A selection method to develop an electrogenic consortium for improved power generation in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is described. Raw domestic sewage was inoculated in a nutrient medium with Fe(III) hydroxide as the electron acceptor and subculturing was done. Subcultures were tested for Fe(III) reduction using ferrozine assay, microbial electron transfer activity using the Dye Reduction-based Electron-transfer Activity Monitoring (DREAM) assay and power generation in a MFC. Subcultures grown with Fe(III) demonstrated improvements in electron transfer activity and power generating ability, while cultures grown without Fe(III) did not exhibit these properties. The enriched Fe(III) subculture generated a maximum power density of 129.25 +/- 7 mW/m(2), while the subculture grown without Fe(III) generated only 81.54 +/- 8 mW/m(2). A high correlation was observed between DREAM assay and power generation (r = +0.963). Cyclic voltammetry corroborated the high electrochemical activity of the Fe-enriched subculture. This method offers a simple and efficient way to enrich an electrogenic consortium for improved performance from routinely used inocula.