fresh bugs or re-pitch?

[MileHighBrewer]

I WAS going to brew a lambic on Sunday, with hopes of starting a "he has risen" gueuze in a few years. I know people that do birthday lambics, or new years day lambics, so on and so forth. I got scheduled to work my 2nd job, so it'll have to wait a week or do it tomorrow (close enough).

ANYWAYS, onto to the important part.

I have 5 different sours going that could all be racked to secondary any time now. One 5 gal and four 3 gal. I could use one or a blend of a few or heck, ALL of them to pitch into this beer or....

I have 2 vials of the recent release of ECY01.

I'm going for 10-13 gallons. I have 4 new-to-me heavy HPDE barrels, the ones LME comes in. Got them from a local cidery in trade for a couple bottles of beer. Not a bad deal.

The cakes are between 3-4 months old and probably need to be racked off soon anyways, and I figure this might give me a nice jump. But pitching my 2 vials of Al's lovely funk is a pretty safe but probably longer term option. Two of the cakes are already ECY brews, one with 20 and one with 01. Two others are Flanders acid ales, one with 3522/brett L/my house culture, the other with TYB Lochristi/lacto/oude tart dregs. My last sour is my house culture which is a mix of Jolly Pumpkin, Crooked Stave, Cascade, Logsdon and Wyeast 3864 Unibroue.

What would you guys do in my situation?

 

[Oldsock]

Using established bugs is great. Give them a taste, pick your favorite, and pitch a cup of that cake. I'd also add some brewer's yeast, that Sacch that's left in a sour after 3-4 months may not be in the best mood given the alcohol and acids.

 

[coyote68]

Using established bugs is great. Give them a taste, pick your favorite, and pitch a cup of that cake. I'd also add some brewer's yeast, that Sacch that's left in a sour after 3-4 months may not be in the best mood given the alcohol and acids.

just did this with bug county. added a 2ooo ml starter of wyeast trappist to help things along. no worries

 

[MileHighBrewer]

A cup should be enough for 10+ gallons?

I have a few options for a primary strain. Have an enkle (based off one of your blogs Oldsock) going with 3522 and I'm growing up an ooooold pack of 3725pc. As well I have TYB funktown brett/sacch slurry, and vials of Beersel and Brussels TYB bretts. Granted those would need some serious stepping to get to 10-13 gal worth

 

[Coff]

With or without the cup of slurry 2 ECY vials is more than enough. I would just pitch one vial into 10-13 gallons of wort. But I like to under pitch Lambic.

I would go with 1 vial and a cup of slurry like Mike suggested. Should be plenty.