Racking a Sour Beer (Time Frame)

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by inchrisin, Nov 20, 2015.

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  1. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    I have 5 gallons of beer in a bucket. It's about 3 weeks old. I have Brett and Sacch in there. I don't expect it to hit FG for a while since the Brett will continue to chew away on the gravity. What kind of timeframe am I looking at to rack from primary into secondary to avoid oxidation?
     
    #1 inchrisin, Nov 20, 2015
  2. psnydez86

    psnydez86 Initiate (0) Jan 4, 2012 Pennsylvania

    I would rack soon. If your in a 6.5 gallon ale pale type bucket, those white lids without a rubber gasket seal like shit. I've heard some buckets with a rubber gasket around the lid make a better seal and it's less of a worry. Brett can start throwing some acetic acid and nail polish with too much oxygen pretty fast.

    Are you gonna add bacteria to make it sour or is it like a funky saison?
     
    #2 psnydez86, Nov 20, 2015
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  3. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    You nailed it. It's a 6.5 gal bucket with no rubber seal. It's just got Brett so far. I'm racking now. I'm starting to wonder if I'm misusing the term sour. I know Brett is funky, and not as sour, and brewers seem to be using the term sour more for Lacto and maybe Pedio.
     
    #3 inchrisin, Nov 20, 2015
  4. secondbase

    secondbase Initiate (0) Jun 3, 2015 Tennessee

    Get that thing out of the bucket. There will be enough yeast in suspension for it to finish properly. All that oxygen in the bucket with the improper seal is screaming for acetic production from the brett with extended aging.

    Also, this won't be a sour beer until you add LAB (Lacto, Pedio). Do you plan on adding dregs or commercial sour culture?
     
    #4 secondbase, Nov 20, 2015
  5. psnydez86

    psnydez86 Initiate (0) Jan 4, 2012 Pennsylvania

    Yea Brett beers are not sour beers. Lacto and pedio are the two guys needed for a true sour beer, but Brett will produce small amounts of acid especially in the presence of oxygen.
     
    #5 psnydez86, Nov 20, 2015
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