Roselare?????

[brewinhard]

The pellicle can stay intact for a very long time especially if there is no movement or vibration of the fermentation vessel. Sometimes the pellicle will drop indicating the beer is done, and other times the pellicle will not drop which means one has to rely on taste to choose the right packaging time.

[PhillyBrewer]

Thanks brewinhard. How will the fact that I'm going to age in a 5 gallon glass carboy after primary affect the pellicle? My point in asking is the reduced headspace for the pellicle in a 5 gallon carboy.

[brewinhard]

I have aged all of mine so far in 5 gallon carboys. I have racked my sours typically as they are still slightly fermenting to make sure to push out any extra O2 in the headspace. This O2 reduction will minimize the size and thickness of a pellicle as that is mainly (and nutrients) what determines pellicle growth. I have small wispy pellicles on my 14 mos old ones and they never really got too thick. I know we have all seen pictures of gigantic pellicles growing on lambics, etc., but it will not get too out of control. Do not worry, you will have more than enough room in your carboy. Just be sure not to rack it all the way up the skinny neck of the carboy.

Now if your beer is completely fermented out and you racked it to the carboy then your pellicle may grow faster/thicker due to the oxygen present in the headspace. The pellicle will protect your beer from oxygen during the long aging process. Just be sure to check your airlock from time to time and top it off with water if necessary so it doesn't dry out.

[PhillyBrewer]

So can headspace affect when the beer is done and/or how sour the final beer will be?

[brewinhard]

Headspace will not affect how fast the beer matures or how sour it gets. Resdiual sugars and long chain carbohydrates remaining in your wort and vitality of your critters (wild yeast, bacteria) will ultimately be responsible for drop in pH and the resulting sourness created. Although critters do need minimal oxygen exchange to continue to thrive during the long fermentation. Just don't expect any first attempts to end up like a Rodenbach Grand Cru or anything like that!

[PhillyBrewer]

Just don't expect any first attempts to end up like a Rodenbach Grand Cru or anything like that!

Too late!

[brewinhard]

Yeah, I hear ya! Its hard to realize that even after 1 yr of aging that a finished product may not be what one had expected it to be. At least they are all drinkable experiments.

[beerpressure]

brewing 10 gallons of Jolly pumpkin la roja clone from a BYO magazine. Using yeast cake from a flanders red from a few weeks back.