Philly Funk – Sour IPA v2

About This Beer

Second iteration of the Philly Funk concept, brewed 23 October 2025: a beer trying to be a sour and an IPA at the same time.

The grain bill was revised from v1, with American Ale as the base, Vienna for body and Light Lager to keep things clean and fermentable. The hop load went up across Citra, Krush and Strata, with an 80°C whirlpool and a triple dry hop, aiming for more Sour IPA character than v1’s hoppy-sour direction.

Fermentation

Two packets of WildBrew Philly Sour at 22.5°C. Visible by day 2 and running more like a conventional ale than the usual Philly Sour acid phase, which is consistent with two packets at a slightly higher temperature driving the culture into the alcohol phase faster than the acid phase.

At 1.010 by day 8, raised to 24°C for a diacetyl rest then dropped to 20°C. Dry hop on day 10 for four days. Finished bone dry at pH 4.3 on day 14.

The result

Very dry and hop-forward at 8%. The hop aroma and flavour are excellent, with Citra, Krush and Strata together producing a big tropical and citrus character.

The problem is balance. At 1.000 the dryness amplifies the bitterness, and combined with 8% and a pH of only 4.3, less sour than intended, the beer is a lot. It mellows with time in the keg.

What is next

Pitch only 1.5 packets and mash at 66 to 67°C. The lower packet count should extend the acid phase before the alcohol phase kicks in, giving better lactic expression, and more residual body would balance the hop bitterness.

The hop combination itself is strong and worth keeping.