Lambic yeast....is this normal?

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BSquaredBrewing

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This is my first time doing a sour, so please excuse the possible dumb question. I tried to seach but was unable to find an answer. I added Wyeast Belgian Lambic Blend to the secondary and I've seen no action in the carboy. Its about 5 days now. Is this normal for a Lambic yeast? If not what can I do to get the yeast going?
 
BSquaredBrewing said:
This is my first time doing a sour, so please excuse the possible dumb question. I tried to seach but was unable to find an answer. I added Wyeast Belgian Lambic Blend to the secondary and I've seen no action in the carboy. Its about 5 days now. Is this normal for a Lambic yeast? If not what can I do to get the yeast going?
So you fermented fully, transferred to secondary, added a lambic blend and want to see some activity? If this is right, your not going to see some kind of renewed fermentation. The beer will develop a pellicle, and it will just sit there like that for months. Did you add any maltodextrin so that the bugs have something to eat?
 
You do not need to add maltodextrin. There is plenty for the bacteria and brett to consume.

You could have just pitched the lambic blend but it's ok that you pitched a clean yeast strain first. The lambic blend contains a clean saccharomyces strain, so all you did was take out the work the strain in the lambic blend would have done for you. Now it's just a long waiting game. You won't see krausen, no more airlock bubbling, etc. You'll see a pellicle in a few days to a few weeks. Over time it might go away and come back. It might change color and texture. It is just part of the process. The best thing you can do is put it somewhere dark and leave it alone for a year. Let it do its thing and reward you with delicious beer. If you try to screw around with it you will expose it to oxygen and you might end up with a carboy of vinegar. Don't do that.
 
Thanks for the advice! It's beginning to develop a pellicle. There's a few white specks in there and a film along the top. I'm super excited. 11 months and some change left to go. :D
 
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