Sour mash is best explained as feedback and microbial governance, not merely reuse of an old mash portion. Fresh audit: Distinguish intentional live bacterial culture from distilled acidic backset; backset is not evidence that viable bacteria survive distillation. Lactobacilli can aid or impair performance depending on timing and conditions.
Fermentation chapter treatment of yeast, bacteria, backset, acidity, flavor development, and process control.
American sour-mash practice can manage Lactobacillus ecology as well as acidity and recipe continuity. Bacterial activity can change fatty-acid and ester precursors, competition with yeast, ethyl lactate and lactone formation, and the risk of defects.
PDF sheet 173 / printed p. 163
PDF sheet 166 / printed p. 156
Chapter 5 — Fermentation
September 28 fresh audit: passage and locator checked against the supplied 533-sheet PDF. Distinguish intentional live bacterial culture from distilled acidic backset; backset is not evidence that viable bacteria survive distillation. Lactobacilli can aid or impair performance depending on timing and conditions.
Verified evidence record from the complete review of Whisky Science: A Condensed Distillation.
Evidence
American sour-mash practice can manage Lactobacillus ecology as well as acidity and recipe continuity. Bacterial activity can change fatty-acid and ester precursors, competition with yeast, ethyl lactate and lactone formation, and the risk of defects.
Locator
- Section: Chapter 5 — Fermentation
- Start: PDF sheet 166 / printed p. 156
- End: PDF sheet 173 / printed p. 163
Context
Fermentation chapter treatment of yeast, bacteria, backset, acidity, flavor development, and process control.
Annotation
Sour mash is best explained as feedback and microbial governance, not merely reuse of an old mash portion.
Supports
September 28 audit
Distinguish intentional live bacterial culture from distilled acidic backset; backset is not evidence that viable bacteria survive distillation. Lactobacilli can aid or impair performance depending on timing and conditions.