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Citric Acid vs Lactic Acid

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by GreenKrusty101, May 15, 2014.

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  1. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Brewed a Berlinerweisse for the new year with a lacto culture followed by sac cerv, but it never got tart enough for me...fast forward...threw some sour pomegranate molasses and 6 gms of wine yeast in it for a quick fix...it did :confused:. Anybody know how the 2 weak acids compare? From my limited experience, I'd say tart is tart, but I hear all the time that "the sourness is 1 dimensional at least from straight lactic acid additions...what say you?

    A sour mash is obviously in the cards for the next attempt. Cheers all
     
    #1 GreenKrusty101, May 15, 2014
  2. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    I've brewed a few no-boil, sour mash Berliners and at about 3 months you'll get a mouth puckering beast if that's what your into.
     
    #2 hoptualBrew, May 16, 2014
  3. MrOH

    MrOH Grand Pooh-Bah (3,693) Jul 5, 2010 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    If you're just looking for a quick acid boost, maybe try the acid blend that they sell over in the home winemaking part of the LHBS. IIRC, it's a blend of citric, malic, and tartaric acids that is meant to treat flabby wines at packaging.
     
    #3 MrOH, May 16, 2014
    hopfenunmaltz likes this.
  4. atomeyes

    atomeyes Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2011 Canada (ON)

    or just make your own based on that mix. 40:30:30 with citric being 40.

    you can order all of those at your local pharmacy. ask them to order it. will cost you peanuts for 100 grams.

    i've used it once for a sour mango beer i made. worked amazingly well.
     
    #4 atomeyes, May 16, 2014
    MrOH likes this.
  5. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    So...why a blend? What's the malic, tartaric, (and lactic) have that the citric doesn't? Different flavor/tartness?
     
    #5 GreenKrusty101, May 16, 2014
  6. MrOH

    MrOH Grand Pooh-Bah (3,693) Jul 5, 2010 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I'd imagine its to give it a more rounded sourness so that you'd avoid the flat, one note quality that often gets quoted in the literature.
     
    #6 MrOH, May 16, 2014
  7. nickfl

    nickfl Initiate (0) Mar 7, 2006 Florida

    If you are going to add acid directly to beer go with lactic acid and a little bit of white vinegar (acetic acid) to round it out. It is best to add it pre-fermentation as the yeast can reduce some of the unpleasant compounds (diacetyl) that may be present in the lactic acid that is commercially available.

    The mad fermentationist had a great blog post about this from a few years ago: http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2009/04/brewing-sour-beer-with-acid.html
     
    #7 nickfl, May 16, 2014
    GreenKrusty101 and MrOH like this.
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