Dr. Lambic's Flanders Red Ale

45.8 % Pilsner Malt
27 % White Wheat Malt
13.1 % Caramel Wheat Malt
9 % Rye Malt
2.6% 60-L Crystal Malt
2.5% Special Roast Malt
1 to 2 ounces Crystal Hops

Mash:

130 F for 15 minutes
158 F for 45 minutes
168 F for 10 minutes
Boil:

Boil for 90 minutes
Whirlfloc @ 15 minutes until end
Servomyces @ 10 minutes until end
Original Gravity = 1.062
Fermentation ChambersFermentation:

Cool wort to 110 F and transfer into carboy.
Pitch 1 fresh vial of Lactobacillus delbruckii (WLP677) per 5 gallons of wort.
Ferment for 2 to 4 days at 110 F.
Cool fermentation to 65 F.
Pitch enough vials or an appropriately sized starter of Dry English Ale yeast (WLP007) & oxygenate for 1 minute.
Ferment at around 65 to 67 F until fermentation complete. I like to turn my temperature up a few degrees toward the last 25% of fermentation to drive attenuation & promote healthy fermentation characteristics.
Final gravity at this point should be around 1.018 (70% Attenuation).
Transfer beer off of primary yeast & pitch 1 vial of Brettanomyces lambicus (WLP653) per 5 gallons. At this point I transfer from a 6.5 gallon carboy into a 5 gallon carboy and I fill the carboy up to the neck to reduce surface area.
Age between 60 to 70 F.
Brettanomyces characteristics will develop over 3 to 6 months on average.
Over time attenuation will continue to increase to near 100%
The reason this process works well is because Lactobacillus is the organism which provides the lactic acid and sour presence in most sour beers. By allowing this bacteria to grow, feed, and properly establish itself in the beer before yeast is introduced, it virtually ensures that the beer will reach a proper level of souring