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Author Topic: Sour beer and high IBU's (I know, I know..)  (Read 3150 times)

Offline Bike&Brew

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Sour beer and high IBU's (I know, I know..)
« on: March 02, 2016, 10:42:45 am »
I'm looking for more information on what exactly happens when you ferment a sour beer with high IBU's. I know it's not ideal with the lacto, but will it still product descent/good results? I brewed a saison with higher than ideal IBU's and, without thinking about the IBU's, dumped a mixture of bugs washed from a previous batch. It had Flemish sour mix, Crooked Stave dregs and dregs from a few other Colorado breweries. I'm inclined to ride it out and drink my mistake but looking on more information of the potential outcome. Also, since it seems like bitterness will be a factor, is there a fruit or secondary additive in particular that can help mask it? Thanks!

Offline erockrph

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Re: Sour beer and high IBU's (I know, I know..)
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2016, 11:11:07 am »
First of all, if the damage is done then I'd just let it ride and see what happens. Different varieties of lacto have different IBU tolerances. Since you're working with dregs, who knows what will happen. Ride it out and taste before you come to any conclusions. It might end up being less sour, but with an acceptable Brett character.

If you need to deal with some bitterness in the finished beer, then you can blend it or throw it on a large fruit addition to dilute it a bit. You could also backsweeten a bit (maybe with fruit juice or puree) and stabilize if needed.

There are a lot of possible end points, so the solution will vary depending on what if anything) needs to be corrected in the finished product.
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Offline AmandaK

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Re: Sour beer and high IBU's (I know, I know..)
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2016, 11:17:30 am »
What do you mean "high IBUs"? 15? 30? 75?

If it's above 15, I would venture to guess that the lacto doesn't even have a chance. However, you state that you pitched dregs of Crooked Stave. I believe Chad Y. has stated on the Sour Hour that his blend of lacto/brett can survive elevated IBUs (beyond what is reported by many labs and other brewers). So there's that.

That being said, I personally find bitter + sour to be a dreadful combination. Dry hopped sour beers, OTOH, are a dream.
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Offline stpug

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Re: Sour beer and high IBU's (I know, I know..)
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2016, 11:55:10 am »
From my experience, and from what I've read, the "high IBU and sour" dilemma is more about perception of the end result then it is about the microbes themselves.  While lacto is fairly IBU intolerant, pedio is not and crooked stave is full of pedio.

Sour plus bitterness serves to enhance the bitter quality of the beer while "removing" the sweet part of the beer at the same time.  It's kind of a 2fer when you perceive increased bitterness without complementing sweetness. It's also highly subjective and subject to personal taste, so if you don't mind it then who cares if I do :D.

IBUs are said to almost halve themselves in about a year so if you started with 30 today then in about a year you should be experiencing closer to 15 (that half-life degradation may be slightly off), so you have have some play that way.

Offline kramerog

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Re: Sour beer and high IBU's (I know, I know..)
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2016, 12:10:08 pm »
Old (surannee) hops which provide IBUs, but not flavor are used in Flemish brewing.  The result is that the pedio is more important than the lacto in producing sourness.  Also many sours are aged in barrels which cause the IBUs to fade. So you may not see much happen in the short term.

Saisons can be super dry so there may not be enough residual sugar for the bugs to do much "damage."

Offline Bike&Brew

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Re: Sour beer and high IBU's (I know, I know..)
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2016, 02:24:21 pm »
What do you mean "high IBUs"? 15? 30? 75?


Unfortunately in the 30's. I'm hoping if i age it out a year or so and cross my fingers the CS bugs do the trick, I'll get a finish product I like. Thanks everyone!