What to do with an Infected Kolsch

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by OddNotion, Aug 16, 2013.

?

What to do with my infected Kolsch?

  1. Leave it as is and let the Brett flavor develop

    60.0%
  2. Add bottle dregs to attempt to sour

    30.0%
  3. Dry hop

    5.0%
  4. Add fruit of some sort

    20.0%
  5. Other

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
Multiple votes are allowed.
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  1. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,915) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    About 4 months ago I brewed a Kolsch with minor differences in the grain bill and hop timing, but other than that relatively traditional.

    Amt
    Name
    5 lbs
    Pilsner (Weyermann) (1.6 SRM)
    1 lbs
    Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (1.5 SRM)
    1 lbs
    Vienna Malt (Weyermann) (3.8 SRM)
    0.75 oz
    Spalter [4.50 %] - Boil 90.0 min
    0.25 oz
    Select Spalt [4.75 %] - Boil 15.0 min
    0.50 oz
    Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 30.0 min
    0.25 oz
    Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 15.0 min
    0.25 oz
    Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 5.0 min
    1.0 pkg
    German Ale/Kolsch (White Labs #WLP029) [35.49 ml]

    5 Gallons, 1.042 OG, 1.008 FG, ~29 IBUs
    In any event after a lagering period of about 3 weeks I removed the carboy from the fridge and a week later I noticed a pellicle forming. I refused to drain pour the beer as I could not for the life of me figure out what non sacch critter infected this beer. Today I think I can finally pinpoint what it is that got in and ruined my clean Kolsch. I get the cherry flavor and some minor funk so I am thinking it is Wyeast Brett L (I used it in a beer about a year ago and it looks like it has returned.) This beer had a faint Brett flavor and feels like it needs more…something. Whether it is something I add or just time, I am not sure. I turn to you guys to help me out.

    Cheers!
     
  2. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,915) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    I want to sour it as it is a nice base for a sour but I just dont think there is enough sugar left in the beer to get me anywhere. I may go the dry hop route (Rayon Vert-ish) as right now this is taking like a low gravity BPA with Brett. I guess I will see in the coming weeks/months how well the beer develops.
     
  3. jbakajust1

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

    I am split. I would either let the Brett work then dry hop, or sour it. I did a Blonde Ale last year that had many of the same specs as your beer, same OG & FG, I soured that batch post primary and it is much more sour and funky than my full wild ferment Lambic. You should be fine to sour.
     
  4. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,915) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    Did you pitch a commercial strain to sour or did you use bottle dregs?
     
  5. jbakajust1

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


    I used bottle dregs, 1 gallon of low OG honey water fermented with yogurt, lots of Brett (1.5 gallon Orval Brett beer), Lambic cake. I had 7 gallons of the Blonde fermented on its own, the yogurt honey water, the Blonde fermented with a starter from Orval blended together and split into 2 carboys. Let it go for almost a year with some fruit added too.
     
    OddNotion likes this.
  6. barfdiggs

    barfdiggs Initiate (0) Mar 22, 2011 California

    Add maltodextrin or lactose to it, then add bugs/brett/etc. Only the bugs will eat it. A friend that brews professionally adds maltodextrin to his sours and it works incredibly well (I've been using this to ensure mine get sour enough). Either that, or a late addition (6 months down the line once sacch has went dormant or died) of clear candi sugar.

    Granted this is coming from a guy who isn't a huge fan of brett only beers (exception might be saisons w/ brett), but loves brett esters when they're accompanied by acidity from bugs.
     
    inchrisin and OddNotion like this.
  7. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,915) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    How much maltodextrin would you recommend?

    Also, I have a vial of ECY01 Bug Farm coming in, not sure but if I go this route I may use that as my souring bugs.

    Edit: Is the fact that this beer is almost 30 IBUs going to be too high for the bugs? Or am I probably fine as Al's bugs are absolute beasts?
     
  8. barfdiggs

    barfdiggs Initiate (0) Mar 22, 2011 California

    1 lb per 5 gallons is fine, if you want it bracingly sour you could go as high as 2 lb. The blended beers I hit with bug farm when averaged were around 40 IBU and they are very sour, 30 IBU won't stand in your way of sourness with BugFarm.
     
    OddNotion likes this.
  9. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

  10. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,915) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    Picture is worth a thousand words... or just two in this case.

    Gotta say if this beer was full of acetobacter then that would definitely be the outcome.
     
  11. jbakajust1

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

    See, I was thinking he meant kitchen sink (throw it all in there, sour, Brett, DH, etc), not drain pour.
     
    FeDUBBELFIST and OddNotion like this.
  12. Danny1217

    Danny1217 Initiate (0) Jul 15, 2011 Florida

    Sour it AND dry hop it or add fruit when it's done.
     
  13. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Drain pour FTW!
     
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