Sour Blonde Ale w/fruit - fermentation question

[NBBC13]

I've been brewing for 9 years now, but am trying my first sours this year and wanted to hear some opinions. I brewed a 10 gallon batch of sour blonde then split it up for two different sours, see below.

My question, it's been 3 months and 1 week since I added the fruit and Lambic. The taste is pretty good, but not ready yet. SHould I continue to age in fermenter until the taste is where I want it? Or should I bottle it and try it once a month?


12 lbs pilsner malt
8 lbs white wheat
2 lbs flaked wheat
2 lbs flaked red wheat

1.5 oz Hallertauer - aged on fridge in brown bag for 3 months

In fermenter, dropped temp to 69 degrees, used two packs US-05 Safele
after 12 days, split into 2 wide mouth bubbler fermenters
In each, added 1 pouch Wyeast Lambic blend
and following fruit (all organic, chopped and frozen night before)
- 1st batch 4 lbs peaches
- 2nd batch 5.6 lbs strawberries and 1.5 lbs kiwi

swirl fermenter once/week

 

[cactusgarrett]

If you're not taking gravity readings, everything's a guess at this point. My guess is that you should let it go in the fermenter for 6 more months. Bugs in the lambic blends don't come into their own until after 6 months, and that's just flavor-wise. You just added more fermentables, so you should wait a while until that additional fermentation finishes up. Start taking grav readings if you haven't yet.

 

[NBBC13]

thanks will take some readings then. patience is a virtue in this case

 

[radwizard]

Just you can check it now and take a sample. Then leave it for another 3 months, and sample it again. At that point if it is tasting good and the gravity is where your think it will finish, Let it sit another 2 months. Check one more time, and confirm the gravity is the same as you last check on the 6 month mark. If it is Re-Yeast and bottle. If not, you should give it another 2 months to confirm that you are finished.

I would avoid the weekly swirling as well. Give the bugs an opportunity to create a pellicle.
And dont be impatient with the sampling. You dont wanna be sampling to often and letting a bunch of O2 in there, other wise you may end up with a lifetime supply of vinegar...

 

[cactusgarrett]

patience is a virtue in this case

ESPECIALLY when dealing with sours (that are not kettle soured).

 

[NBBC13]

Just you can check it now and take a sample. Then leave it for another 3 months, and sample it again. At that point if it is tasting good and the gravity is where your think it will finish, Let it sit another 2 months. Check one more time, and confirm the gravity is the same as you last check on the 6 month mark. If it is Re-Yeast and bottle. If not, you should give it another 2 months to confirm that you are finished.

I would avoid the weekly swirling as well. Give the bugs an opportunity to create a pellicle.
And dont be impatient with the sampling. You dont wanna be sampling to often and letting a bunch of O2 in there, other wise you may end up with a lifetime supply of vinegar...

So, when you say re-yeast and bottle, would you go with just some Safele US-05 to give it a boost or dose it with more Lambic?

 

[radwizard]

So, when you say re-yeast and bottle, would you go with just some Safele US-05 to give it a boost or dose it with more Lambic?

Not the Lambic blend. Sacc will do. A lot of folks use wine yeast, as it is pretty acid tolerant.

The idea here is that your sacc will likely be dead by the time this beer is ready. Giving the beer some fresh yeast at bottling with your priming sugar will ensure you get carbed up.

 

[NBBC13]

Not the Lambic blend. Sacc will do. A lot of folks use wine yeast, as it is pretty acid tolerant.

The idea here is that your sacc will likely be dead by the time this beer is ready. Giving the beer some fresh yeast at bottling with your priming sugar will ensure you get carbed up.

that makes sense, thanks

 

[Calder]

Your first mistake was using the S-05. If you had just used the lambic pack from the start, the bugs would have had a chance to build colonies before the yeast in the pack picked up and started making alcohol. Once alcohol is present everything slows down. Just put it in a corner in the dark for a year and then come back to it.

Reyeast with Champagne yeast when you eventually bottle. It is cheap and acid tolerant.

Quit swirling. Just leave it alone.

 

[NBBC13]

I'd like to update this thread with another question. If you remember, I split into two batches. The strawberry-kiwi sour is tasting quite good with a good level of tartness and fruitiness. But, the other batch (peaches) has definitely lost some of the sourness since I last tasted it a couple of months ago. Has anyone ever observed this? Should I add another lambic?