Roeselare for Berliner?

bwyker · 06-23-2009, 07:14 PM

Anyone ever use the Wyeast Roeselare blend to do a Berliner Weisse?

I have 3 gallons of beer fermenting now, which came from the second runnings of a wit I brewed Sunday. Pitched WLP011 Euro ale yeast. When the Euro ale stops, I have a few options for souring, but I don't have any pure lacto on hand. I'm leaning towards pitching an old pack of Roeselare and fermenting very warm (mid 80s) to get the acid bugs excited for a few weeks/months. Once it's sour enough, keg, chill and serve.

I'm guessing Brett will start to take over after a month or so. A little Brett character is fine, but I don't want this to turn into a Flemish Pale or something, which is why I'd cut off the fermentation (as best I can) after about a month. However, I also don't want this to taste like an un-finished wild ale.. I would love to hear the results of using Roeselare strickly for souring.
Thanks

flyangler18 · 06-23-2009, 07:21 PM

Haven't done it, but I don't think the results will be pleasant young; the Pediococcus in the blend throws a metric crap-ton of diacetyl.

**harrydrez** · 06-24-2009, 01:11 AM

I thought it only had lactic acid bacteria in it.

ryane · 06-24-2009, 03:12 AM

From what I can gather, its essentiall the same as the wyeast lambic pack, but with different proportions of bugs

FWIW, your not gonna get a sour beer unless you pitch a lacto strain before you do the sacch, and definately not much sourness in the secondary

Ive done berliners where i pitch lacto 12hrs ahead of the sacch and its barely sour, at this point i suggest just getting a bottle of lactic acid and adding to taste

jessup · 01-19-2010, 05:45 PM

thread revival

i recently did exactly what this thread states, roselare in the berliner weisse. it turned out great even at such a young age!!! very simple and very quick turn around; about 10 days from brew>bottle. the beer started with a 36 hour sour mash to get a lil lacto souring, then completed the 15 min boil and chilled and pitched the roselare. i bottled this beer @ 1.010 and added priming sugar which may lead to bottle bombs in the future, but for now it's a delicious champagne-like carbonation which is lite and flavorful. just a hint of tangy sourness but very refreshing

36 hour sour mash of:
3 lb lite DME
1 lb Torrified Wheat
.5 lb Flaked Wheat

15 minute boil of:
1lb honey
1oz Saaz

Chilled to 80* and pitched Roselare

**Munsoned** · 01-19-2010, 06:03 PM

Interesting. I wonder if any future-souring will occur over and beyond what you got out of the sour mash, or if the Roselare will pick up and get it going even further... Only time will tell!

I did my Berliner with a 3-day pure lacto head start, before pitching Euro Ale. This was brewed 6 months ago, and the beer is still only faintly sour. Disappointed to say the least--I'm going to back-add some lactic acid to recover the batch.

I need to try another route for my next attempt--Roselare may also be my next option. I have a Flanders Red going maybe 7-8 months now, which is very nicely sour at this point. Bretty too, but tastes great. Given the good results I had with that blend, I may try Roselare for my next BW, even if it has other bugs that are not "typical" for the style...