Adventures in Chaos Brewing - Sour Cherry Brown

[HopRunner]

I had about 2.5 gallons of Scottish 80 left in my keg from my adventures in beer gun usage. The first 2.5 gallons, I bottled some and drank some but this batch of 80 just wasn't my favorite. It came out a bit too sweet, not much but a touch. I was drinking it too young so I bottled some for aging and some for a comp so we'll see.

I poured the 2.5G of Scottish 80 back into the carboy. I also dumped four 16ozers of an "old Ale" style brown ale that I made that came out OK but was a not a favorite either. Into that I added 1/2 oz of Medium Roast French Oak cubes and a whole can of Oregon brand tart cherries.

I had a bottle of Vichtenaar Flemish Ale so I dumped that in as well. Then to kick it off right I poured a vial of White Labs Belgian Sour Mix I into the carboy and gave it a good shake to mix it up and get out some of the CO2. Oh, I did flood carboy with CO2 before I started dumping stuff in.

All in all I think I have a good three gallons in the carboy. I have it in my little fermentation area sitting a 68F.

Lets recap-
The Recipe... hahaha..
2.5 Gallons of Scottish 80 Ale
4 - 16 ounce bottles of "to style" English Old Ale
12 oz Vichtenaar brand Flemish Ale, sour brown ale
1 can Oregon Brand Tart Cherries liquid and all
1/2 oz Medium Roast Oak Cubes
1 vial White Labs Sour Mix I
Steady state temperature 68F

I bought the book Wild Brews a few days ago and figured I might as well get started. I don't know when it will be done and I don't know what it will taste like but I have fun making my first "Chaos" batch of Wild Brew.

[BigNastyBrew]

You poured carbed beer back into the carboy?

Balls right there!

[BadRock]

It'll either be really good, or really bad. With those kind of experiments there is no in between!

[HopRunner]

Here is a picture I just took of what I'm calling "Chaos Sour Cherry Brown". You can see a lot of the color has leached out of the cherries and those black cubes are the Medium Roast French Oak.

It's been just under two weeks. I am going to leave it in the 5 gallon carboy for a full month then I will transfer it over to a 3 gallon glass carboy and put into a quiet dark corner of my basement. When I make the transfer I am going to strain out all the cherries and cubes. Does that sound right?

I have four vials of the Wyeast 3763 Roeselare Blend on order. In a couple of weeks I will take my first shot at making the Oud Broun from BCS. I'm hoping to make a few batches over the next few months.

I'm just starting out with the sour beers but this is a style I am going to dedicate getting down.

[Bellmer]

Here is a picture I just took of what I'm calling "Chaos Sour Cherry Brown". You can see a lot of the color has leached out of the cherries and those black cubes are the Medium Roast French Oak.

It's been just under two weeks. I am going to leave it in the 5 gallon carboy for a full month then I will transfer it over to a 3 gallon glass carboy and put into a quiet dark corner of my basement. When I make the transfer I am going to strain out all the cherries and cubes. Does that sound right?

I have four vials of the Wyeast 3763 Roeselare Blend on order. In a couple of weeks I will take my first shot at making the Oud Broun from BCS. I'm hoping to make a few batches over the next few months.

I'm just starting out with the sour beers but this is a style I am going to dedicate getting down.

With sour stuff, I believe you are supposed to leave the fruit in. The bugs will entirely consume them eventually.

So far it sounds like it could be killer. Or suck . Here's hoping for the former.

[HopRunner]

What about the oak cubes? Should they stay in also?

[brewinhard]

The oak is up to you... Many styles of sour beers (flanders red, lambics) are in barrels their entire aging time so you could transfer the oak as well. I would just leave it all right where it is and MAKE IT FUNKY!!

[Bellmer]

The oak is up to you... Many styles of sour beers (flanders red, lambics) are in barrels their entire aging time so you could transfer the oak as well. I would just leave it all right where it is and MAKE IT FUNKY!!

What he said. From what I understand, ferment it out in primary as normal, then transfer it onto bugs and oak.