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Author Topic: Wild culture: what is it?  (Read 4958 times)

Offline guido

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Wild culture: what is it?
« on: September 19, 2013, 04:53:19 pm »
My wife and I soaked some crab apples in starter-strength wort overnight to see what would grow.  After about ten days, the stuff on top looks like yeast, at least I think it doesn't look like mold.  Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

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Offline vista

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2013, 05:05:45 pm »
Lactobacillus?
Take it easy...

Offline guido

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2013, 06:10:51 pm »
Lactobacillus?

I've seen Lacto in culture before.  Pretty sure this isn't it.  I do have a microscope.
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

     -"Roadhouse Blues,"  Jim Morrison

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2013, 06:22:21 pm »
Lactobacillus?

I've seen Lacto in culture before.  Pretty sure this isn't it.  I do have a microscope.
I vote wild yeast.
Jon H.

Offline troybinso

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2013, 06:26:24 pm »
Doesn't look like mold. What does it smell like?

Offline guido

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2013, 07:15:23 pm »
Doesn't look like mold. What does it smell like?

Doesn't smell "bad" by any means.
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

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narvin

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2013, 07:31:29 pm »
Looks like a pellicle.  I'd guess that there's some Brett in there.

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2013, 08:51:25 pm »
Yeah, some brett, some lacto, Aceto, maybe some pedio. Thing about wild cultures, it's all in there. at this point probably all the nasty nasties are done (no entero, coliform etc.) especially if it smells good.

Have at. next time you brew target an extra 1-2 gallons of wort, do a side boil on the stove top with old hops and pitch it in.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
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Offline guido

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2013, 02:59:18 am »
Yeah, some brett, some lacto, Aceto, maybe some pedio. Thing about wild cultures, it's all in there. at this point probably all the nasty nasties are done (no entero, coliform etc.) especially if it smells good.

Have at. next time you brew target an extra 1-2 gallons of wort, do a side boil on the stove top with old hops and pitch it in.

I wasn't sure what to do with it at this point.  I have some Mycologist friends who can take a look at it.  I might gram stain a sample to be sure I don't see any gram negative (enteric) bacteria.  I did buy some aged lambic hops for this experiment.  I'll probably try to do some more wild collections, too.
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

     -"Roadhouse Blues,"  Jim Morrison

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #9 on: September 20, 2013, 08:29:55 am »
You're probably going to find a wide array of active yeast and bacteria, especially early on. Some sugar-eating yeast will form pellicles, as will most bacteria. I'd guess you have dozens of active lifeforms in there right now. Some have probably died off from lack of nutrients, ph and alcohol by this point.
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2013, 08:32:08 am »
Yeah, some brett, some lacto, Aceto, maybe some pedio. Thing about wild cultures, it's all in there. at this point probably all the nasty nasties are done (no entero, coliform etc.) especially if it smells good.

Have at. next time you brew target an extra 1-2 gallons of wort, do a side boil on the stove top with old hops and pitch it in.

I wasn't sure what to do with it at this point.  I have some Mycologist friends who can take a look at it.  I might gram stain a sample to be sure I don't see any gram negative (enteric) bacteria.  I did buy some aged lambic hops for this experiment.  I'll probably try to do some more wild collections, too.

there are probably some enteric bacteria in there but not many, and not in a healthy state at this point. As RAM mentions, at this point the pH and alcohol levels are going to inhibit the growth of anything outright bad for you. (whether it'll be tasty or not  ::))
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #11 on: September 20, 2013, 08:58:18 am »
If you're concerned about potential contamination with nasties, you could also pre-acidify your wort with lactic acid to the low 4's. This will keep a lot of the bad bugs at bay while the good guys can still get going.
Eric B.

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Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2013, 09:17:03 am »
Wild stuff all looks like that.  It's impossible to know how the cider will turn out.  Drink it young so that you won't need to risk it getting out of control.
Dave

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Offline kylekohlmorgen

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #13 on: September 23, 2013, 06:01:05 am »
You're probably going to find a wide array of active yeast and bacteria, especially early on. Some sugar-eating yeast will form pellicles, as will most bacteria. I'd guess you have dozens of active lifeforms in there right now. Some have probably died off from lack of nutrients, ph and alcohol by this point.

+1 Does it still smell good? Pitch some into a crab apple blonde and let it go nuts!
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Offline guido

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Re: Wild culture: what is it?
« Reply #14 on: September 23, 2013, 07:57:34 am »
You're probably going to find a wide array of active yeast and bacteria, especially early on. Some sugar-eating yeast will form pellicles, as will most bacteria. I'd guess you have dozens of active lifeforms in there right now. Some have probably died off from lack of nutrients, ph and alcohol by this point.

+1 Does it still smell good? Pitch some into a crab apple blonde and let it go nuts!

Can't brew until next week.  Hope it will keep until then.  I'll probably hold a small portion of it back, so I can keep it going if it's good.
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

     -"Roadhouse Blues,"  Jim Morrison