Higher gravity kettle sours?

[TripleC223]

I've been doing some research about kettle sours and have a couple questions.

First, it seems that most kettle sour recipes have an OG of 1.040 or lower. Why so low? What would be the detriment of souring a higher-gravity wort, something like 1.052?

Second, if there is a reason why kettle sours need a lower OG, would you be able to kettle sour a 1.040 wort with the intent of blending it with a more neutral, higher-gravity wort? Could you mix the two before the boil, thereby making a pre-soured, higher-gravity wort?

Thanks for the input. I'm just trying to see the feasibility of making a sour with my current equipment. If I make a beer, I would want it to be at least 4.8% ABV, but for such a low gravity, I know that would require a FG of 1.002 or lower.

 

[Steveg229]

I am certainly not an expert, but I can't figure out any reason that you couldn't kettle sour something with a higher abv. I have recently been brewing and working on a kettle soured black IPA with an abv of 6.9% with no problems.

 

[Kent88]

I'm no expert, but I think many kettle sour recipes are for Berliner Weisse, as it is a style of sour that can be ready to drink fairly quickly as opposed to other sour styles that take months or even years with lacto, pedio, and brett. Style guidelines for BW are for a really low gravity wort.

I have no idea if lacto would have problems in a high-gravity wort.

I believe the lacto commonly used in beer and in yogurt are different species or subspecies, but I just made 8 cups of yogurt that was a super-solution of whole milk and 1.5 cups dry milk powder (it cuts down on syneresis, look that word up). That probably made for a pretty dense solution for the lacto to ferment, and it worked.

 

[bigdawg86]

I brewed a sour that was 1.052 no problem (Margarita Gose)... great beer!