Sour Beer Bottle Conditioning Flavor Progression

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by FenderOffset238, May 11, 2016.

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  1. FenderOffset238

    FenderOffset238 Zealot (627) May 27, 2012 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    So last November I had brewed a mixed fermentation sour that sat in primary until April (5 months), until it was tasting to my pleasing. I then bottled it to 3.0 volumes of CO2 with corn sugar. I waited about a month before opening a bottle and it was relatively flat, but tasting great. I waited anther week or so and it was fully carbed and tasting amazing. Hints of lemon, hay, faint funk, and nice and sour. However now, another week out, I just opened a bottle and it has thrown some off flavors (plastic-ish, butter). I suspect diacetyl, but have never been formally trained in off flavors. If so, I expect the brett will clean it up. But my question is: Does anyone find a similar progression in their bottle conditioned sours? If so, ho long should I expect until the beer gets cleaned up and has a bit more stable of a flavor profile? Anyone have different experiences? Is this fluctuation normal? Is it avoidable or just a time thing?

    Thanks in advance for any input!
     
    #1 FenderOffset238, May 11, 2016
  2. djs467

    djs467 Initiate (0) Mar 1, 2011 Colorado

    I've experienced this many times. I'll taste the beer in tank and it tastes fine, so I bottle it and when I taste it a month out, butter bomb!! I've kegged beers with similar results too. So my thinking is that the off flavors were always there, but went unnoticed until the bubbles brought them to your attention.

    More generally speaking, ff the diaceytl is from Pedio and there is Brett in there, then you'll be fine in 3-6 months once the brett eats it up. Otherwise you may have a contamination, which may or may not clear up.
     
    #2 djs467, May 11, 2016
  3. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    I've had wild beers that have gone from lemon, hay, earthy funk and oak to 6 months later having aromas of mint flavored chew tobacco. It's alive, got to appreciate it for what it is.
     
    #3 hoptualBrew, May 12, 2016
  4. stealth

    stealth Pooh-Bah (2,023) Dec 16, 2011 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah

    The first few months of bottle conditioning a sour/wild ale always (for me) offer unique flavors that tend to drop out after the yeast gets done fermenting and cleaning up all the sugars you added for conditioning. Most common flavor I get is cereal/cheerios in the first month or two. It always clears up.
     
    #4 stealth, May 12, 2016
  5. FenderOffset238

    FenderOffset238 Zealot (627) May 27, 2012 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    That's good to hear. I expected some off flavors to develop, but I thought that would come while it was carbing, not after. I guess in the world of wilds/sours you can't predict these things perfectly.
     
    #5 FenderOffset238, May 12, 2016
  6. secondbase

    secondbase Initiate (0) Jun 3, 2015 Tennessee

    I haven't experienced diacetyl in my bottled sours, but I do get THP (cheerios, mousey) in almost all of them even when I re-yeast at bottling. It clears up after about 2 months. I find that bottled sours will really start to hit their stride at about 4-5 months in the bottle. Considering your sour only had 5 months in primary, I'd leave it alone for another six months. Pedio can take up to 12 months to do its thing and the brett will continue to transform flavors for at least the next 18 months. Cheers!
     
    #6 secondbase, May 12, 2016
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