Will this sour mash technique work?

[Culbetron]

I'm planning on trying out a sour mash for a quick flanders red. Would it work for me to mash and lauter as normal, boil, chill to about 110f, toss in a handful of grain, let it sit for a couple days with the surface covered in cling film, then when it's sour enough, boil for a bit, chill, and pitch yeast?

I'm thinking of doing the boil before inoculating with my crushed grains as a way of reducing oxygen in the works for acetobacter to eat. It also seems like it would be easier than having a mash tun full of grain sitting around for a couple days.

 

[TimT]

Done it lots of times. I don't see the point in a flanders red though, as you cannot get the brett character quick, which pretty much makes a flanders red what it is.

 

[Culbetron]

Do you have any recommendations for a sour mash. I'd like to try something other than a berliner Weiss which I just can't make myself brew in December.

 

[Thorpe429]

You could go with a slightly soured saison. If you want to get something a little more rustic and complex, you could then bottle condition with Brett.

 

[bknifefight]

I think boiling before the sour mash is a waste of time and propane. Flush out your mash tun with CO2 and you wont have any issues with acetobacter

 

[Culbetron]

Yeah, I'd do that if I had CO2 to flush with, but I don't. Plastic wrap is probably as close as I'll be able to get to keeping oxygen out.

 

[masonsjax]

I've heard you can top off the sour mash with seltzer water instead of flooding with co2.

 

[Culbetron]

Really? Hmm, I guess that sorta makes sense if there is enough co2 in the water.

 

[Calder]

Acetobacter is not a problem in a sour mash. Acetobacter needs alcohol to take hold. Clostridium is what you are trying to prevent becoming active in the sour mash with the cling film, which gives you the vomit aroma.

 

[kingwood-kid]

Dry ice, being pure CO2, would work better than seltzer water, although I suppose it's harder to find. But I've never used either, nor even the cling film. I don't even bother with the second boil. As far as what to make, I'm a big fan of fruited sour browns. I'd call it an Oud Bruin, except that I don't use brett, so I guess that makes it a Nieuw Bruin.

 

[Culbetron]

I like the idea of dry ice vapor pouring from my bucket. I'll get a lab coat, some erlenmeyer flasks filled with different colored liquid and start laughing maniacally until my wife slaps me back to reality.

Maybe I'll call it "The Lazy Belgian" or "De Lui Bruine"

 

[masonsjax]

The neighbors will definitely call the cops on you for making meth.

 

[Culbetron]

I live in a 17 story apartment block surrounded by 17 story apartment blocks in a city with 14 million people. Statistics dictate that I should be able to throw a stone in any direction and randomly hit a meth maker.