Rua Cultivar (Owen's propagation from Wild Workshop Rua bottle dregs)
Garage Project Wild Workshop · wild · Liquid culture
A Saccharomyces / Brettanomyces / lactic-bacteria mixed culture from Garage Project's Wild Workshop in Wellington. Built for long mixed fermentation in barrels and foeders, giving lactic tang, funk and fruity complexity.
4 brews
About
A mixed culture of Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces and lactic acid bacteria from Garage Project's Wild Workshop programme in Wellington. It is intended for long mixed fermentation in barrels and foeders, where the Sacch sets the base fermentation, the Brett develops funk and dryness over months, and the bacteria build a soft lactic acidity. As with any living mixed culture the balance evolves with time and vessel, so treat the specs as a guide and the brew results as the truth.
Specs
- Attenuation
- 85–95%
- Temperature
- 16–24°C
- Form
- Liquid culture
Recipe pairing
- Grains
- Pilsner and Vienna base with wheat; sour-red bills for Flanders styles
- Hops
- Low or aged hopping so the culture and acidity lead
- Adjuncts
- Foeder/barrel aging and fruit additions build complexity over months
- Suited to
- Foeder Wild Sour, Flanders Red Ale, Wild Saison, Wild Specialty Beer
Brewing tips
- Built for the long game — months in foeder or barrel, with Brett and bacteria slowly driving attenuation up and pH down.
- Very high eventual attenuation: expect a dry, tart finish once it has fully developed.
- Keep hopping low and aged; high bitterness clashes with the lactic, funky character.
Handling & storage
- Rehydration
- Pitch as slurry/starter; no rehydration.
- Storage
- Pitched as active liquid culture; maintained in barrel/foeder rather than packaged.