Assortment of Sour Brewing Questions

[BugAC]

I am venturing into sour brewing. Before i start, there is a bunch of reading, research, etc... that i must do. I have the book American Sours shipping to the house, and i've been listening to the Sour Hour.

Questions:

1) Storing bottle Dregs - I have some sours i've been dying to drink, but have been holding off until i learn how to harvest the dregs. How long can bottle dregs be stored without being used? I was planning on reserving the last 1/2 inch or so of the bottle into some old white labs vials, and every 3 or 4 months, create a small starter, then pull the dregs from that, and repeat. Also, is fridge temperature an appropriate storage temp?
2) I make an excellent saison with 3711 yeast. When i brew my 1st sour, i was planning on brewing a whole batch of this (5 gallons), then secondarying it up into 5 - 1 gallon fermenters with different souring techniques (roselaire blend, dregs, different fruits, different bugs, etc...) Your thoughts?
3) What does each "souring technique" do? I know very little on sour beers other than i have a growing appreciation for them. I know that brett is a yeast, not a bug. What are the other souring yeasts/bugs and what do they contribute differently to a beer that distinguishes them from each other?

 

[Locksmith]

Hi there!

I grow up my bottle dregs for sours and they can be treated basically the same as sacc, in that they will keep just fine for a few months in the fridge before making your starter, just be sure to step it up.

Your idea to take an established brew and then augment it in several ways is perfect, it's something many of us do.

As far as what does what, I can only suggest to do lots of research. The sour hour is very interesting and American Sours is something any wild brewer should own.

Good luck!

 

[youreanimpulse]

3711 is fine for a Brett only secondary, but it won't leave much for bugs to chew on to get sour. Ardennes or 3724 are good lower attenuating choices. Pitch bugs when the 3724 inevitably stalls at 1.020-1.030. Alternatively, pitching the blends into wort and not finished beer if you want more sour character. They have Sacc in them already. Good luck!

 

[DurtyChemist]

Buy American Sours. Written by a well known poster around these forums. It will explain lacto, Pedro, Brett, and sac flavors and how each likes to live. You'll like the book and you'll get free recipes.

Storing individual colonies in the fridge would work and they talk about it in the book as well as Yeast where they discuss setting up a kitchen lab. You might want to think if you want separate bug/sacch brewing and starter equipment too.

Mad fermentationist dot com is also a good website to scroll through for a month straight (probably) reading first hand experiences of multiple brews.

 

[fermentology]

It doesn't really matter what yeast you use as long as its a strain that leaves some residual sugars for the bugs.