kegging a berliner weiss

I dont have enough belgian bottles to bottle nor a corker. How would this turn out.

I have read a few different threads about homebrewers doing this.

Is it wrong? No, but IMO it is not optimal. If you do this I would cask condition not force carbonate, and let it sit for a while, sample it periodically until it has reached the sourness you desire.

Take a look at this, this is jamil zainasheff berliner weisse, these homebrewers kegged it

http://www.brew-dudes.com/berliner-weisse-recipe/570

I just cleaned out my Berliner Weisse out of my keg yesterday.

Heres the problem. You are going to carbonate a Berliner Weisse to around 3-3.5 volumes. In my experience, this just makes the beer foam way too much to be kegging it. Unless you carb it down to an appropriate level for kegging, I would not recommend it.

Plus, with the high foam rate, I lost some of the aromatics and taste associated with such a great beer. I'd just pony up the money and get some belgains and a corker.

Does this permanently "infect" your plastic lines with lacto? does it matter?

Noope. 1st, just clean the lines and sanatize like always. Plus, if it's in your fridge, it's way too cold for lacto to take hold. Lacto likes to stay warm, 70-100

Is there any merit to using corks, or is this just tradition? Why not use cap bottles and caps?

Good question. I've been thinking about doing this myself.

If you can find a caper big enough to cap Belgain bottles, then go for it. The reason for the corks and wire cages is that the cage keeps the cork in the bottle, and keeps it from shooting off due to the pressure in the bottles.

The reason for the Belgian bottles is that they can hold much more pressure than a regular 12 ounce bottle. If you use 12 ounces, dial down the carbonation. It won't however be true to the style.

If you want, try to get the 16oz/ 500 ml German pint bottles that you can find many hefeweizen's in (tucher) Those bottles are thicker glass than your standard long necks and should hold the higher pressures no problem. You can use your same capper and I think these are at many brew shops, or they can order them.

If not go to a warehouse wine store and buy 40 or so and have a party! (pretty expensive for bottles though)

I would just keg it though... If you are worried about foam, change your beer lines but I wouldn't worry.

Morkin said:

I just cleaned out my Berliner Weisse out of my keg yesterday.

Heres the problem. You are going to carbonate a Berliner Weisse to around 3-3.5 volumes. In my experience, this just makes the beer foam way too much to be kegging it. Unless you carb it down to an appropriate level for kegging, I would not recommend it.

Plus, with the high foam rate, I lost some of the aromatics and taste associated with such a great beer. I'd just pony up the money and get some belgains and a corker.

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Sounds like your system is not balanced for that high a carb rate. This si wky I like having a hybridized system and keep a few sets of serving lines at different lengths.

passedpawn said:

Good question. I've been thinking about doing this myself.

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As have I. On the one hand, I see no reason not to keg based on the microbiology. On the other hand, I am not sure it's worth the risk of being lazy either.

I have 10 gallons that have been in secondary since last November. Procrastinating bottling day.