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Solera
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For the traditional '''Solera''' process used in sherrySherry, vinegar, and brandy production, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solera ''see the Wikipedia article on Solera'']. In beer, particularly sour beer, a single stage Solera process has been discovered to be a reliable and easy way to continuously make sour beer. Some have argued that this is a misuse of the word "solera" and that it should only be applied to multiple tiered systems (see [[Solera#Claims_of_Misuse_of_the_Traditional_Meaning|Misuse of the Traditional Meaning]] below).
==Articles on Solera==
* [http://www.homebrewtalk.com/beginning-solera.html Starting a Solera, by Ed Coffey on HBT.] This is a great article on what a Solera solera is, and how to start one for sour beer.
[[Category:Techniques]]
* Michael Tonsmeire has several great articles on Solera. Some noteworthy articles:
** [http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2013/05/second-pull-wine-barrel-solera.html Second Pull Wine Barrel Solera - touches on the yeast autolysis issue.]
** [http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2009/10/solera-barrel-interivew-with-basic.html Interview with BasicBrewing on Solera, and Solera Average Age Spreadsheet.]
* [https://farmhousebeerblog.wordpress.com/2015/06/24/outside-the-box-the-solera/ Farmhouse Beer Blog, Outside the Box Solera - Details on Sherry solera production, and how it relates to beer production.]
* [http://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/p/lambic-solera.html Adam Kielich's blog on small batch Solera and blending pulls to make a Gueueze.]
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLibE2BjPG_8Hd8ijiJI6ViBCZZwahsceQ Dan Pixley's solera "perpetual blend" project over the last 3 years in video playlist format.]* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/2071878892840314/ MTF thread on planning a small vessel traditional solera.]
In addition, see the [[Blogs]] Wiki page for blogs that may contain more articles on solera.
==Yeast AutolysisClaims of Misuse of the Traditional Meaning==The term "solera" has deep roots in the history of Sherry production dating back as far as the late 1800's. As such, the term has a fairly strict and traditional meaning in the Sherry and wine industry. See [https://www.sherrynotes.com/2013/background/sherry-solera-system/ this article by Ruben Luyten] for an in-depth definition of the solera system as it is known in the Sherry industry. In short, in a traditional solera system, multiple tiers of wooden casks are used with the top/youngest tier being referred to as the ''sobretabla'', the middle tiers as ''criaderas'', and the oldest/bottom tier being called the ''solera'' (the term ''solera'' refers to both the oldest/bottom tier of casks and the entire system). As a portion of Sherry leaves the ''Yeast autolysissolera'' is casks to be packaged, they are refilled from the rupturing second oldest tier of dead yeast cells''criaderas'', and produces meaty or rubbery off flavors which are then refilled from the third oldest, until the youngest ''criaderas'' (''sobretabla'') is refilled with new wine. This process is called ''fractional blending'' <ref>[httphttps://byowww.sherrynotes.com/kegging2013/itembackground/182sherry-beatsolera-yeast-bite Freccia, Nicosystem/ Ruben Luyten. Beat Yeast Bite"The Solera system". Brew Your Own MagazineThe Sherry Notes websites. April 199708/28/2013. Retrieved 210/2030/20152018.]</ref>. When it comes There is no known use of the term "solera" in the wine industry to refer to sour beersa single tier blending system (there is a term for this in the wine industry, "perpetual blending"). As such, some brewers and likely Sherry makers and wine makers argue that unless a solera consists of multiple tiers, such as the system at [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjMB0E_KeYI Cambridge Brewing Co. for Cerise Cassée], Lambic producers often let their beers age which is the oldest known traditional solera for beer starting in barrels on 2004, that it is not a true solera. Therefore, using the trub term "solera" for up single vessel systems misguides consumers by changing the definition of the word to four years without effects include processes that do not completely resemble the solera process of off flavors from yeast autolysisSherry making. The alternative and established term, "perpetual blending", which has been applied in wine world to refer to single vessel blending systems <ref>[http://www.champagneguide.net/information/glossary Peter Liem. Champagne Guide. "Glossary of Terms". 2009. Retrieved 03/06/2018.]