Congratulations (again) to Brewser Matt Chan for taking third in the National Homebrew Competition sours category! Matt shared his prize-winning recipe.
OG: 1.031
IBUs: 1 pellet’s worth
20% acidulated malt (or enough to drop wort pH to 4.5)
40% Weyermann Pilsner
40% Briess White Wheat Malt
1 hop pellet of your choice
1L of nancy’s yogurt starter (1.020 wort + 1tbs of nancy’s yogurt held at 120 F for 1 week)
WY2124/ SafLager 34/70
[mash step 1]
1.25 qt/lbs @ 143 for 133 degrees. rest for 1 hour.
[mash step 2]
infuse to 1.7 qt/lbs to get to 150 degrees. rest for 15 minutes.
pull a decoction and bring to boil (10-15 minutes)
decoct for 20 minutes. add single pellet of hops to this stage.
[main mash]
return decoction until main mash hits 166. rest for 30 minutes.
add in acidulated malt to cap the mash and begin sparging.
[fermentation]
hold wort for 2-3 days ( or until completely soured) @ 120 in a container purged with CO2. I did it in a purged corny keg.
ferment out with yeast around 58.