Vinegar taste I think

Im getting ready to bottle an all extract Muntons Wheat. When I took my last hydrometer reading I took a sip and too me it was pure vinegar, which after reading can be from bacteria I was sure I sanitized everything fine. Before I dumped the whole batch I let my wife taste it, who is no beer drinker, she thought it was the best batch I have made thus far???? She even said "now this is a beer i could drink." I guess im going to go ahead and bottle it to see how it comes out after conditioning. Any input on this

Thanks LB

Reply to
Lennybuzz
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Reply to
chev

Was it really "vinegar" or just "sour" ...

I've had lactic acid bacteria (lactobacillus) infections which make it sour, but it doesn't taste/smell like vinegar. Lactobacillus can ferment in a bottle/bucket without O2, but vinegar making bacteria (acetobacter) need a good bit of O2. So, unless you are trying, it is not likely you'll have enough O2 exposure for vinegar (but it is possible).

Regarding improvement over time, sorry... but the acid will not go away (if that is what you are tasting). (I even tried to neutralize the lactic acid once with baking soda solutions ... which worked, but it wasn't drinkable). If it *is* acid, it will only get worse for a while; so to minimize that, once carbonated, refridgerate it all to slow the bacteria.

If the wife likes it, give it to her, or use it as a food ingredient, to boil bratwursts, etc. (Some people actually like sour in their beer - like the wheat beers and the Belgian lambics).

Reply to
Derric

bacteria >(acetobacter) need a good bit of O2. So, unless you are trying, it is not likely you'll have >enough O2 exposure for vinegar (but it is possible). How much O2 are we talking about like an open lid, a leak in the lid, or stirring to add O2? Another thing is there was a "sludge" on top of the beer other than the normal foaming from fermentation, at the time I just figured it was something to do with the wheat beer. the day before I bottled it all fell in and settled so I wasnt too worried about it. Any thoughts on that. Well I went ahead an bottled it anyway, Maybe it was just a sour wheat taste and I wasnt ready for it. Ireally didnt notice a vinegar smell. Hey might as well see if its dirnkable after carbonation. If not I can dump it then, or "use it as a food ingredient, to boil bratwursts, etc". So wish me luck and in 1+ weeks I'll let you know. Well thanks for putting up with my rambelings the closest other homebrewer runs the hb shop where i get my stuff 30 mi away. I have alot of wine brewers but no beer.

Thanks LB

Reply to
Lennybuzz

I've never made vinegar, but I think that they at least use cheesecloth instead of a lid... so it is a good bit more than just a leaky lid (and during active fermentation there a solid flow OUT of any leaks anyway).

No thoughts, I've not made a wheat ... I suspect that it was nothing unusual.

Could be because from the BJCP guidelines, a wheat can be tart: Flavor: ... A tart, citrusy character from yeast and high carbonation is often present. ... and Aroma: ... aromatics can include a light, citrusy tartness, ...

Derric

Reply to
Derric

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