6 month old vial - Belgian Sour Mix

[hopbrad]

I have WLP - 655, its 6 months past its best before date. i've heard not to make starters with Sour Mixes b/c it can affect the yeast to bug population.

Should I pitch as is, make a starter or add in some dry yeast too...thinking t-58 or s-05

I also have a bottle of RR consecration & supplication, and 2 bottles of Bam Biere that i was going to drink over the next few months and add in.

 

[haberlet]

I would wake the yeast up with some 1.020 wort- more to test viability than raise cell count, maybe 500 mL at most. You could pitch it straight also. Pitch rates are pretty much a non factor in long term sours, so your choice. Given your location and I'm guessing the lack of WL availability, a small starter might be safer.

I wouldn't add any dry ale yeast if your looking for moderate-high sourness. It'll blow through most fermentables before the 655 kicks into action. 655 already struggles to produce sufficient acidity for Lambic styles in it's first generation. Dregs should help.

 

[hopbrad]

Yea i think a small starter will be the way to go on this one. Thanks!

 

[m00ps]

make a small starter and toss in as many dregs as you can. It may take a bit to take off but it will get going eventually

 

[Calder]

No!!!!!!!!!!! Don't make a starter!!!!!!!!!

For sour mixes I deliberatly look for the cheap out if date packs, to get the least viable sacc possible. The bug mix will be fine.

Having a low sacc cell count allows the bugs to build up their populations before the sacc creates alcohol and slows everything down.

If you don't see any obvious activity from the sacc at 4 days, don't panic as that means the bugs have had some time to work, but pitch the T-58, not the S-05 to get it going.

 

[hopbrad]

No!!!!!!!!!!! Don't make a starter!!!!!!!!!

For sour mixes I deliberatly look for the cheap out if date packs, to get the least viable sacc possible. The bug mix will be fine.

Having a low sacc cell count allows the bugs to build up their populations before the sacc creates alcohol and slows everything down.

If you don't see any obvious activity from the sacc at 4 days, don't panic as that means the bugs have had some time to work, but pitch the T-58, not the S-05 to get it going.

sold, easier than making a starter and im lazy.

 

[hopbrad]

figure i'd update.
finally got around to brewing something for it. Went with a lower OG brew to not totally stress the old vial. 1.048. 70% pils, 20% wheat, 5% oats. 12 ibus. mashed at 155-156
pitched with no starter into 5 gallons on Thursday night and saw some krausen starting to form this morning. so 2 1/2 days. hoping the bugs were able to chow on some of the sugars or build up their populations, like Calder said.

im not sure what sacc strain it is, WL wouldnt tell me, only that it is belgian. so im going to ferment somewhat warm. It was at 72 for the first 2 days then i let it go warmer to get it going. Since it did this morning, I brought it back down to 72. I'm going to keep it there for another day or 2 then let it go to room temp(80-85) to see how the bugs do.

 

[hopbrad]

a question came to mind when i started researching dregs and bottling wine yeasts:

I plan to harvest and reuse this yeast a few times. So would pitching dregs be a bad idea? I have some JP bam biere and RR supplication and temptation.
I've read Russian River beers are bottled with Rockpile, a killer wine yeast. not sure what Jolly Pumpkin uses. I dont want to grow the wine yeast and kill off the sach strain.

Maybe I will rack to a secondary in 3-4 months, harvest the yeast cake before pitching the dregs. Thoughts?

 

[Calder]

a question came to mind when i started researching dregs and bottling wine yeasts:

I plan to harvest and reuse this yeast a few times. So would pitching dregs be a bad idea? I have some JP bam biere and RR supplication and temptation.
I've read Russian River beers are bottled with Rockpile, a killer wine yeast. not sure what Jolly Pumpkin uses. I dont want to grow the wine yeast and kill off the sach strain.

Maybe I will rack to a secondary in 3-4 months, harvest the yeast cake before pitching the dregs. Thoughts?

JP is fine.

 

[hopbrad]

JP is fine.

Thanks! I just got an email back from Ron saying they generally use t-58 to re-yeast Bam.
In they go!