Tiroux

Recipes 

So, I'm planning a batch of Berliner Weiss for the upcoming spring. I've read around on this forum and other ones, to finally find many many ways to brew/ferment a berliner weiss.

I would like to ear your experiences with these different methods and the difference in results.

1a - Normal mash + single fermentation with both Yeast and lactobacillus, pitch at the same time.

1b - Same thing, but with Brettamyces instead of Saccharomyces

1c - Same thing, but with WLP630 Berliner Weiss Blend

2a - Normal mash + single fermentation, but pitching lactobacillus few days before pitching saccharomyces

2b - Same thing, but with Brettamyces

3 - Normal mash + seperate fermentation (half with lacto, half with sacch or brett, then blend at bottling)

4 - Normal mash + primary with Yeast, then Secondary with Lacto

5a - Sour mash + yeast fermentation

5b - Sour mash + yeast/lacto fermentation in any previously said way

*6 - For every normal or sour mash, the choice to boil or not to boil (only pasteurize)

ColoHox

Recipes 

1c for me.

20 min boil, berliner weiss blend added and maintained at 100ºF for 4 days, then cooled to 65º. This sat for 6 months, then I added more lacto and sugar for 4 volumes of carb and bottled in heavy Belgians. I really like it and am making another batch in a few weeks.

__________________
Bacteria are the only culture some people have.

Planning: APA
Primary: RyePA, Skeeter Pee
Lagering: 1554 clone, Rye Marzen, Honey Kolsch
Kegged:full
Bottled: lots

Tiroux

Recipes 

Im happy to have reviews of this strain. But, 6 montus aint long for a 1030 og beer? I've seen about 2 months most of the time. Also im not sure I can keep it at 100... Is it the recommanded temp?

ColoHox

Recipes 

Mine is not exactly to style. I experimented with the plan for this recipe for a while. I go to 1.050 then allow it to sit in primary longer. Less time in primary and regular bottles was bad news.

96-100 is best for Lactobacillus. It grows very rapidly at that temp. Although it takes a while for the sourness to develop. I know this is supposed to be a small a quick beer, but I like it with just a tad more flavor and sourness.

__________________
Bacteria are the only culture some people have.

Planning: APA
Primary: RyePA, Skeeter Pee
Lagering: 1554 clone, Rye Marzen, Honey Kolsch
Kegged:full
Bottled: lots

Tiroux

Recipes 

Ok. Makes sens. I'll manage a way to leep warmth for a few days. But im still not fixed on the strains to use.. Id maybe go with separate fermentation, lacto and brett C

erikpete18

Recipes 

The only trouble I see with a separate fermentation is making sure which lacto strain you get. Some lacto strains don't have the ability to ferment maltose, meaning that when you blend them together at bottling, the Brett is going to see all that new maltose and go kablooey. According to the Mad Fermentationist (great website for info by the way), the white labs lacto strain should be able to ferment maltose, while the wyeast can't. If you decide to go with a separate fermentation, make sure you get the White Labs.

ColoHox

Recipes 

Lactobacillus delbrueckii is the primary strain used in a Berliner weisse. White labs sells this and a starter can be made with some dme and apple juice to get better numbers.

__________________
Bacteria are the only culture some people have.

Planning: APA
Primary: RyePA, Skeeter Pee
Lagering: 1554 clone, Rye Marzen, Honey Kolsch
Kegged:full
Bottled: lots

Tiroux

Recipes 

I forgot to mention, or maybe I said it wrong (english ain't my language he!)

I wouldn't blend them at bottling, but in secondary. 1 month apart, 1 month together, then bottling and full carb with champagne yeast.

I was looking at Lactobacillus Delbrueckii and Brettanomyces Claussenii, both from White Lab

edecambra

Recipes 

I did a Lacto starter instead of buying it. Mix up a pint of 1.030 sucrose solution (table sugar) and scoop two table spoons of whole base malt in and let it sit in a warm place for a week. If it smells like apples afterwords it is good. Then mash, pasturize( I did it a 180) Cool it to about 100 and pitch your starter for 18 - 24 hours before cooling and pitching your sacc

This should give you fast turn around, complex and good sourness berlinner. The lacto starter most likely has some brett too.

I did this and had a very sour, beautifully complex beer that was drinkable in one weeks time! and after three weeks it was awesome! I got a bronze at the sunshine challenge in florida this past fall, and have entered it a few other times with scores in the the high thirties/ low forties.

This was with basic american 2-row, a touch of munich and white wheat. If i did it again I'd use a more complex base like german pils or something but the same schedule.

Oh and no hops, why waste them?

edecambra

Recipes 

Oh and doing it this way made one of the cheapest, fastest, and tastiest beers i've ever made.

Just saying,