PK-Berliner

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LoneWolfPR

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
257
Reaction score
3
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
Wyeast 1007 - German Ale
Yeast Starter
Homemade Lacto
Batch Size (Gallons)
5.5
Original Gravity
1.031
Final Gravity
1.008
Boiling Time (Minutes)
90
IBU
7.95
Color
2.37 (SRM)
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
30 at about 68-72
Tasting Notes
Light, Refreshing, Wonderfully Tart!
This is based loosely on Morkin's All Grain Imperial Berliner Weisse. I decided I wanted something more traditional though. So I subbed Pils for the US 2 Row, which meant a longer boil for DMS. I also lowered the gravity dramatically for the more traditional low-alcohol

Grain Bill:
3 # German Pils
3 # German Wheat Malt

Hops:
1 oz Liberty 3.9% AA 15 min

Water Treatment:
I wanted a good soft profile, so I'm using Pilsen as a target. I'm starting with 8 gallons of RO that I'm treating with:
chalk (CaCO3) - .6 grams ~ 1/3 tsp
epson salt (MgSO4) - .5 grams ~ 1/10 tsp
salt (NaCl) - .2 grams ~ .03 tsp

75 min Mash In Add 7.5 qt of water at 162. F 150.0 F

I used Morkin's method for creating a homemade lacto starter:
"Crush a cup of grains and add them to a Cup of Water at 130 degrees and put that combination into a jar for a starter. I used an old honey jar, but a starter flask or any jar will work. Let that ride out for about a week prior to brewing. It shouldn't smell bad, but of an extreme lactic smell should be evidence that you have a good culture."

After mash make sure to sparge enough so you can get a full 90 minute boil to evaporate all the DMS from the Pils. After the boil cool to 100 and pitch the lacto starter. Wait for 2 days, then pitch the yeast. It should be pretty darn good after about a month, but the longer you let it go the more tart it will get.

Here's how mine looked at the end.

finishedberliner.jpg
 
Well, when I first tried it I thought it was OK, but I need to go back the drawing board. I realized I was so excited about a sour that I overlooked some glaring problems. The lacto was WAAAAAAAY over the top. Also, there was an off putting, sort of garbage like smell that started out small, but as the beer aged over a couple weeks it really turned into a vomit-like aroma. I think I let it sit too long in fermentation, and there was potentially something wrong with my lacto starter. Looking back on the progress I think it was actually at idea sourness after a week. I went back and tried Hottenroth by The Bruery and 1809 by Fritz Briem for commercial examples. The beer had really hit that flavor profile after a week. I'm considering trying it again with a touch more pils and a little less wheat. Then I'll actually do fermentation with the yeast first and try adding the lacto afterward so it doesn't go so crazy. Then when it hits proper flavor I'll try pasteurizing it.
 
I made my first Berliner about the same time as your original post. The roulette wheel of what else might be living on raw grain is why I went a different path. I used a local yogurt to sour the mash for 3 days. And then unwittingly must have not been careful with a spoon or dipstick during my 15 minute boil, as the lacto came to life a couple days after my kreusen fell from the WLP550 yeast cake I used. I let it go another week, then I bottled a few samples. They were very clean, spritzy and lightly tart. 5 gallons remains nestled in the basement with a kilo of sour cherries and a pellicle on top. I haven't tested that yet.


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I made mine quite similar to yours, Lone. Came out awesome.

3#s Pilsner
3#s Wheat malt
1# acid malt (I love the flavor)
1oz Hallertau- FWH
WLP630- Berliner Weisse blend

I made 2 lacto starters from grain- one 1L water with a handful and one 1L apple juice with a handful of grain on a buffet warmer at 110F for 3 days. They got all white and fluffy, with good pelicles.

Mashed at 148F for 90 minutes. Mash out at 170F for 10 minutes, then bring to 180F for 10 minutes and chill to 110F.

Strained the starters, then pitched the liquid from both after the wort had cooled to 110F. Sour mashed that for 30hrs. I probably would have gone another 6-12hrs next time.

Pitched the WLP63 Berliner Blend, and let her age. At 1 month, it was great, at 3 months, it's delicious. can't wait for 6 months.

I think i'm always going to have some Berliner's around now. Some new, some aged. They're rapidly becoming my favorites.
 

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