Help me pick a dreg

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boostsr20

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Some of these beers I've had some I have not. Just curious if the more experienced folk could shed some light onto which would be the wisest choice. Here are the bottles I have.

Trinity Brewing sell sheet here. http://www.trinitybrew.com/salessheet.php
Old Growth.
I was browsing beeradvocate to see what people are getting from them. Old Growth seems to be extremely sour.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/18120/53192

Provisional Saison. The provisional seems to have a more classic Saison tartness.
http://www.trinitybrew.com/salessheet.php

Next I have a bottle of Russian Rivers Supplication
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/863/22227

Seems to be a cherry pie like tartness. I only have a 375ml though. Will that be enough for 5 gallons? I'm planning to start with a neutral yeast like wlp001


Lastly I have a few bottles from Jolly Pumpkin.
http://www.jollypumpkin.com/artisanales/beers.htm

Bam Bière
Bam Noire
Fuego del Otono
Noel de Calabaza

The recipe I am using is loosely based off from the Can you Brew it for MAdrugada Obscura by JP.

7.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 45.90 %
2.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 13.11 %
1.75 lb Black Barley (Stout) (500.0 SRM) Grain 11.48 %
1.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 6.56 %
1.00 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 6.56 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 4.92 %
0.25 lb Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM) Grain 1.64 %
0.50 oz Nugget [15.00 %] (50 min) Hops 22.3 IBU
1.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (15 min) Hops 8.5 IBU
1.50 lb Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 9.84 %

Est Original Gravity: 1.080 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.018 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 8.12 %
Bitterness: 30.9 IBU
Est Color: 55.2 SRM



What I'm looking for is a moderately sour stout. I'm hoping that I can get something semi sour within 6 months or so, although I will not rush it regardless. I am going to be using the normal glass carboy with oak cubes added. So what does everything think would be a good dreg to go with? Or should I just save and mix a couple different ones? I was kinda leaning towards the Old Growth as its more of a Flemish style that I'm looking for.

EDIT: I should add that this is getting pitched onto a yeast slurry from the primary of a cherry wheat that I used tart cherry concentrate in. I'm hoping that it will pick up a hint of that flavor from the slurry.
 
I’d add dregs from a couple different beers in the primary (that should speed up your results). The Jolly Pumpkin beers are great choices since they don’t age them long (fresher beer, healthier bugs). Russian River is a fine choice as well, I’ve made some excellent beers with their dregs. Haven’t had Old Growth, but my girlfriend picked up a bottle of it while she was out there last summer that we’ll be opening soon.

I haven’t really been wowed by many sour or Belgian stouts because they are too thin to support the roasted flavors. However, we just bottled a porter/stout that spent a year in a bourbon barrel with bugs that only got down to 1.014.
 
I really liked the madrugada obscurant. Have yOu had it, thanks for the tips. My only concern is that my primary is a better bottle that I need to use for other beers. Any worry of future contamination with it?
 
I really liked the madrugada obscurant. Have yOu had it, thanks for the tips. My only concern is that my primary is a better bottle that I need to use for other beers. Any worry of future contamination with it?

I've had it a few times, sometimes it is better than others, but I've never loved it.

There is some concern about contamination, but if you do a good job cleaning (soak in hot water and oxycean/pbw/tsp overnight, then soak in cold water and star-san or iodophor) you'll be fine. I have separate sets of tubing, racking cane, bottling wand, etc... the stuff that is either soft or has places I can't get inside.
 
Sounds like a good plan. I will pitch it in primary too then. Give it a week then transfer to secondary on oak.
 
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