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25B Saison

Sour Citra Saison II

Brewed 2023-08-12 Batch · 21.3 L Owen Paterson

Grain bill

Gladfield Pilsner Malt 4 kg 74.1%
Gladfield Wheat Malt 1 kg 18.5%
Gladfield Medium Crystal Malt 0.2 kg 3.7%

Adjuncts

Ground coriander 25 g @ 15 min
Whirlfloc half tsp @ 10 min
Yeast nutrient half tsp @ 10 min

Hop schedule

Hop 60 min30 min15 min0 minDH#1
Citra 5g10g10g25g50g

Yeast

WildBrew Philly Sour2 packets

Water additions

Calcium Sulphate 1 tsp in mash
Calcium Carbonate half tsp in mash

Tasting notes

Did not come out as sour as hoped. Using two packets of Philly Sour may actually raise pH compared to one — the second batch was less acidic than the first.

About This Beer

The second Sour Citra Saison follows the same recipe as the first: Pilsner and Wheat base, Citra at every stage from 60 minutes through to a Day 5 dry hop, coriander at 15 minutes. The change: WildBrew Philly Sour pitched at 2 packets instead of 1.

In the first batch, Owen under-pitched at 0.5 g/L (ideal pitch rate for Philly Sour is 1–1.5 g/L) and compensated by adding M29 French Saison at Day 5. For this batch, 2 packets was intended to hit the correct pitch rate — but the result was actually less sour than the first, not more. The lesson: with Philly Sour, a larger pitch doesn’t translate to more lactic acid production, and may in fact suppress it.

OG 1.049, FG 1.006, ABV 5.25%. 21.3 litres bottled with 130g dextrose on 26 August 2023.