all the yeast and protein inside might make a funky flavor. But it would be real old fashioned, ya know?

Thoughts?

[Dave Warner]

I believe the way it was done originally was to let the beer ferment and then move to a finish barrel at some point during fermentation to finish and carbonate at the same time. At least, that's how beer was carbonated in the Prohibition era.

I think with most beer, the primary fermentation would produce too much pressure for a soda keg and I'm not sure what that kind of pressure would do to the fermentation quality or viability of the yeast either. You would want to vent the initial blowoff because that C02 is scrubbing unwanted O2 from the beer too and will avoid aerated off-flavors. Even if you vented the pressure over time, you would have to tap your beer quickly to avoid autolysis with all that original yeast. You also wouldn't want to move the keg around so you don't reintroduce the krausen that is stuck to the inside of the keg. There would be a lot of initial yeast and dross that might clog yout tap.

Just my thoughts. I wouldn't do it, but if I did , I'd do a low gravity, quick conditioning ale like a mild or a bitter that ferments quickly and is enjoyed soon.

[phillipzayas]

yeah, you are right.

I just want to get all crazy experimental though. you gave me something to think about.

you ever try sour mashing?

[Dave Warner]

Not me! I have a lot of other styles I want to try first.

[phillipzayas]

I was just hoping to figure out a way to do the keg experiment in a good way. It would be like the equivalent of sucking the milk straight from the cow.

[chris mewhinney]

Gheesh! Is there something funny in your water?

[kingsbrew]

I have talked to at least one person who did a sour mash by letting the mash sit overnight. I don't know any more details of the process but I think they just did normal sparging and a boil the next day.

[Guerra]

I was curious if anyone on this board has ever tried a sour mash. If so, with what success and how did the beer come out? How did you do it and did you run into any issues?

I have made: Flying Fish Brewery – Farmhouse Summer Ale. See BYO Replicator recipe at: http://www.byo.com/component/resource/a ... summer-ale

I brewed it 3 times. The beer does have a distinct aroma. My nickname for it was Belly-Button beer. Because it smelled like Belly-Button Cheese... The last time I brewed the beer it did have a more pronounced funk, but still tasted great. So as long as you can get past the smell it is a great refreshing beer.

Re: how I did the sour mash I simply followed the recipe which states: "For the sour mash, start 2–3 days in advance. Steep 3 oz. (85 g) 2-row pale malt in a pint of 150 ºF (66 ºC) water, then cover and let sit for 2–3 days. On brew day, steep the sour mash along with the wheat and dextrin malt grains...."

If you brew it good luck and save a pint for me .

Orlando