ECY Flanders mix, pH 3.2 in barely three months

[BootsyFlanootsy]

Ok. so way back a year ago, I had an export stout pick up a Brett infection and stall out at 1.020, decided to sour it; used the white labs Flanders blend, let it sit a year, racked in onto 12#'s of sour cherries.

at that time I brewed a basic saison with about 2 pounds of rye and siphoned that onto the trub, ( I know, you aren't supposed to leave ale on Flanders trub... but it's not like I was making a convention Flanders), .

I had a vial of ECY Flanders mix and pitched that as well... ( I know, I'm pretty much breaking all sorts of rules), fermentation was slow to get going but it took with vigor in 2 days. Mind you this was early July and temps were in the 80's.

Long story short, I took a sample last night and it tastes perfect. pH was 3.2.

does that seem like an unusually quick turn around for a sour?

 

[sweetcell]

what gravity are you at? have you been stable for a month? while you might have reached the "terminal acidity", the bugs might (and i suspect probably are) still at work in there. so there is a good chance, IMO, that this brew isn't quite done yet. bacteria are slooooooooooow...

 

[BootsyFlanootsy]

I hear ya, and usually I'd be inclined to agree.... but this tart sucker is already at 1.000.

dry as a bone.

 

[smokinghole]

Its done when it tastes done really. One trick I also use is to chill some and pour it, carbonated if possible. This will allow you to visualize if there is any ropiness remaining because its hard to tell unmarked and warm when the rope is minimal. I have to chill to make sure most times.

 

[BootsyFlanootsy]

will pedio "sickness" clear in the absence of any fermentables?

I mean, I am at 1.000

 

[smokinghole]

Yes. The sickness viscosity is a result of an exopolysaccharide complex from the pedio. I don't know the bond types but its just a starch complex. I also don't know if its the brett that ultimately breaks it down or if the pedio breaks it down to use as a carbon source over time. It very possibly could be both pedio and Brett remove the viscosity together, and I think that is the most likely scenario.