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Beer styles that can be brewed using this method include [[Berliner Weissbier]] and the subcategories of [[American Wild Ale]], which include [[Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer]] and [[Soured Fruit Beer]] <ref>[http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2014%20BJCP%20Style%20Guidelines%20%28DRAFT%29.pdf BJCP 2014 Style Guidelines Draft.]</ref>. European sour styles such as [[Lambic]], [[Gueuze]], and [[Fruit Lambic]], technically can only be produced by [[Spontaneous Fermentation]]. [[Flanders Red Ale]] and [[Oud Bruin]] styles can be brewed using pure cultures, but can also be brewed using spontaneous fermentation or a mix of using pure cultures and spontaneous fermentation.

The most basic method for making a mixed fermentation sour beer is to brew some simple wort (fresh extract or all grain) that is low in IBU's. Iso-alpha acids can inhibit many species and strains of LAB. Keeping the wort less than 6 IBU's is recommended in general, unless the brewer has information about their LAB culture that indicates that they can tolerate more. Mash hopping is one technique that can be used to limit the IBU's by about 70% <ref>[http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/presentations/pdf/2014/Putting%20Some%20Numbers%20on%20First%20Wort%20and%20Mash%20Hop%20additions.pdf Putting Some Numbers on First Wort and Mash Hop additions. David Curtis. NHC 2014.]</ref>. If hops are not required (commercial brewers may be required to use hops, while homebrewers aren't), they can be completely excluded from the recipe.

Aging is generally required for mixed fermentations that include Brettanomyces. Expect an aging time of at least 9 months, but preferably 12-18 months or longer. For sour beers that only use Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces, sometimes also known as [[Quick Sours]], aging is optional. Sour beer should be aged in an environment that minimizes high temperatures and exposure to oxygen. Drastic temperature fluctuations will cause a vacuum inside of the fermentation vessel causing water airlocks to "suck back" air into the fermenter. This could potentially contribute to acetic acid and ethyl acetate (nail polish aroma in high concentrations) production by Brettanomyces, however the development of a pellicle can help protect against this. Filling the carboy to the neck will also help minimize the surface area of the beer that can be exposed to air. Avoid over sampling the beer (once every 3 months at the very most). It should also be noted that micro-oxygenation is helpful for creating certain flavors in sour beer, and many homebrewers have reported not having any issues with over exposure to oxygen using water-based airlocks.

=''Funky'' Mixed Fermentation=