I've only brewed one sour, which turned out fine. But I had a few questions before I start my next: 1) Why is stand alone pedio not available commercially like lacto (WLP665) is? Are dregs the best way to add pedio? 2) Also, is it possible to get a sufficient amount of funk and/or tart with dregs alone, (along with a primary yeast of course)? How many bottles? Basically what I want to know- is the additional commercial (Wyeast or WLP) brett, lacto, sour blends, etc. necessary to produce a good sour?
You can do it with all dregs, or make a starter from a few bottles of dregs and pitch that with the Sacc strain. I am getting ready to make a Flanders Red and have built up dregs from a previous sour, Crooked Stave Sourette, and a Marriage Parfait 2007. I am stepping it up again with yeast I cultured last year from some local strawberries. I will pitch all of this alongside some month old Belgian yeast. I will let them go for at least a year. I will probably add some dregs from time to time as they age as well.
Greater biodiversity is always a good idea when doing sours. I've had good luck with pitching a commercial blend, along with bottle dregs at primary, and more dregs along the way (at transfer to secondary, tastings, Tuesdays).
