I'll pitch a clean lacto culter from a smack pack or vial. If you pitch the lacto, give it a day or two, then pitch the sacc, can a Berliner be kegged in 4-5 weeks?
Remember NO hops. Keep it about 90 to 100 F after you pitch the lacto, make sure it is sour (taste it) before adding the yeast, which is usually 5 to 7 days for me. Then let cool (about 12 hours), pitch yeast, aerate, and you could have it in the keg in less than 3 weeks total.
Thanks for the tips. I haven't researched the style much, so this is great. I have a fermwrap and digital temp control, so I can keep it warm for the lacto. Do you get good fermentation from the sacc pitching that late? I've heard to be careful because if the pH drops too much before you pitch the sacc, it won't perform.
On hops, again, I haven't researched much. I've seen some reference to hopping only during a decoction and no boil. I'm not interested in the no boil route, and I'm probably not doin a decoction either. No decoction >> no hops? At all? That'll be tough for me. Assuming you boil, do you just do 15-20 min, or whatever it takes to get your volume?
you can boil the wort after it is soured, before adding the yeast. However, if the lacto you use is heterofermentive, it will have alcohol in it and you will be boiling away alcohol. If it is a homofermentative strain, you are OK boiling it. Take a gravity reading and you will know which you have.
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