Rescuing a Kettle Sour?

[ppsmith]

Today's brew has been a kettle soured Berliner Weisse, but having pitched the starter culture and set my controller to 35 degrees the actual temperature has massively overshot. It looks like it's peaked somewhere in the high 50s, just about on the edge of survivability for the lactobacillus from what I've read.

My current plan is to throw a tub of greek yoghurt into the wort when the temperature comes back down and hope for the best.

Anybody with more experience got any suggestions (other than ditch the controller)? Leave it alone? Dump it? This is my first attempt at kettle souring so I'm out of my depth already...

 

[strange-steve]

Today's brew has been a kettle soured Berliner Weisse, but having pitched the starter culture and set my controller to 35 degrees the actual temperature has massively overshot. It looks like it's peaked somewhere in the high 50s, just about on the edge of survivability for the lactobacillus from what I've read.

My current plan is to throw a tub of greek yoghurt into the wort when the temperature comes back down and hope for the best.

Anybody with more experience got any suggestions (other than ditch the controller)? Leave it alone? Dump it? This is my first attempt at kettle souring so I'm out of my depth already...

I wouldn't dump it yet, carry on with your yoghurt plan and keep an eye on the pH. Pick a yoghurt with an L. Acidophilus culture in the ingredients, I think Fage is a brand that's known to work for this.

 

[ppsmith]

I wouldn't dump it yet, carry on with your yoghurt plan and keep an eye on the pH. Pick a yoghurt with an L. Acidophilus culture in the ingredients, I think Fage is a brand that's known to work for this.

That’s the brand I’ve got (also the one that was used to build the starter).

Thanks for the reassurance, hoping I can pull this one back.

 

[strange-steve]

I'm sure it'll be fine, let us know what happens

 

[ppsmith]

Seems to have worked - pH was 3.7 last night, 3.4 this morning so I've just given it it's 15 minute boil and into the fermenter with it (good job I'm working from home...)

The overwhelming smell I'm getting from it is apple pie. I guess the wheat gives pastry odours and the sour/acidity substitutes for apples. Looking forward to seeing how this ferments out.

 

[strange-steve]

Glad to hear it. The smell often makes me think of lemon tart, but apple pie is a good description actually.

 

[AnimatedGIF]

@ppsmith - I know the thread is a couple of years old. I am thinking about using Fage yogurt - how much is required for kettle souring? Will a 150g pot be sufficient in your experience?