Who Will Guard The Guardians?

This raspberry and cherry sour has won several awards for pro-brewer-in-planning Geoff Coleman, including Best of Show at the 2015 Colorado State Fair and a Gold Medal at the 2016 Big Beers Festival.

ALL-GRAIN

Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters) Brewhouse efficiency: 78% OG: 1.065 FG: 1.012 IBUS: 4.5 ABV: 6.9%

MALT/GRAIN BILL

8.5 lb (3.9 kg) 2-row pale malt 3 lb (1.4 kg) flaked wheat

HOPS & ADDITIONS SCHEDULE

0.5 oz (14 g) Hallertauer Hersbrucker at 60 minutes 6 oz (170 g) maltodextrin at 15 minutes 1 tsp yeast nutrient at 15 minutes 3.1 lb (1.4 kg) cherry puree after 12 months in secondary 3.1 lb (1.4 kg) raspberry puree after 12 months in secondary

YEAST

1 package Wyeast American Ale #1056 1 package Wyeast Belgian Lambic Blend #3278 Bottle dregs from commercial sour bottles (unpasteurized/ unfiltered) Champagne yeast for bottling

DIRECTIONS

Make a yeast starter with the Wyeast American Ale strain at least 1 day prior to pitching.

Do a single infusion mash for 60 minutes at 155°F (68°C). Boil for 60 minutes following the schedule for hops and additions.

Pitch the yeast, lambic blend, and dregs at 65°F (18°C) and ramp up to 68°F (20°C) over 2 to 3 days. Bring the temperature up to the low 70s Fahrenheit (low 20s Celsius) to complete primary fermentation.

After 4 to 6 weeks in primary, rack to secondary, adding more bottle dregs, and age for 12 months.

After 12 months, rack onto the fruit puree and let age for another 4 months or to taste.

Bottle with rehydrated Champagne yeast or another dry yeast.

BREWER’S NOTES

Leave head space or use blow off tube for additional fermentation from the fruit.