</ref>, has been offered as an alternative and more accurate word to use for single-vessel blending systems. The theory term "pseudosolera" has been proposed as well since the phrase "pseudo" has been used to refer to "pseudolambics" in the homebrewing community, although there is no precedence of using this term in the wine industry like there is that with the term "perpetual blending". See [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/2012252492136288/?comment_id=2013130782048459&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%2311%22%7D these arguments made from Will Meyers of Cambridge Brewing Co.] and [Brettanomyceshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/2009645332397004/?comment_id=2009649935729877&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R0%22%7D wine blogger Otto Forsberg]] will metabolize . There are arguments defending the use of the off flavor compounds produced by term "solera" in the bursting brewing industry and in homebrewing to refer to single-vessel blending systems. These include:* At least one [[Saccharomyceshttp://www.champagneguide.net/information/glossary wine reference]] cellsclaims that the word "solera" has been used for less complex perpetual blending systems, although it isn't the true definition.* Terms are borrowed and changed all the time, and use them as nutrients that the nature of language is to evolve. * The term has been used since at least 2002 by Jeff Renner in an article of Zymurgy Magazine and then later in 2006 by a homebrew club to describe a single-vessel blending system for homebrewers <ref>[httphttps://www.themadfermentationisthomebrewersassociation.comorg/attachments/0000/6021/JFzym02-Solera.pdf Jeff Renner. "Solera Ale: Beer That Gets Older As You Drink it". Zymurgy Magazine. Jan/Feb 2002.]</ref><ref>[https:/2013/05aabg.org/secondnew-pullmember-wineinfo/bourbon-barrel-solera.html Tonsmeire, Michaelbarley-wine Ann Arbor Brewers Guild. Second Pull Wine Barrel Walloon SoleraAle in Sweden. The Mad Fermentationist Blog2006. Retrieved 203/2006/20152018.]</ref>. ThereforeA 200-year-old single vessel sour beer "solera" [https://hundraarigtol.se/det-svenska-vallonolet in Sweden] was the inspiration for the latter article, many people have reported that they have successfully avoided yeast autolysis in solera projectshowever, it appears as well though the owners did not refer to it as just allowing sour a "solera". In fact, the Swedish term that was used, which dates back to the early 17th century, was "hundred-year beer to remain " or "hundraårig öl" (see [https://aabg.org/new-member-info/bourbon-barrel-barley-wine/waloon-solera-ale-in-sweden/ this Ann Arbor Brewers Guild blog post] and this [http://www.garshol.priv.no/blog/311.html Larsblog blog post]). * Reversing the relatively recent precedence in the primary brewing industry and the homebrewing hobby of calling single-vessel blending systems something other than "solera" will be impractical now.* The brewing of the fresh beer in a steel fermenter for could be viewed as the entirety "first stage of it's aging. Howevera solera", so as long as fresh wort is not added, it is still a solera (this argument is countered by the solera agesfact that Palomino wine is first fermented in a fermentation vessel, then racked into casks, trub build up can eventually be but the fermentation vessel itself is not considered a problem. Will Meyers part of Cambridge Brewing Company reported an eventual autolysis issue with his the solera system <ref>[httphttps://wwweng.themadfermentationistsograpevinhos.com/2013enciclopedia/guia_vinho/05vinificacao/second-pull-wine-barrel-solera.html Tonsmeire, Michaeljerez_palomino Sogrape Vinhos website. Second Pull "Making Sherry Wine Barrel Solera". Retrieved 03/06/2018.]</ref>).* The Mad Fermentationist Blogterm "perpetual blending" is less convenient, brief, and/or marketable than the term "solera". Comments section A full debate of these points and counterpoints can be found on [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/2012252492136288/ this MTF thread], July 30with comments by Will Meyers of Cambridge Brewing Company. As with the usage of the term "[[Lambic#Lambic_outside_of_Belgium.3F|lambic]]" and others, 2014 at 9we encourage readers to read the arguments on both sides and develop their own informed opinions. ===See also===MTF Threads:* [https:39 PM//www. Retrieved 2facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/20permalink/20154077032142324969 MTF post on technical process of running a true solera for sour beer.] Videos and other resources: <youtube height="200" width="300">bjMB0E_KeYI</youtube><youtube height="200" width="300">lfyGPHs7dOY</youtube><youtube height="200" width="300">jpcJ1INaknY</refyoutube>. ==See Also=====Additional Articles on MTF Wiki===* [[Barrel]]* [[Foeder]]* [[Mixed Fermentation]]* [[Brettanomyces]]
==References==