Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

Thinking of doing a kettle sour soon. I plan to kettle sour in my electric HLT so maintaining heat is easy. Then run off to boil kettle for final boil. Any issues you see with cleaning the HLT after having lacto in there?

I did this once using my boil kettle. Not the best to hold temp but it worked, my electric elements did not do well with the low ph after. It tasted just like a kettle sour should so I decided to boil and black things started to float in the beer and it tasted very metallic. I figure the low ph etched the camco elements I had. I have replaced them with all stainless steel but I have not tried this again.

So just be warned.

I have a designated 6 gallon glass carboy. I put it in a large cooler full of water and use sous vide to hold constant temperature of water.

I've used a fermWrap + blanket to hold 110F on up to 16 gallons in the winter (65F ambient).
I have a temp controller that would power my element for that range, but, haven't bothered trying as the wrap was easy, and I don't do them all that often now.

Marks' method of using a carboy for souring phase is good also, just a little more transferring, and more limited on volume.

If you don't care about the lacto being pasteurized out at the end, Another method gaining popularity is to pitch L. Plantarum (goodbelly shots)to unhopped wort in a carboy between 80-90F, and drop in the yeast and some noble hops 2-4 days later. Plantarum is very hop-sensitive.

Matt F wrote:Thinking of doing a kettle sour soon. I plan to kettle sour in my electric HLT so maintaining heat is easy. Then run off to boil kettle for final boil. Any issues you see with cleaning the HLT after having lacto in there?

As for your actual question -- No. If you are bringing the temp back up above 150 for an hour, or 170F for a few seconds, you've pasteurized it. I'd guess even without cleaning your next beer batch would do that.

I personally don't worry about lacto contamination, as I use hop-sensitive cultivars, and 20IBU is going to stop any residual lacto. Even 2 IBu would likely stop commercial Plantarum.

So, the wild breakfast ale I made was semi-kettle soured. I did my normal boil and chilled down to 110 degrees. Then I added my lacto culture and wrapped my fermenter in several towels. Two days later, the temperature was down to the low 80's, and I pitched yeast. I left the lacto culture alive and well. The product had no hops, so adding lacto post boil was not an issue. The lacto got a big jump in the first two days and continued to work up till kegging (and continues to work today I suppose).

Thanks guys. Working on a beer similar to Torn Label Tongue Lash I really like. Basically it is like a sour IPA. My electric HLT is all stainless and has a gas burner under it. Think I will Kettle Sour in the HLT, then get close to a boil in HLT to pasteurize before transferring to my regular boil kettle so I can do my usual post boil hopping regimine with my whirlpool.

Can't wait to try it, Matt, sounds great. I've never had that beer style, so it will be an experience.

Similar to Prairie Funky Gold Mosaic, or Amarillo. You can find those at Hy-Vee. Some of my favorite beers.

Sounds delish, I just had a funky gold citra a week or so ago. Loved it


Tattoo Travis