Sour Mash

Classification: sour mash, all-grain

Source: Micah Millspaw, through Bob Jones (bjones@nova.llnl.gov), 1/10/92

Aluminum foil has nothing to do with sour mashing technique, CP is awfully vague about this and most other topics.

Yes it is malted wheat. The 20% barley malt is American grown 2-row klages, it has an abundance of enzymes for starch conversion (plus there is a lot of time available). The wheat seems to present a more interesting flavour profile IMHO. As for the sour mash contaminating your brewing environment, I've not had a problem with it.

Ingredients:

5 pounds, 2--row Klages (mash @ 158 for 14 hours)
10 pounds, wheat malt
10 pounds 2--row Klages (infusion mash @155 for 1--1/2 hours)
2 pounds, wheat malt
2 ounces, Centennial hops (12% alpha)
1/2 ounce, coriander (freshly crushed, added to fermenter)
yeast

Procedure:

Notes: I sour 1/2 (one half) of the mash, the high % wheat half, the other is straight infusion. I do how ever make a effort to minimize heat loss by using a ice chest and sealing the lid with duct tape. If it smells rotten, it is OK. The bacteria at work are for the most part aerobic. If it looks bad, it's OK. After 14 hours no matter how bad you think you screwed up, its OK just see the thing thru, it is worth it.

Combine mashes for mash out @ 170F for 15 min. Sparge @ 170F. Boil for 75 minutes, then cool and split into two carboys. Pitch a Chimay culture into one and a Chico ale yeast into the other. Add 1/4 ounce freshly crushed coriander to each. After 7 days fermentation, blend the two batches together in a larger vessel. Ferment 7 days longer. Keg with 1/4 cup corn sugar per 5 gallons. Counter pressure bottled after 2 weeks.

Specifics:

O.G.: 15 degrees Balling
F.G.: 2 degrees Balling