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added paragraph for souring in mashtun for kettle sour
There are various ways of inoculating the wort. A reliable method is pitching a pure culture of ''Lactobacillus'', or a blend of ''Lactobacillus'' cultures. Alternatively, a handful of unmilled malted barley can be added to the kettle for inoculation instead of a pure culture, since the husks of grain carry many microorganisms. If unmilled grain is added, it is thought that filling the head space of the kettle with CO2 will help decrease off-flavors such as "footiness" from [[Isovaleric Acid]], which are produced by aerobic microbes that are naturally present on the grain <ref name="khris_johnson">Personal correspondence with Khristopher Johnson of Green Bench Brewing Co. and Dan Pixley. 05/24/2016.</ref>. Keeping the temperature between 109-115°F (42.8-46°C) will encourage the ''Lactobacillus'' resident on the grain and will discourage other bacteria. Temperature consistency is critical during this process <ref name="young_grains">[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1356058381089039/?comment_id=1356464531048424&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D Conversation with Jeff Young from Blue Owl Brewing Co on souring from grains. 07/21/2016.]</ref>. Lowering the pH of the [[Wort_Souring#How_to_Pre-Acidify|wort to under 4.5 (ideally 4.0 - 4.3)]] will also discourage many other bacteria from thriving in the wort during the incubation period. This will also help with head retention <ref>[[Lactobacillus#Foam_Degradation]]</ref>. Souring with grains should occur within 1 or 2 days if done correctly <ref name="young_grains"></ref>. Do not consume wort that has been soured with grains until after it has been fully fermented by yeast because there is a chance that food poisoning pathogens will be present until ethanol is produced. See [[Grain#Malt_Inoculated_Wort|Blue Owl Brewing's grain inoculation methodology and data]] for more information on inoculating with grain. Consider [[Alternative Bacteria Sources]] for more reliable approaches to using "wild" ''Lactobacillus'', or ''Lactobacillus'' from sources other than yeast labs.
If a pure culture of ''Lactobacillus'' bacteria is used it is ideal but not necessary to fill the head space of the fermenter with CO2 gas (some brewers have reported that this will help reduce sulfur in the finished beer). Keeping positive pressure in the kettle with CO2 will help prevent contaminates that create [[Butyric Acid|butyric acid]] and other off-flavors from entering the kettle due to negative pressure, and is often the approach that commercial brewers take <ref>Personal correspondence with Steph Cope of CraftHaus Brewing Co. 02/06/2016.</ref>. The kettle should be held at the desired temperature for 24-72 hours (in some cases longer, but no longer than 5 days). Depending on the strain of ''Lactobacillus'', and the desired sour level, the time of incubation is ultimately a variable that is up to the brewer (see the ''[[Lactobacillus]]'' page for suggested temperatures and times for specific strains). The kettle lid should be firmly in place and optionally sealed with plastic wrap so that other microorganisms do not get in. Potential for the formation of [[Butyric Acid]] and [[Isovaleric Acid]] when using only a pure culture is extremely slight to none assuming contamination does not occur. Temperature shifts during kettle souring are not a concern as long as the temperature does not get too hot or too cold for the specific ''Lactobacillus'' culture. Some species, such as ''L. plantarum'', create acidity at room temperature, and so some brewers will pitch this strain at around 90-100°F, and then let the temperature fall to room temperature during souring. Other species might not perform as well at colder temperatures, and so maintaining a fairly consistent hot temperature is desirable. If the temperature is allowed to fall, take precautions on not allowing any dust to get sucked into the fermenter since temperature decreases will create a vacuum inside the fermenter (flushing with CO2 is a good way to prevent a vacuum).
In order to address the challenges of creating a sealed environment in a commercial boil kettle (which is often left open to the environment through the boil stack), some commercial brewers have found it beneficial to rack the wort from the boil kettle to a mashtun , britetank, or another vessel that seals and purges well to do the souring in. The mashtun is first cleaned, sanitized, and often purged with CO2. Once in the mashtun and at the correct temperature for the given culture of ''Lactobacillus'', the ''Lactobacillus'' is pitched into the mashtun and the mashtun is sealed off. Since the mashtun should be air tight, temperature shifts from cooling won't suck air into the mashtun, and a potentially more sanitary souring fermentation will occur<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1778027798892093/ Milk The Funk Facebook post about souring in a mashtun, britetank, or other vessel for commercial brewers. 08/02/2017.]</ref>.
Once the level of acidity is reached (this can be tested with a reliable [[PH_Meter|pH meter]], or in the case of using a pure culture can safely be taste tested), the wort is brought to a boil. The wort may be boiled normally in the case of any style of beer that requires a longer boiling process, or it may be boiled for no more than a minute or two in the case of making a [[Berliner Weissbier]]. Technically speaking, the wort doesn't need to be boiled at all (this is called [http://www.garshol.priv.no/blog/331.html Raw Ale]). Heat pasteurization at 140°F (60°C) for 15 minutes should kill the ''Lactobacillus'' culture being used to sour the wort <ref name="pasteurization" />.