Berliner Weisse Question

I have a BW that has been in primary for around 8 weeks. It is sitting at 1.010, and has been for a few weeks. I pitched the lacto 2 days before I pitched the sacc. I was wondering if it would continue to drop anymore? I'm not exactly sure how lacto works. Will the lacto slowly drop the gravity and increase the sourness over the next few months. I know the sacc is obviously done. I'm not in any hurry on this beer, so I have no problem letting it sit for 4-6 more months if needed.

I let mine sit for almost two months, and it got down to 1.008. I cold crashed it before bottling, so I don't expect it to ferment anymore. As a matter of fact, it's taking forever to carbonate.

Airborneguy said:

I let mine sit for almost two months, and it got down to 1.008. I cold crashed it before bottling, so I don't expect it to ferment anymore. As a matter of fact, it's taking forever to carbonate.

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I think remember reading somewhere that lacto can take up to 6 months to sour. Mine has almost zero sourness to it now, that's why I was curious if it would keep dropping.

I wish that was the case with mine! Mine is so sour I can't even drink it. I'm actually hoping that it mellows. I got my hands on some raspberry syrup, so hopefully that helps. I grew the lacto starter myself using malt and a low gravity starter. I think I made a beast!

Mine is way too sweet now, and without any sourness, I won't be drinking it.

OK, well.... a couple of questions, what was your OG and what were your IBU's?

I'm assuming you know lacto doesn't like high levels of either, right?

I made an excellent BW with the no boil method. I even pitched the lacto and sacc at the same time. mind you I aged mine for damned near a year, aged it on top of some golden raspberries, and pitched the dregs from a couple of orvals after a few months, ( after some researching, it is not at all unlikely that some historical Berliners had a brett component to them),.

In any case, this turned out to taste, look and smell like a berliner. As a matter of fact, I prefer it to any commercial version I've had stateside and my German transplant friend hailed it as his favorite BW ever.

I had around 7 ibu and the OG was 1.033.

did you use the no-boil method?

I boiled for 15 minutes.

In that case I'm going to stake a bet that you need to just let it be for a good long while. As I said, mine sat for a pretty decent amount of time and was quite tart and comparable to yours in recipe and execution, minus the time on the raspberries and the addition of Orval dregs.

That's what I was planning on doing, I just wasn't sure if it was going to be in vain. I'll give another few months and taste it again.

Double post, oops.

Honestly, if it were me... if after a few more months it hadn't soured enough for your likings I'd consider getting some maltodextrin, boiling it up a bit, and rack on top of that to give the bugs something to chew upon, that AND or consider adding a touch of bret C.

Did you mean just add the maltodextrin, or add the brett with it also?

Mine was no boil also, but I did a double decoction with the hops to an estimated 3 IBUs.

I meant do either, or both! ( I'd recommend both, but that's just me),.

BootsyFlanootsy said:

I meant do either, or both! ( I'd recommend both, but that's just me),.

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I've never worked with maltodextrin before. Is there a certain amount I should add?

I'd say a 2-3 ounces should set you on the road to funky town.

Awesome. I will definitely try that if it doesn't get any more sour in a few months. Thanks!

I'm starting to think I may have had the lacto too cool when I pitched it. If I throw the brew belt on it now, does anyone think that would help the lacto?