Kentucky Common

According to the Wahl-Henius Handy Book of Brewing that was published in 1902, a beer referred to as the Kentucky Common was enjoyed by many in the Louisville area in the early 1900's. This style was a darker Cream Ale that utilized a partial sour mash. The recipe consisted of barley, corn, dark roasted malts, and some caramel malts.
Malted barley has a lot of natural occurring bacteria that live in the husk of the grain. Lactobacillus is one that is useful to brewers. Lactobacillus is the same bacteria that makes yogurt sour. The lacto in the grains when given the right conditions will turn a nice warm sugary environment into a tart acidic slurry of grains and lactic acid. Add that to your mash and you can add a tart twang to your beer.
So how about a Missouri Common? We will keep you posted.