I'm brewing my first sour this weekend. Using the Berliner Weiss recipe in Classic Styles. I am concerned about sanitation. I would rather not dedicate equipment to sours; especially since this is my first one, based upon results might be my last. Seems like a waste to buy double equipment at this point for anything that is in contact with the bugs. I would think as long as I clean with PBW and use StarSan as directed bugs will die. Isn't that why we use a santizer to kill all the bugs out there? If santizers didn't work wouldn't we all have sour beer results just from the stuff in the air that lands on equipment? I just wonder if we all might be paranoid about the ability of these bugs to survive StarSan. I did a search for sour sanitation on the forum but didn't really get an answer from anyone that has experience just cleaning and santizing rather then have dedicated equipment. If there is someone out there that has or is just cleaning and sanitizing please speak up and let me know your experieince.
Im not familiar with the recipe you are using, but did you pitch any additional lacto or "bugs" after you chilled? If not, then the bugs would have been pasteurized during the boil and you have no need to stress anything else. My understanding was that berliners are mashed for 24-48 hrs and then boiled...so they still impart the sour flavor and lower the pH but the lacto that was on the grain is killed off during the boil. What did your recipe call for?
If you did pitch more bugs, I would treat it all that post wild pitch as wild from that point on. The pros do.