Too late to add bottle dregs?

[Calder]

I have a Flanders Red, currently at 8 months, in several 5 liter glass carboys (about 8 gallons in all). All are sporting nice pellicles. Last night I racked 2.5 gallons off some fruit that it had been on for 4 months (I had a freezer accident and needed to use up the fruit). It tasted fruity, but not very sour. I also racked another couple of gallons onto some fruit, again, the beer tasted fine, but not too sour. Both samples were 1.004, from an initial 1.056.

I cultivated the dregs from a Flanders Red and used it as the main yeast, and added some Brett after a couple of weeks. I am wondering if my initial yeast/mixture may have been lacking some of the bugs. Should I expect it to be very sour at this point?

Is it too late to add some dregs from Jolly Pumpkin? When adding the dregs, should I just toss it in, or would it be better to make a small starter of it in some fresh wort before adding to the beer?

 

[cervezarara]

I only have one sour and it is nearing 1 year in the carboy, so take my advice for what it is worth. I too wanted more sour at the 5-6 month mark and had a sg of 1.009. I mde a starter for Jolly Pumpkin La Roja dregs, and when it was at it's funky krauesen, I pitched it into my sour with a half pound of dextrose and half pound of maltodextrine to give the bugs something to gnaw on. About a month later it started to develop a nice pellicle, and now it is half an inch thick.

I think at 1.004, you might wish to add some food for the bugs. Some pitch the dregs straight, but my starter seemed to work well too. I think jolly Pumpkin dregs work so well because they are really fresh and active.

Good luck with your Flanders Red!

 

[ryane]

I cultivated the dregs from a Flanders Red and used it as the main yeast, and added some Brett after a couple of weeks.

What red did you grow up yeast from? The only one I know of that would be viable would be something like red poppy

 

[Calder]

What red did you grow up yeast from? The only one I know of that would be viable would be something like red poppy

Monk's Cafe. Starter went very well. I tried some of the starter and it tasted sour too; certainly different from regular sacc, or Brett. There was something else in there too.

 

[statseeker]

You might maybe try a small lacto/pedio starter or the dregs from a bottle of Russian River Sanctification. Should bring the sour.