1 Gallon Batch Sours

So what's this 100% brett business with the latest batches? It mentions bacteria doing work but lists no bacteria in the strains used.

 

I meant under pitch it will over attenuate

 

Mis quoting. As stated above, Lactobacillus, acetobacer and pediococcus are all bacteria.

 

Really?

 

http://sciencebrewer.com/2012/03/02/pitching-rate-experiment-part-deux-results/

 

Thanks. I had read that before. But it would be nice to have a sample size of n > 1. I wonder if he ever repeated this.

 

Below is what Wyeast states on their website concerning under-pitching:

“A low pitch rate can lead to:

• Excess levels of diacetyl
• Increase in higher/fusel alcohol formation
• Increase in ester formation
• Increase in volatile sulfur compounds
• High terminal gravities
• Stuck fermentations
• Increased risk of infection”

I wonder if what happens during under-pitching can be yeast strain dependent?

Cheers!

 

you mean n=1 isn't enough for science?
If you read/ have read Yeast by Chris White and Jamil Zainasheff I believe the also mention the same findings.

 

I do have Yeast. I just re-read all the sections pertaining to attenuation, and found nothing to suggest that underpitching increases attenuation. Actually, the book mentioned a couple times that underpitching can result in under-attenuation. Unless I missed something, n still equals 1.

 

I hate that they have that prominently on their bottles. It says what, 'fermented with 100% Brettanomyces,' right? I believe the deal was they primary it with all Brett as opposed to their other beers that get a Belgian yeast primary, then finished with their bugs.

It just feeds the common belief that Brett=sour. In fact, id argue that this is likely a main reason that belief exists. Completely misleading, and a negative for the beer scene. Though a tasty brew.
It makes the production of all Brett beers problematic for breweries because you're going to disappoint a lot of your audience expecting a sour beer.
So, to summarize, Brett does not = sour. Yes, it can produce acidity, but I've yet to have a beer without acid producing bacteria that was anything close to 'tart' even.

 

I have some experience with making small batches of sours. It works fine. Oldsock is right about bottle dregs. I am a fan of that. You can see my blog in my profile, I'd post the link but people keep reporting me for advertising.

To answer your question you could use a smack pack but I wouldn't waste the 10 dollars, Bottle dregs and dry yeast will do here. I like using Cascade, Jolly Pumpkin, and Russian River dregs. Others are available too.

 

Here's a big list with many of the sour beers that have viable dregs. I bought bottles of Cantillon and Fantome while I was down in New Orleans last year.

 

the issue with Fantome is you don't know what you're getting. you may have some awesome bugs, but there also may be some not-so-awesome bugs. it varies.

i'd suggest that, if one wanted to use Fantome dregs, to toss them in their own starter and wait a few months to see what transpires. Dany at Fantome will tell you that he doesn't recommend aging Fantome for the above reason.

 

Usually if a beer has a good sour/Brett character, that is enough for me to trust the dregs. Fantome, has been pretty inconsistent recently. Always taste the beer before using the dregs at a minimum.

 

just not sure how/what to classify Fantome's yeast. likely isn't brett, and the funk likely isn't from the yeast

 

Al Buck isolated Brett from Black Ghost, it's in East Coast Yeast 03 (Farmhouse Brett/Saison). There is Pedio in some of them too, judging from the video of a "sick" bottle I saw.

 

ropesnot bottles were apparently in the one and only batch Toronto saw. we can debate if they're on purpose or accidental

i still love Fantome, tho