Beer Team goes sour!!!!

This was the first sour beer that we brewed. I have often heard that brewing a sour beer involves a lot of luck and patience. The patience we certainly have covered, and fortunately the luck was also on our sides with this one.

Appearance – Golden yellow to orange in color. Crystal clear with some small bits of sediment. Very little white head, just a dusting across the top.

Aroma – Strong aroma on this one. I could smell it even when pouring. Smells potently sour. Fruity notes that resemble Skittles. Some citrus, mostly lemon.

Taste – Sour punch up front that fades to under-ripe blueberry and lemon flavors near the middle. Some toasty malt flavor permeates at the very end, which is likely due to the malt bill being primarily Vienna. Slight hay flavor up front that accompanies sour punch, but I think this one would benefit from some more funk to it. Flavor changes over the course of the glass with the sour punch blunting a bit and the malty finish becoming more prevalent. It works! This one should get better and better as it ages. Hopefully it will stick around long enough to reach its peak! On the negative side, I perceive something more on the oxidized side, possibly acetic acid. It is slight and doesn’t detract too much from the beer, but exists as a potential imperfection.

Mouthfeel –  Medium-high carbonation, light body, and sour pucker factor make this one feel very pretty light and airy. That having been said, it doesn’t feel flat or watered down. The body suits the flavor well.

Recipe Name:        Base Pale Sour Ale

Recipe Volume:      5 gallons

Yeast:                    Safale US-05 and assorted dregs from other sours, primarily Jester King Ol' Oi!

Malts:	Amount
1. Vienna malt	5 lbs.
2. Flaked corn	1 lb.
3. Pilsner malt	3 lb.
4. Crystal 10	14 oz.
5. Caravienne	14 oz.

Measured Original Gravity              1.045

Hops:	Amount	Boil Time	IBUs
1. Hallertau (4.5%, aged)	1 oz.	60	14

Calculated IBUs          14