First Sour

Just a question... why did your LHBS have you pitch a Belgian strain after primary was already finished?

 

If you have Brett in there leaving it on the yeast cake is not really a big deal because the dying yeast provide food for Brett, but transferring, if you can minimize oxygen won't hurt it either. If you can't minimize the oxygen exposure it can cause problems with extended aging. Pitching a Belgian strain after primary fermentation won't really do anything and if you want it to be sour I would recommend pitching Pedio, since Lacto will probably struggle to sour the beer to your liking after primary fermentation, especially if you added hops.

 

OP: When you say "Belgian strain", are you referring to one of the WLP/Wyeast/other sour blends?

 

Maybe it was a Brett strain?

 

Well, then I think there are two scenarios:

1. (Less likely) You pitched additional "Belgian" saccharomyces, which will do virtually nothing since fermentation was already complete. In this scenario, I'd leave it alone, as it won't hurt the beer to leave it in primary for a few weeks as the yeast clean up after themselves. Take regular gravity readings a couple days apart, and see if anything changes.

2. (More likely) You pitched some brett/bug blend that was recommended by your LHBS. In this case, I'd follow @jamescain's advice and leave it in primary (glass carboy, by chance?). Put it in a closet somewhere and forget about it for a while. When it develops a pellicle, you can post pics to this thread

 

I've left ask but one of my sours ( my first one) in primary with no I'll affects. Even up to 20 months.

 

Just leave it be.

I've got 3 sours going now, and I'm not moving any of them. They are all going to sit in the primary and stay that way until I move them to a barrel for a short time, along with some fruit for one of them.

All of mine however have multiple strains of brett, along with lacto and pedio.

 

I would find out what this "Belgian strain" is before making any decisions. If it is a Sacc strain then you will want to rack it off the yeast as Lacto won't clean up by products of autolysis. If was a sour blend or Brett strain, then yes, feel free to leave it alone.

 

That strain isn't going to do much at all pitching it after the fact.

In fact Id want to leave as much dextrins and what not for the brett and pedio to eat up.

But it sounds like you don't have pedio or brett in there so it'll be a one note song.

 

if thats what you added your not really gonna get a sour beer, you want to add something like this

https://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=194

or individual strains
https://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=146
https://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=148
https://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=147

 

It'll get sour. Eventually, but probably not to sour. How many ibus was the wort? If it was more than 7-10 it won't get very sour at all with lacto alone.

I'm thinkin you got some bad advice.

 

Dregs would help. I would try and get a larger pitch if you want a sour though. Wyeast roselare would do the trick. Perhaps Yeast Bay melange even. East coast yeast ecy 01 or Flemish would work.

Dregs add diversity. Get a large commercial blend to start.