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end of December, I was brewing a NEIPA, (60/40 pilsner/oats) and had too much extra wort after the mash. So I drained off the rest and threw it into a large mason jar to do an experiment wild ferment, see what happens. Gravity: 1.045
The first week or two, it smelled TERRIBLE. I mean it smelled awful, like rotting and moldy bread. This experiment was probably a fail, but I left it and forgot about it for another couple weeks.
After a month of spontaneous open fermentation, I went back and smelled it again, and it smelled way better. Reminiscent of a wild ale. I poured a bit off and it was damn tasty. So to give it some extra flavor and zing, I tossed in some hibiscus orange peel tea I had laying around, plus some butterfly pea flowers for extra color.
Drank it last night, (uncarbonated), and it was good. Had a couple tiny flaws, but it's fixable for next time. The ale finished at 1.010 and the pH had dropped to about 2.5, too low for my tastes. A little too thin and tart. And it had a huge floral punch. Bit too much. But it was good, going to try it again with a larger batch in the future.
The first week or two, it smelled TERRIBLE. I mean it smelled awful, like rotting and moldy bread. This experiment was probably a fail, but I left it and forgot about it for another couple weeks.
After a month of spontaneous open fermentation, I went back and smelled it again, and it smelled way better. Reminiscent of a wild ale. I poured a bit off and it was damn tasty. So to give it some extra flavor and zing, I tossed in some hibiscus orange peel tea I had laying around, plus some butterfly pea flowers for extra color.
Drank it last night, (uncarbonated), and it was good. Had a couple tiny flaws, but it's fixable for next time. The ale finished at 1.010 and the pH had dropped to about 2.5, too low for my tastes. A little too thin and tart. And it had a huge floral punch. Bit too much. But it was good, going to try it again with a larger batch in the future.