Dregs for the win

[couchsending]

In the past I’ve always added Brett or bacteria after primary was complete. Beers have turned out great with no THP or acetic acid present.

Last mixed ferment I decide to copitch 3522 with some Hill Farmstead and Jolly Pumpkin dregs I’ve been maintaining for a year or so. Took a 40 theoretical IBU wort to 3.5 pH in 3 weeks at room temp! Now that’s some strong LAB.

Just took a sample of a beer I primaried warm with 34/70 last May and transferred to a carboy and added the same culture to. PH was down to 3.1 and really bright sourness with zero acetic/nail polish.

Pretty sure the LAB is mostly Jolly Pumpkin with the dominant Brett being from HF.

Dregs for the win!

 

[lowtones84]

Certainly. I made a great lambic (yes yes I know it's actually a lambic because I didn't make it in Belgium) from just an ale yeast pitch, then a few different bottle dregs. Mostly Belgian stuff, but I used to live in NW Indiana and Jolly Pumpkin was prevalent, so some of that made it in too. Did a turbid mash, used aged hops, unmalted spelt, the whole deal. Long project, but 3 years later it's drinking very nicely. Gotta make sure it's active and what you want, but it's certainly a good tactic.

 

[brownni5]

I've got some JP dregs in a couple different fermenting brews, one very recent, one sitting since December ( I think). Perhaps I should check on that.

Tough to get JP (or anything really good in my neck of the MN woods), but my niece is graduating from high school in June - I figure a trip to SW MI will get me lots of good dregs. I'll just have to figure out what to do with the beer on top of the bugs...