WLP677 Lactobacillus pitching question

Going to be making a Tart heather ale using the White Labs WLP677 Lactobacillus Bacteria and an Irish Ale yeast.

This is the first time i have bought a liquid vial from WL. I generally have always used the Wyeast activator packets.

I plan on pitching at 100-110F for the lacto two days before the Irish Ale.

My question is, do i need to do a starter with the WL liquid vial? Or is this something that can be a direct pitch?
Also, how long should i leave it out of the fridge to warm up on brew day?

 

No starter required. I actually think a starter makes the whole process longer for lacto, with no added benefit.

How sour do you want it? I am not familiar with 'Tart heather ale'. If you only want it slightly sour, I would recommend only souring part of the wort, then boiling it when it is decently sour, and then adding it back to the batch. If it is a sour beer (like a Berliner), then sour the whole batch.

Lacto tends to go through a lag phase before doing anything, which can take a week, then it rapidly multiplies, creating lactic acid as it does. It's population can double in an hour. Do not pitch yeast until it is as sour as you want it as alcohol will slow (or even stall) the lacto.

Do not use hops when you sour it. If you want to use hops (but I think you are using heather instead), you need to add them after it has soured. Lacto doesn't like hops.

 

Thanks for the reply.

Yes this will be a hopless beer.

Its a Gruit Ale (traditional style before hops)

What i plan to do is a pale malt with some wheat malt
Gonna go for 60-90 min boil to extract as much bitterness as i can from the heather. Going to add Orange peel at flame out.

I do not want super sour. Just slightly sour. Enough for you to know its there but keep it very drinkable. I have read that many people choose a 48 hour Lacto ferment before adding their primary yeast strain. I figured i would taste as i go for what i was looking for.

The rest is history. I fell in love with White Hag's Heather Ale which is a new brewery in Ireland. We are attempting to recreate this style somewhat, as a celebratory brew for our first born's baptism. Going to hand it out as a gift.