Sourness from Citra hops?

SabreSteve

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So been enjoying my Citra blonde but I just thought to myself "this is kinda tart". Wouldn't have really phased me except that a co-worker I gave a 6-pack of my last blonde (with northern brewer instead of Citra) told me that the last two bottles tasted sour and were dumpers. Besides being very embarrassed I'm curious where the infection came from because I tried to really step up my sanitation game. I know it's probably the bottles and not the fermenter because the rest of that blonde has been pretty good. Just has me wondering because every bottle of the citra blonde has had a little tartness. Just want to rule out the fermenter, which isn't a huge deal since I just got a new fermonster. Just curious. Don't get me wrong either I actually really like the tartness in this beer. Just making sure it should be there.
 
Hmmmm
I have never done a truly single hop beer, but I use Citra regularly. I have never got a tart flavor from it.
 
Hmmmm
I have never done a truly single hop beer, but I use Citra regularly. I have never got a tart flavor from it.
You've never done a single hop beer? I'm shocked:D:D:D

My porter I just bottled is actually my first multi-hop beer. Northern brewer and Kent goldings.
 
I don't get tart from Citra. What yeast?
 
US-05. I'd say drinking it tonight felt kinda like drinking a well-balanced lemonade
I'd say tart notes MAYBE if you used a kveik strain. Like Voss. 05, no. Haven't you had this problem before? I'm thinking you've got an infection somewhere in your process.
 
I'd say tart notes MAYBE if you used a kveik strain. Like Voss. 05, no. Haven't you had this problem before? I'm thinking you've got an infection somewhere in your process.
It's been bottles before. Pretty sure all these bottles have tasted the same. If I did have an infection in the fermenter I can just toss it, I actually only kept the bucket intending to use it if I ever did a sour. So if that is what it was it should hopefully end there with that batch. Like I said though if it is an off flavor it's kinda a desirable one for me with this beer
 
You use a racking cane by any chance?
You reusing your yeast?
What's you bottle carb process like?
Sorry to hear your battling infection been there don't want to return any time soon!
 
Sorry, but tart is just not a hallmark of the Citra flavor profile. Smooth, dank, earthy and fruity. If you're got anything tart, there's probably some lacto at work.
 
You use a racking cane by any chance?
You reusing your yeast?
What's you bottle carb process like?
Sorry to hear your battling infection been there don't want to return any time soon!
Auto siphon but I'm not using that one past that batch because the "mini" sized one is too small for the fermonster. I also take it apart to wash and dry it. Don't reuse yeast. I might have skimped a little on the PBW cleaning because I didn't have an extra day off to clean and I cleaned them and bottled the same day. Used my new bottle sprayer that attaches to the sink and then went right to sanitizing. Think I need to go back to cleaning the day before and doing a full PBW soak
 
It's been bottles before. Pretty sure all these bottles have tasted the same. If I did have an infection in the fermenter I can just toss it, I actually only kept the bucket intending to use it if I ever did a sour. So if that is what it was it should hopefully end there with that batch. Like I said though if it is an off flavor it's kinda a desirable one for me with this beer

An infection can come from anything that contacts your beer post boil. It could be airborne, spoon, paddle, hose, tester, etc. If it's desirable and you don't think it's an infection, then no worries. That said, if it is an infection, it won't improve with time.
 
An infection can come from anything that contacts your beer post boil. It could be airborne, spoon, paddle, hose, tester, etc. If it's desirable and you don't think it's an infection, then no worries. That said, if it is an infection, it won't improve with time.
I think it's probably some kind of lacto in there from the sounds of it. It's desirable in this beer but I don't think I want it in other beers. The good news is that one changed like half my equipment since that batch. I'll just have to double down on the common equipment and the bottles. Is there any point with the bottles where PBW or bleach won't take care of the bacteria and I should just change out all the bottles?
 
Sounds like either bottles, caps, or some issue in your bottling process to me. Set aside the bottles that were affected and give them a real thorough cleaning. Do you rinse thoroughly after pouring?
 
Sounds like either bottles, caps, or some issue in your bottling process to me. Set aside the bottles that were affected and give them a real thorough cleaning. Do you rinse thoroughly after pouring?
Yes typically do rinse well. I think I might have just missed something by rushing cleaning, thinking the bottle sprayer would somehow make up for being less thorough. Pride goeth before.
Caps stay in the resealable bag and then go right into a bowl of Starsan. I'm careful not to take out more caps than I'll use so that none go back in
 
Citra works well at FO, WP and DH. I wouldn’t boil them. They can get a little harsh in the boil. Light ales like a Blonde are tough to brew to perfection. They tell every flaw. What are you doing for Water. RO? Tartness can result from low pH (acidity). Another thing, although not tartness, is mashing at a low temp. A thin, dry beer can throw a slight harsh off flavor. You said a “well balanced lemonade.” To me that says acidity and thin. Hang in there.
 
Citra works well at FO, WP and DH. I wouldn’t boil them. They can get a little harsh in the boil. Light ales like a Blonde are tough to brew to perfection. They tell every flaw. What are you doing for Water. RO? Tartness can result from low pH (acidity). Another thing, although not tartness, is mashing at a low temp. A thin, dry beer can throw a slight harsh off flavor. You said a “well balanced lemonade.” To me that says acidity and thin. Hang in there.
I've heard that about citra but wanted to give it a try. I've been using tap water. Just can't justify buying RO water everytime. Have been meaning to contact the county water authority to get a water profile though. I did have some trouble with my mash temp on that brew, my son grabbed the lid and ran off with it so it took me several minutes to find and cover it and the temp crashed but it wasn't low the whole time. By well balanced lemonade I mainly meant it has a little tang but doesn't make you instantly pucker if that makes sense
 
I've heard that about citra but wanted to give it a try. I've been using tap water. Just can't justify buying RO water everytime. Have been meaning to contact the county water authority to get a water profile though. I did have some trouble with my mash temp on that brew, my son grabbed the lid and ran off with it so it took me several minutes to find and cover it and the temp crashed but it wasn't low the whole time. By well balanced lemonade I mainly meant it has a little tang but doesn't make you instantly pucker if that makes sense
Yes, makes sense. Did you dechlorinate? What is the grain bill?
 
No, didn't treat the water at all. Grain bill is 100% briess 2 row but that's exactly the same as my previous blonde
That will make a very dry beer with a pH around 5.5 using RO water. City water could easily push pH over 6 during sparge. I wouldn’t want to mash that beer lower than 152*. Maybe try it again after decolonization and add some C20 to about 5%. If you can keep fermentation around 64* that could help. If fermentation gets up around 70* it can throw esters. If not infection, perhaps some fine tuning will take a turn for the better. Cheers!
 

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