Lactobacillus
Please check back later for additional changes
Lactobacillus (shortened as "Lacto") is a genus of gram-positive bacteria — a genus is a group of species. It is a member of a group of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), meaning it metabolizes sugar mainly into lactic acid. Lacto is used in brewing sour beer, and it can play a role in wine by performing malo-lactic fermentation (MLF), and in kombucha and rice wine by contributing flavor and acidity.
Lactobacillus is ubiquitous in the environment.[1] When using unpasteurized fruit or any kind of "spontaneous" fermentation, it should be assumed that Lactobacillus is present. All of us have Lacto and other wild microbes on our brewing gear (regardless of whether it's intentional), but we can successfully avoid contamination by means of our cleaning and sanitation practices.
Commercially-available Lacto cultures tend to not form a pellicle.[1]
- Impact of buffering capacity on the acidification of wort by brewing‐relevant lactic acid bacteria
- Sour Brewing: Impact of Lactobacillus amylovorus FST2.11 on Technological and Quality Attributes of Acid Beers
- Anni B. Hougaard, Helene Pindstrup, Nils Arneborg, Mogens L. Andersen, Leif H. Skibsted. Free radical formation by Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM is enhanced by antioxidants and decreased by catalase. Food Research International 2016, 79 , 81-87.
See also[edit]
- Sour beer
- Lactobacillus on the Milk the Funk wiki
- Episode #007 - Lactobacillus microbiology with Dr. Bryan Heit of Sui Generis Brewing blog on the Milk the Funk podcast