Beer Forum

Hi there, I am such a fan of sour beers and I can't really find any around here for a reasonable price that I decided to make my own in a large scale (since they take forever to be ready). My idea came after seeing a picture in the "Wild Brews" book with some 4 or 5 plastic drums lined up on a rack for souring beer.

And that's my idea: to buy 5 plastic drums of about 13 gallons each and transfer beer there after primary and inoculate the bugs. I am planning on having all sorts of experiments with different brett cultures and have some favorite beers of mine like a flanders red always available. They will be at 'room' temperature, which can mean temperatures high in the 80's in the summer and low 50's at winter time (Brazil's weather)

Many questions:
1) Is this possible? Has anyone done it?
2) Are plastic drums okay? (I thought about those whitish squared ones, but I don't know if I can find any). Is the oxygen permeability going to be a problem if I keep my beer for 4-12 months there?
3) Will I be able to 'repitch' beer onto those drums without having to reculture more bugs? Speaking of that, can I make a starter for brett and/or other bugs (lacto and pediococcus)?

Any other insights/suggestions would be appreciated.

My first experiment was using a 60L plastic fermenter. Pitched some ale yeast and bugs from a Cantillon bottle.

I think the plastic was too porous as the resulting beer, 12 month on was very acetic. I plan on cutting some of this with an under-attenuated brown ale to form a Flanders Red. But most of it will be a dumper.

I've since moved to glass carboys for long term souring. Those beers aren't old enough to report on yet.

It's definitely possible. I would think unless the containers use a similar plastic to the better bottles that it would be too much oxygen.

If you want to stick with the larger sizes, you might think about using stainless steel kegs with a carboy cap or oak bung for aging. You will be fine by re-pitching; I believe Rodenbach uses 10% sour beer when starting up a reconditioned barrel.

Also try to maximize the time at cooler temps before the heat sets in. So maybe brew in early fall and age through late fall, winter, and spring to reduce the effects of high temps on the beer.

Sure, thanks. I was just checking the book (didnt really have the chance to read it yet) and the oxygen permeability of those buckets are off the charts. The plastic is very sturdy, a think a little harder than those plastic pails sold at LHBSs. The thing is, kegs are going to be too expensive for this project. I can find them at some scrap metal yards, but even still, they are expensive. I was thinking about starting with plastic, and then maybe if my results are satisfactory, I switch up to stainless, or even better, oak barrels.

New 13.3 gal. oak barrels are around $230 where I live, and I really can't find used ones. Plus, this new oak barrels would impart a lot of oakiness to the beer, not so much desired. The SS 13.3 gal. kegs would be around $120 (scrap metal price), so just maybe I can start out with 2.

Can I culture my bugs in pretri dish and slants pretty much the same as I do with beer yeasts? Will they grow up to a pitching volume as fast? Does the wort need to be different on these type of starters?