Sour mashing AG

Production methods from starch to sugars.

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GingerTop
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Sour mashing AG

Post by GingerTop »

Alright, so after doing the "sour mash" method with UJSSM, I kind of have an idea of what sour mashing actually is... Kinda.

When doing an all grain recipe, I'm assuming you get the used up wash from the first batch, mix it 3:1 with water (for a 33% backset), then use that mixture to mash your grains in for the subsequent batches as apposed to just water? Hence "Sour MASH"? Sorry if I sound like I'm answering my own question, I just want to make sure I understand this correctly. Oh, and there's nothing in the backset that would inhibit the mashing process, right? Like ph?
rtalbigr
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Re: Sour mashing AG

Post by rtalbigr »

GingerTop wrote: Oh, and there's nothing in the backset that would inhibit the mashing process, right? Like ph?
Backset can get rather acidic. I've had it go below pH 4, so you do need to check and adjust as necessary. This can be good if you need to lower the mash pH, but you don't want it below pH 5.

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Durace11
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Re: Sour mashing AG

Post by Durace11 »

The backset will be more acidic then the original mash so you can over do it on adding backset. I believe 25% is recommended but you really should be checking your PH levels if you get a stuck ferment.

The method is laid out pretty cleanly on the UJSM recipe thread. Probably want to re-read it a few times. To the best of my memory:

The finished ferment is put into the boiler, the left over trub on the bottom of your fermentor is topped up with water (to a point that you are not completely full because you will add more later) to preserve the yeast cake while you run your still. When the still is done running you take out some hot backset(the left over from your still run) and use that to melt your sugar for the next batch. Once it cools you add it into the old yeast cake/water mixture you prepared when you sphioned out the finished ferment.
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Prairiepiss
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Re: Sour mashing AG

Post by Prairiepiss »

Actual AG sour mashing is different then how UJSSM is done. It's a little more involved then just adding backset. From my understanding. I don't know the full process. And hopefully Dnderhead will be along shortly to explain it.
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GingerTop
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Re: Sour mashing AG

Post by GingerTop »

Alright, good to know. After some more research on sour mashing, I found the lower ph to be beneficial to mashing, but had no idea that it's easy to get it too acidic for fermentation. Thanks! :thumbup:
Durace11
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Re: Sour mashing AG

Post by Durace11 »

Actual sour mashing can be done a few different ways.

If you want to sour the mash non-UJSM style you can do your normal mash but hold back some dry cracked malt(maybe a handful). Once you complete the mash out and the liquid cools to about 100°F-115°F you can toss in the grain you saved. The cracked malt will carry lacto bacteria on the hulls so this bacteria will be transfered to your wort/wash and begin to sour it. Once it sours to your liking, this can take several days and works best if kept in the temp range around 100°F, you can then boil it like you would a normal AG wort to kill the bacteria. Once that's complete you cool it to pitching temp for your yeast and pitch yeast. Viola, sour mash.

You can also add lactobacteria with your yeast and they will work together to ferment and sour at the same time. This is less precise due to the fact that you can't stop the lacto without killing the yeast but you could boil them both to death and re-pitch yeast only if it was getting too sour but was not fermented enough to run it yet.

There are several different "souring" bacteria available, most can be purchased from homebrew shops. All have different characteristics.
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