German Brewing

I don't use that stuff.

The only concession I'm making is to add SMB, but only as much as necessary.

Time to make Sauergut instead. Do you guys need help building a reactor? It's quite straightforward and can be done without great expense.

No fridge needed. I don't know where you get that idea from.

You need to keep it at 46-48C for 24 hours, maybe 36. That's it.

You can get and a simple stc1000 with thermostat to do this. Wrapping a 5l Growler with insulation wrap + heating coil does the job. That's highly portable.

If you don't make Sauergut, you don't make a decent Helles. Seriously, you won't. You are missing a huge range of flavours, yeast nourishments and whatnot. It's more than just a pH lowering agent. It's THE most distinctive ingredient in German brewing.

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viewtopic.php?f=46&t=533&p=5880&hilit=sauergut#p5880

Simple!

It's really easy to make. Unhopped wort into growler, put a handful of malt grain (whole) into it. Set thermostat to 48C, come back after 24 hrs. Done.

It's much cheaper than technical acid (and acidulated malt). It also has it's very distinct flavour contribution (think saison, think sour mash). People who have tried it eventually became ardent proponents of it. You won't get that from acidulated malt.

SG also has a redox potential. Considering how much people invest in this hobby, it's surprising so few are seeing the value of SG.

Odd.