Heating pads for lacto starter

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Acaciadrian

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Hey all!
I am going to start trying my hand at a couple gose recipes that I have developed. Through all that I've read acidic malts and lacto are the suggested methods for getting the sour bite that I'm looking for. I would prefer not using acidic malts so it decided to do a lacto starter, pitch it pre boil and let it go to work for about a day before the boil. To do this I'm going to need to keep my starter between 100-115 Fahrenheit. Any suggestions on what heating pads to use or different techniques!?!?

Thank you all in advance!
 
I also did the crock pot with a temp controller. I used a flask so I just put saran wrap around the flask since I could't get the lid on. Helps to keep the temp stable.
 
I'd also recommend the crock pot. I think mine will keep around 100F on the 'Keep Warm' setting. If I turn it to low the temp will climb, so I only do that while I'm around and turn it back down once it gets to 120 or something.
 
I wired up one of the stc-1000 controllers in a project box (I usually use it for my ferm chamber). There are plenty of DIY threads to help. Otherwise the inkbird controllers are a pretty reasonable price. Not sure about performance but it's a basic instrument...
 
I'm low tech. 100 qt cooler filled with 95-100F water in bathtub. my 2L starter flask fits perfect, I can drop the lid and it barely cools off. the 3-gallon carboy not so much...I run hot water to 100F before work, after work, before bed. it cools off in between but I haven't had any issues with the contents. after 5 days it's pretty sour.
 
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Heating pad underneath kettle or fermentor has worked for me. Able to maintain 100-110 with some insulation around it to decrease heat loss. I BIAB for mash, sour it with malt, and maintain temp for 36-48 hours for berliner weiss before boiling, for example.
 
I use a standard drug store heating pad plugged into an STC-1000 temperature controller. I bungee the pad against the side of my kettle and wrap the kettle in blankets for extra insulation. I just kettle soured a gose last weekend with this setup, and it held 5 gallons of wort at 95F for three days in my (California) garage.

I pitch Giga Yeast's Fast Souring Lacto blend which has more than enough cells for a 5 gallon batch. If I were to make a starter, though, I'd use a crock pot as others have suggested to keep it warm. Maybe this is obvious, but you should put a couple of inches of water into the crock pot around the flask. That will help with heat transfer and gives you a convenient place to check temperature.
 
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