Innoculating with an accidental sour?

Some time ago I mixed up a wheat graff (cider/beer hybrid), and during fermentation it soured (not sure what the bug is). It came out tasting delicious, and I'd like to brew up a full batch of it one of these days, but the LHBS does not carry anything lactic...

My question is, could I use some of the last batch and try to inoculate a large batch with it to get the same sour flavour? Or is this wishful thinking? It has not been pasteurized, but stored in a couple growlers, at both (cold) room temp and refrigerated.


Hoping this is the best forum for the question...I don't find myself on the beer side--ever.

Sure! If you're going with a carboy most people recommend co-inoculation, so you'd pitch your sacc strain of choice along with a bit of the previously soured batch. How much to add is a bit of a crapshoot, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just add... some.

Excellent--thanks!

Slainte!

BrasseurGeorges said:

Sure! If you're going with a carboy most people recommend co-inoculation, so you'd pitch your sacc strain of choice along with a bit of the previously soured batch. How much to add is a bit of a crapshoot, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just add... some.

Click to expand...

Yeah this is the technique I used to grow a very sour 2 year old 1 gallon to a full 5 gallon batch. I racked the one gallon, along with the yeast cake, to a 5 gallon fermenter, then racked on fresh wort. I waited around 24 hours, then pitched fresh brewer's yeast. The beer turned out super good, and retained the character of the old sour beer while mellowing it out enough to be more drinkable. It tastes like a more intense 3 Fonteinen Gueuze.