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Plan9 · 10-06-2009, 12:46 AM

I brewed 10 gallons of Berliner Wiesse saturday.
Last time I brewed it, I pitched the yeast and Lactobasilicus at the same time.
This time I pitched the Lacto on Saturday to give it a head start. Today when I opened it up to pitch the yeast, it smelled like rotten veggies.
Is this common with Lacto bugs?

**BargainFittings** · 10-06-2009, 01:01 AM

Probably some sulfur and lacto goodness going on.

chase · 10-06-2009, 03:28 AM

Could be DMS, also. Did you cool your wort quickly? The pils malt has a lot of DMS precursor in it. If you don't cool quickly you'll end up with lots of DMS. Otherwise it is probably just the nasty funk that Lacto D.

Plan9 · 10-06-2009, 05:41 AM

Hmmm....

It did take longer to cool this time then normal.
I guess we'll see what happens. Nothing I can do now.

Windigstadt · 10-12-2009, 10:16 PM

I brewed a Gose about a month ago. It was the first time I had brewed with bugs, and what I did was mash, boil for fifteen minutes, chill down to ~110°, siphon into a carboy and pitch a lacto culture for about 48 hours. Mine smelled awful when I siphoned back into the brew kettle after a couple days, but after a 90-minute boil it was fine. Based on my experience, my guess is that what you're smelling is indeed DMS. I'm no sour beer expert, but I don't believe lacto by itself should give any funk.

Windigstadt · 10-12-2009, 10:27 PM

I brewed a Gose about a month ago where I mashed, cooled to 115°F, pitched the lacto, and then after 48 hours returned the wort to the boil kettle to add hops and finish the beer. When I siphoned the beer into the kettle, it stunk to high heaven like rotten veggies. After a nice 90-minute boil it was fine. Based on this experience, I assumed my problem was DMS and I would guess yours is too. Oh, and I'm no sour expert but I don't believe Lacto itself should give off any funky smells. It's usually more of a clean sour character.

ChrisKennedy · 10-13-2009, 12:01 AM

Hmmmm, rotten veggies... I don't think I have gotten that particular smell out of lacto yet.

I have gotten vomity cheese out of Brett C though!

I wouldn't fret about it. It might be something so volatile that it will gas off as fermentation commences.

Plan9 · 10-13-2009, 12:14 AM

It has been fermenting for a week now, and the smell is gone.
I cooled this batch slower than normal, and it may have been DMS.

ChrisKennedy · 10-13-2009, 01:00 AM

Have you tasted it yet? If so, how is the sourness level?

Plan9 · 10-13-2009, 01:06 AM

It has a decent sourness. More so than when I've pitched the bugs and yeast together.

In the past I've had to add lactic acid to get the appropriate level. This time I may not have to. We'll see when I keg it.