Flanders Red secondary - how do I know the bugs are working?

[cinderbike]

I'm sure it's just unsubstantiated fears of a newbie sourer, but I brewed up my first sour 3 weeks ago, a Flanders red. I used the roesalaire yeast.

About a day after pitching it fermented like a regular beer, then the yeast dropped out after about a week and the beer fell clear. I racked it a few days ago since it appeared the sacch was finished, and it's been sitting in a closet crystal clear with no airlock activity since then.

How do I know it's souring, and when shoud I see signs of activity? Do I need to pitch more bugs?

 

[JacobS]

Just wait. You will not see much activity at all from this point, unless the lacto decides to form a peticille.

Basically just forget about that beer for at least 6months, and a year would likely be better.

 

[jtejedor]

I just did my first sour also flanders red and I didn't really get a substantial pellicle until over a year in. It also just barely started souring so its one of those things just have to wait it can take a very long time.

 

[tugbucket]

Ditto, Flanders Red has been in the carboy since mid October. I didn't see any signs of well, anything until about late January. And, even then, very little.

Just leave it alone until September and grab some out with a wine thief and give it a taste.