So I stoped at a hbs a few months back and they had a gallon jug of wort sitting on the loading dock with a piece of cheese cloth covering it and it appeared to be bubbling away. Just curious if anyone else has tried this and what the results are
wild fermentation
- Thread starter leolee86
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urbanmyth
Well-Known Member
I tried it and waited too long to throw an airlock back on, ended up with a gallon of malt vinegar.
Hey Leolee,
Odd story for you. Back about a year ago I was teaching a couple of friends how to brew all grain and was doing a 15 gallon batch, assuming they'd want to just split it as I didn't have anywhere to put it. They each took 5 gallons, but refused to take the other carboy, so I was stuck with it. Put a stopper with a hole in the top, but no airlock. I stuck it in my entertainment center/fermentation chamber with 4 carboys full of Brett and Lacto, with a "whatever happens happens" mentality. I tried this 3-4 weeks ago, and it actually is coming along real nicely! I'm assuming it caught some brett, and its still tickin' with a rather solid pelicle on it right now. I'll be adding an ounce of oak cubes in the beginning of July, and will probably keg it 4-6 weeks after that. It's possible to get a good fermentation (even if it's a Pale Ale apparently!), but you probably have a much better chance of getting a bad yeast or bug in there, so it might not be worth brewing just to try. Could always take 4 gallons (or 8 gallons if it's a 10 gallon batch) and ferment with a standard yeast, while taking the other 1-2 gallons in a 3 gallon carboy without an airlock. Put it away, and check it 6-8 months later! Good luck.
Odd story for you. Back about a year ago I was teaching a couple of friends how to brew all grain and was doing a 15 gallon batch, assuming they'd want to just split it as I didn't have anywhere to put it. They each took 5 gallons, but refused to take the other carboy, so I was stuck with it. Put a stopper with a hole in the top, but no airlock. I stuck it in my entertainment center/fermentation chamber with 4 carboys full of Brett and Lacto, with a "whatever happens happens" mentality. I tried this 3-4 weeks ago, and it actually is coming along real nicely! I'm assuming it caught some brett, and its still tickin' with a rather solid pelicle on it right now. I'll be adding an ounce of oak cubes in the beginning of July, and will probably keg it 4-6 weeks after that. It's possible to get a good fermentation (even if it's a Pale Ale apparently!), but you probably have a much better chance of getting a bad yeast or bug in there, so it might not be worth brewing just to try. Could always take 4 gallons (or 8 gallons if it's a 10 gallon batch) and ferment with a standard yeast, while taking the other 1-2 gallons in a 3 gallon carboy without an airlock. Put it away, and check it 6-8 months later! Good luck.
richbrew99
Well-Known Member
I set a jar of 500ml dme outside at night and by open window during the day. Took about 2 days to start. After about 5 days I had a nice 1/4 in or so of yeast cake on the bottom. I stepped up to 800ml and transferred to flask and about 4 days later stepped up to 1200ml. Slight green apple/fruity aroma to it. Can't wait to try it out.
I've done it a couple times by leaving my 5gallons of boiled wort in the kettle with cheesecloth covering the top outside overnight. In the morning I racked to a carboy, aerated, attached airlock, and left aloe. Within a few days fermentation had begun. Both times I tried I got different flavors and aromas. Keep in mind that wild fermentation is definitely a YMMV type of experiment. Definitely fun and worth giving it a try, and if your first attempt doesn't pan out, try, try again!
