What to do with an Infected Kolsch

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

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What to do with my infected Kolsch?

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

    12 vote(s)
    60.0%

  2. Add bottle dregs to attempt to sour

    6 vote(s)
    30.0%

  3. Dry hop

    1 vote(s)
    5.0%

  4. Add fruit of some sort

    4 vote(s)
    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!
     
    #1 OddNotion, Aug 16, 2013
  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.
     
    #2 OddNotion, Aug 16, 2013
  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.
     
    #3 jbakajust1, Aug 16, 2013
  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?
     
    #4 OddNotion, Aug 16, 2013
  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.
     
    #5 jbakajust1, Aug 16, 2013
    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.
     
    #6 barfdiggs, Aug 16, 2013
    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?
     
    #7 OddNotion, Aug 16, 2013
  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.
     
    #8 barfdiggs, Aug 16, 2013
    OddNotion likes this.
  9. HerbMeowing

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

    [​IMG]
     
    #9 HerbMeowing, Aug 17, 2013
    OddNotion likes this.
  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.
     
    #10 OddNotion, Aug 17, 2013
  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.
     
    #11 jbakajust1, Aug 17, 2013
    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.
     
    #12 Danny1217, Aug 17, 2013
  13. HerbMeowing

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

    Drain pour FTW!
     
    #13 HerbMeowing, Aug 18, 2013
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