Do sour beers skunk?

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by atomic, May 6, 2014.

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  1. atomic

    atomic Pundit (945) Sep 22, 2009 Illinois

    I noticed that belgian sours are generally in green bottles, specifically cantillon and 3F, and those are of course the ones displayed most prominently at the front of my cellar. Should I be worried they might skunk? Obviously they are out of direct sunlight, but theres an incandescent bulb above them that goes on several times a day.
     
    #1 atomic, May 6, 2014
  2. LambicPentameter

    LambicPentameter Initiate (0) Aug 29, 2012 Nebraska

    I would assume that sour beers skunk like any other beer, although you might not notice it as much, since the skunking flavors might not stand out as much against the funky notes of the sour.

    That said, replace that incandescent bulb with an LED bulb and you won't have to worry about it.
     
    #2 LambicPentameter, May 6, 2014
  3. atomic

    atomic Pundit (945) Sep 22, 2009 Illinois

    I tried that once, the problem is the bulb is fixed on the wall sticking outwards. The LED bulbs I have just project light forward and acts like a spotlight against the opposite wall. I don't have an LED blulb that blankets the room with light.

    How do fluorescent bulbs compare in UV output?
     
    #3 atomic, May 6, 2014
  4. LambicPentameter

    LambicPentameter Initiate (0) Aug 29, 2012 Nebraska

    They are lower than incandescent light, I believe, but there is still UV in fluorescent light.

    FWIW, they have started making LED bulbs that attempt to recreate the ambient light of incandescent rather than the spotlight-like beam of most LED bulbs. Not sure how successful it is at simulating, but maybe worth a shot?
     
    #4 LambicPentameter, May 6, 2014
  5. paulys55

    paulys55 Initiate (0) Aug 2, 2010 Pennsylvania

    How are your beers stored? What I mean, is it possible to cover them up with a blanket or door of some sort?
     
    #5 paulys55, May 6, 2014
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  6. atomic

    atomic Pundit (945) Sep 22, 2009 Illinois

    Theyre right under the only light in that area, I wasn't worried much about it when I started the cellar because that light only goes on a few times a day, for a few minutes tops. They probably got more UV at the store. But with the sours in green bottles I'm now rethinking this. Another thing worth mentioning, if theyre directly under the light, the cross section receiving UV is probably pretty small, and also blocked somewhat by the bottle cap/cork.
     
    #6 atomic, May 6, 2014
  7. djs467

    djs467 Initiate (0) Mar 1, 2011 Colorado

    Since 'skunking' is mainly caused by the breaking down of hops by UV light, I would assume that sour beers (very lightly hopped) would be more resistant to 'skunking'.
     
    #7 djs467, May 6, 2014
  8. paulys55

    paulys55 Initiate (0) Aug 2, 2010 Pennsylvania

    send me a picture and i'll give you a solution
     
    #8 paulys55, May 6, 2014
  9. OkayBrendan

    OkayBrendan Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2014 Connecticut

    This is mostly correct, but also the fact that hops used for lambics are aged so the compounds responsible for skunking have already broken down.
    Seems like newer brewery use the green bottles to keep with the tradition of Cantillon, et al.
     
    #9 OkayBrendan, May 6, 2014
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