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changed "sour worting" to "wort souring"
'''Sour mashing''' is a technique for adding acidity to a beer before primary fermentation begins. This is accomplished by the introduction of lactic acid bacteria into the mash after the completion of the starch conversion. Performing a sour mash is similar to [[Sour Worting|sour wortingWort Souring]] in that both techniques involve acidification of unfermented wort with lactic acid bacteria before primary fermentation. Many sour brewers prefer [[Sour Worting|sour wortingWort Souring]] (which includes ''kettle souring'') due to having more control over off flavors produced versus sour mashing.
<blockquote>"''Mixed culture fermentation for sour beers produces one thing, and (kettle souring/sour mashing) produces another thing. If you’re going to make a malty red ale that is kettle soured, don’t call it a Flanders Red. Honor the tradition.''" - Sean Burke of the Commons Brewery, Kettle Souring Presentation, CBC 2015.</blockquote>
Due to the wide variety of microbial species typically added to a sour mash from the addition of unused grains of malt after the mashing process, unwanted microbes such as ''Clostridium spp''. can take hold in a sour mash and produce off flavors such as [[Butyric Acid|Butyric acid]] and possibly [[Isovaleric Acid|Isovaleric acid]].
Should the sour mash display prominent character of these spoilage organisms, such as rancid/vomit/fecal aromas or moldy patches, it may be advisable to not use the sour mash. If the sour mash is not acidic enough it is possible for human pathogens to be present in the mash (over 4.4 pH), and it may not be advisable to taste the mash, especially if noticeable spoilage aroma is detected. [[Sour Worting|Sour wortingWort Souring]] is generally not as susceptible to these spoilage organisms.
==Microbiology and Biochemistry==
==See Also==
===Additional Articles on MTF Wiki===
* [[Sour WortingWort Souring]]
* [[Butyric Acid]]
* [[Lactobacillus]]