Or: 'Cuvee de Crapp'

At the beginning of March I starting working on a project that was a long time coming. A 'grande cuvee' of a bunch of wild beer that was apparently going nowhere, at least as far as the flavor profile was concerned. Oh, it had gone somewhere. It had all reached terminal gravity and then some, but there was no real sourness in any of them. Some mild tartness in some, but not the sour character that I wanted. The aromas were there though. With the Brettanomyces Lambicus 'pie cherry-like' aroma dominating. (Mmm, yummy!) Since I have made these beers, I've learned more about how to make them produce an appropriate sourness. The Yard City Sour that I made in July is already well into tart and heading into sourness. Bon Voyage!

> Cast of Characters <

1. 1007 German Ale & Brett Lambicus (or 'Brett Lamb' as he was known on the '69 Stealers.) May '06 - 4 gallons
2. B. Anomalus & Pediococcus Apr '07 - 5 gallons
3. 1007 German Ale & Pediococcus Apr '07 - 4 gallons
4. 3726 Farmhouse, B. Clausenii, & L. Delbruekii '06 - 3 quarts (Most desirable of all.)
5. 'B5' Belgian Quad from the barrel '07/'08 - 1.5 gallons

So, about 15 gallons of wierdbier that wasn't too interesting on it's own. Blend it up, and... Viola! Still not that good. I sat on it a couple of days, carbonating some with the carbonator cap. Multiple tastings, hemming, hawing... Then, I finally decided to keep three gallons to 'fix' and dump the rest. Yippee! Dump!! After having some of this beer all over the house for a good while, it was liberating to downsize a couple o' carboys. Between all the gravities involved, there was still ample terminal for the bugs to eat. That's why I toyed with the idea of bottling some up unprimed. But, I didn't. At least it got done.

The 'fixer'? It was 3 gallons of the afore mentioned mess, about 1/2 gallon of a 3278 Lambic Mix starter (with lotsa starchy wheat), and a 1.5 gallon feeder of DME and maltodextrin to equal about a 1.040 starter. My guess is that this will turn tart, but not sour and be somewhat complex. I may bequeath it to Brad.... when he grows up.