Sour Mash

[MrNate]

I've got a sour mash running right now and it smells delicious!

Just thought I'd share.

[dbeechum]

Be interesting to see how delicious it smells in a day or two!

[Beertracker]

... or to see what "creepy crawlies" start finding their way to the mash tun! 

[MrNate]

This is my third time running a sour mash. First time was for 36 hours, second time was around 72. The second one still smelled and tasted (that's right, tasted) great after 72 hours, so that's what I'm targeting for this run as well.

[b-hoppy]

did the MASH taste great . . . or the finished beer?  the last one i did (last spring) i soured about 40% of the mash for 36-40 hours and when i added it to the main mash i smelled alcohol.  i've never had this happen before where the soured mash actually fermented in such a short time.  needless to say i lost 40% of my fermentables and the beer came out quite thin even after mashing the complete mash at 162F.  i learned a lesson though.

[MrNate]

the sour mash itself tasted pretty damn good. Like a sweet & sour sauce. I run it too hot for yeast to ferment it.

[brewchez]

What temperature do you hold the sour mash at for proper souring?

[MrNate]

Around 120. Really anywhere between 90 and 120 depending where in the mash you measure, heating cycles, etc.

[brewchez]

How do people go about holding the mash at ~110-120F for several days of sour mashing?

[Thirsty_Monk]

How do people go about holding the mash at ~110-120F for several days of sour mashing?

Recirculate with HERMS would be my suggestion.

[MrNate]

Crock pot.

[b-hoppy]

if i turn the light on in my kitchen oven and shut the door, i can hold a temperature right around 100 - 110F which works for sourmashing and yoghurt.