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[[File:Omega-lacto-microscope.jpg|thumb|Omega Yeast Labs OYL-605 Lactobacillus Blend; photo by [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1096077917087088/ Stephen Little].]]
'''Lactobacillus''' (often referred to by brewers as "Lacto") is a genus of Gram-positive, rod-shaped lactic acid bacteria (LAB) which produces acidity and sour flavors in the form of lactic acid and [[Lactobacillus#Sugar_Utilization_and_Secondary_Metabolites|secondary metabolites]] found in lambics, Berliner Weiss, sour brown ales, and gueuze. All ''Lactobacillus'' species are facultative anaerobes, which means they grow anaerobically but can also grow in the presence of oxygen and use oxygen to some degree <ref name="todar_lactics4"></ref>. There are more than 100 species, many of which are found in the human gastrointestinal track <ref name="todar_lactics4">[http://textbookofbacteriology.net/lactics_4.html ''Lactic Acid Bacteria''. Todar's Online Texbook of Bacteriology. Kenneth Todar, PhD. Pg. 4. Retrieved 07/28/2015.]</ref><ref name="Todar_nutgro4">[http://textbookofbacteriology.net/nutgro_4.html ''Nutrition and Growth of Bacteria''. Todar's Online Texbook of Bacteriology. Kenneth Todar, PhD. Retrieved 07/28/2015.]</ref>. In addition to beer, some species of ''Lactobacillus'' are also used to ferment yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, wine, cider, kimchi, cocoa, and kefir <ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus ''Lactobacillus''. Wikipedia. Retrieved 07/28/2015.]</ref>. ''Lactobacillus'' can form a [[pellicle]] (need reference). See ''[[Pediococcus]]'', ''[[Brettanomyces]]'', ''[[Saccharomyces]]'', [[Mixed Cultures]], and [[Nonconventional Yeasts and Bacteria]] charts for other commercially available cultures. See the [[Sour WortingWort Souring]] and [[Mixed Fermentation]] pages for brewing techniques with ''Lactobacillus''. See the [[Alternative Bacteria Sources]] section for culturing ''Lactobacillus'' from grains, yogurt, probiotics, and other sources.
==Commercial Lactobacillus Cultures==
| [[East Coast Yeast]] || ECY32 || ''L. brevis'' || Heterofermentative || || Originally isolated from kefir. Bright acidity and hop-tolerant (up to 30 IBU). Fermentation temperature 60 - 80F <ref name="ecy_website">[http://www.eastcoastyeast.com/wild-stuff.html "Wild Yeast / Brettanomyces / Lactic Bacteria". East Coast Yeast website. Retrieved 04/27/2018.]</ref>.
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| [[Escarpment Laboratories]] || Lactobacillus Blend || L. brevis and L. plantarum || Heterofermentative || || This blend is designed to be usable at a wide range of temperatures, and is especially suited for kettle souring/sour wortingWort Souring. We recommend pre-acidifying wort to 4.5 with lactic acid, then pitching the Lactobacillus blend in a CO2-purged kettle or fermentor at 32-42°C.
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| [[Escarpment Laboratories]] || Lactobacillus brevis || L. brevis || Heterofermentative || || This strain is moderately hop-tolerant, and as such it can also be used for long-term souring of <10IBU beers. It also performs well in kettle souring/sour worting wort souring where fast and clean lactic acidity is desired. We recommend pre-acidifying wort to 4.5 with lactic acid, then pitching the Lactobacillus blend in a CO2-purged kettle or fermentor at 35-45°C.
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| [[Fermmentos Labs]] (Brazil) || FB7 Pure Sour || L. plantarum and L. brevis || Heterofermentative || || Designed for kettle souring. Optimal temperatures of 20-25°C <ref name="fermmentos_catalog_2017">[https://fermmentolabs.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Cat%C3%A1logo_Fermmento_Labs_TWTF.pdf Fermmentos Labs Catalog. Retrieved 12/21/2017.]</ref>.
Proteolytic activity has been shown to decrease as pH falls below 5.0 for some species of ''Lactobacillus'' <ref name="Haq_Mukhtar"></ref>. In order to combat poor head retention in beers that are soured with ''Lactobacillus'', it has been suggested by German brewing scientist, Burghard Hagen Meyer, to [[Sour_Worting#How_to_Pre-Acidify|lower the pH of the wort to 4.5-4.8]] with food grade lactic acid or phosphoric acid before pitching ''Lactobacillus'' <ref name="Gail">[https://sourbrewster.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/berliner-weisse-the-old-time-kettle-souring-technique/ ''Berliner Weisse – the old-time kettle-souring technique.'' Brewing Sour blog, by Gail Ann Williams.September 18, 2012. Retrieved 7/7/2015.]</ref><ref>[http://ingenuitybrew.blogspot.com/2013/06/berliner-weisse-test.html ''Berliner Weisse Test''. Ingenuity Brew Blog. June 4, 2013. Retrieved 7/7/2015.]</ref><ref>[http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2012/06/100-lactobacillus-berliner-weisse.html ''100% Lactobacillus Berliner Weisse.'' The Mad Fermentationist Blog, by Michael Tonsmeire. June 25, 2012. Retrieved 7/7/2015.]</ref>. Additionally, ingredients that increase head retention such as unmalted chit, malted wheat, and carafoam have been used to help combat poor head retention in beers soured by ''Lactobacillus'' <ref name="Gail"></ref><ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1105839682777578/?comment_id=1105942362767310&offset=0&total_comments=27&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R8%22%7D Conversation with Richard Preiss on MTF. 7/7/2015.]</ref>. Professional brewer [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1105839682777578/ Kristen England of Bent Brewstillery] tested [http://www.mbaa.com/districts/MidSouth/mash/Documents/2014%20PDF%20Hop%20Product%20Applications%20Presentation.pdf?Mobile=1&Source=%2Fdistricts%2FMidSouth%2Fmash%2F_layouts%2Fmobile%2Fview.aspx%3FList%3D85ff6384-aa05-491f-8ef3-d2e9eea713f2%26View%3Da234a10f-469b-4edd-a8a9-9a96b00750ee%26CurrentPage%3D1 Hexa Iso Hop Extract] by dosing at 4 times the recommended dosage and found that it greatly increased head retention in a Berliner Weisse (3.5% abv, pH 3.1, TA ~1, BU 5), with a minor taste difference. Kristen recommends experimenting with lower dosages to avoid too much flavor impact.
Another method that has been reported to help with head retention when [[Sour WortingWort Souring]] (ex., kettle souring) is to add a pound of DME per 5 gallons of wort during the heat pasteurization process (after the wort has been soured with ''Lactobacillus''). One could also steep specialty grains such as wheat malt, chit malt, carafoam, or carapils, and add the extract into the kettle during the heat pasteurization or boiling process. This will add back head formation proteins that were lost during the ''Lactobacillus'' fermentation <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1069228273105386/?comment_id=1069266549768225&offset=0&total_comments=24&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R8%22%7D Conversation with Gareth Young on MTF. 05/08/2015.]</ref><ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1137179879643558/?comment_id=1137362989625247&offset=0&total_comments=8&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D Conversation with Paul Finney on MTF in regards to head retention of Berliner Weisse. 08/29/2015.]</ref>.
See also [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1069228273105386/?hc_location=ufi This discussion with Gareth Young on MTF].
* [[Mixed Cultures]]
* [[Mixed Fermentation]]
* [[Sour WortingWort Souring]]
* [[Scientific Publications]]
* [[Pediococcus]]