Citric Acid and Brettanomyces

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by hoptualBrew, Oct 18, 2016.

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  1. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    Does Brett metabolize citric acid and create esters? If yes, would adding some lemon, orange, citrus juice to secondary Brett fermentation produce some interesting character? Paging @OldSock .

    P.S. I've talked to a local sour brewer and well respected brewing mind about adding citric acid, but he states that since the acid is not organically produced from fermentation, Brett would not really play off of it (metabolize it) well.

    Thoughts?
     
    #1 hoptualBrew, Oct 18, 2016
  2. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    I don't think that the source of the acid makes a difference. I have heard that Chad Yacobson added straight lactic acid (in small doses) to some of his beers to get ethyl lactate from his Brett strains.

    I've used citric acid powder to bring my pre souring pH down to 4.0 letting Good Belly do the rest of the work on my Gose. 100% Brett ferment. I really liked it, it definitely had a different acid character than straight lactic. Not sure I can pinpoint exactly what it id ester wise, but it was more citrus forward than pineapple forward than normal.
     
    #2 jbakajust1, Oct 18, 2016
  3. OldSock

    OldSock Maven (1,418) Apr 3, 2005 District of Columbia

    Acid is acid, doesn't really matter where it comes from. That said, I'm not aware of Brett esterifying citric acid. As it isn't a common ingredient in wort though, it may just not have been studied.
     
    #3 OldSock, Oct 18, 2016
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  4. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    Some quick google searches show that the typical citric acid esters are flavor and odorless and used in cosmetics or as a foam stabilizer in food. I would assume that it any esters formed from the citric acid addition would not impact flavor and aroma. The citric acid itself may impact the flavor and aroma though.
     
    #4 jbakajust1, Oct 18, 2016
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