flaminpi3

Recipes 

48 hours is a good amount of time. I don't know how sour your beer will be by then, though. Pitching a tube at 120f isn't giving your lacto a much of a fighting chance. You might want to think about getting another tube of lacto and making a starter to pitch either before or with your yeast. Especially since you want it to be on the puckering side. Can someone else chime in on how long is too long to wait to pitch the yeast?

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bhatchable

Recipes 

I was under the assumption that lacto thrived around 100 degrees... is that not the case?

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ChrisKennedy

Recipes 

100F yes. 120F no.

remilard

Recipes 

Lacto d likes 120 when it is in milk.

flaminpi3

Recipes 

It's not just the temp, though. It's also the quantity. I've read a few sources that suggest a 3:1 lacto to yeast ratio in order for lacto to do a thorough job. When I brewed my BW, I used a 1L lacto starter that I kept on a stir plate for three days at 100f. The lacto fermentation was FURIOUS. I had to use a blow off. That's why I recommend pitching some more lacto if you're comfortable waiting 2-3 more days before you pitch the yeast. If you haven't already, read this thread:

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=43587

It's a great discussion of different BW techniques.

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“For art to exist, for any sort of aesthetic activity or perception to exist, a certain physiological precondition is indispensable: intoxication.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

bhatchable

Recipes 

I pitched it at 120 and let it drop over about 45 minutes down to 100 and held it there. this morning it had a small "krausen" and just now after a vigorous all day lacto-fest, I pitched the sacc. It was going crazy when i pitched the yeast. the krausen now looks like a weird hybrid lacto/sacc mess. I can't wait to try this one.

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Munsoned

Recipes 

This may be a dumb question, but how are you guys maintaining 100*F? Heat blankets or something? Just interested in the mechanics of this...

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bhatchable

Recipes 

I am keeping my carboy in a big cooler full of warm (100 degree) water. when it starts to drop i am just pulling out two gallons or so to boil and put back in. now I've brought it down to 65 for the yeast to take over. there is still a weird mixed lacto/yeast krausen going on though

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