Alferman Imperial Berliner Weisse

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Morkin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
318
Reaction score
2
Location
Missouri
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
US-05
Yeast Starter
Lacto
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter
Homemade Lacto or Wyest #4335
Batch Size (Gallons)
5.5
Original Gravity
1.053
Final Gravity
1.014
Boiling Time (Minutes)
15
IBU
6.7
Color
3.9 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
30
Tasting Notes
Very Sour, Refreshing, floral aroma
Grain Bill:
6.20 # US 2 Row
5 # German Wheat Malt
1.00 oz Liberty Hops

75 min Mash In Add 14.00 qt of water at 164.6 F 150.0 F

Very simple Imperial Berliner Weisse that turned out so well that I wanted to share. Mash at 150 for 75 minutes. I did a no Boil, but boiling about an ounce of hops will still result in low IBU's. I mash hopped, but I don't think it added any IBU's.

I made a homemade Lactic starter which I think gave this beer the right flavor. 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.

Once you have mashed, drain the mashtun into a boil kettle or let set untill you get the wort down to 100 degrees. Add the lactic culture to the beer and add airlock.

A nice pellicle will come in about 1-2 days and the airlock will bubble like crazy. Once the wort has fermented with the Lacto for about 48 hours, add in the rehydrated US 05.

You can either let it sit for about 1-2 months or untill you feel the sourness is at a level that you like. Carbonate to 3.5-4.

Enjoy.
 
I used foil. Similar to the way you should make a yeast starter with foil and not an airlock. If you put a lid on it, it would probably blow the lid off or create a bottle bomb if you're not careful, because the lacto does produce some co2.
 
Here is a picture of Alferman Imperial Berline Weisse

6100463496_7e9754d561_b.jpg
 
What temp did you ferment at? My first batch fermented at room (75) and didn't get much sour. I have another batch now fermenting at 85-90. We'll see.

Right after the boil (if you do a boil) I drain to the fermenter at about 100. I then let the lacto do it's thing for about 48 hours. After that you will see a pelicle. Then pitch the yeast after 48 hours. That will give you your lactic sourness.
 
Brewed on 8-2-11, still sitting in the fermenter. I will take a sample this weekend and see how it's tasting.
 
Right after the boil (if you do a boil) I drain to the fermenter at about 100. I then let the lacto do it's thing for about 48 hours. After that you will see a pelicle. Then pitch the yeast after 48 hours. That will give you your lactic sourness.

I did that exact thing for my first batch (warm pitch, 24 hours lag between lacto and sacc). Lacto had the carboys raging within 24. Never saw a pellicle in 3 months. Tastes great now, just not much sour. There is a little, and I think it is very good.
 
I did that exact thing for my first batch (warm pitch, 24 hours lag between lacto and sacc). Lacto had the carboys raging within 24. Never saw a pellicle in 3 months. Tastes great now, just not much sour. There is a little, and I think it is very good.

Homemade Lacto or a Wyeast or White Labs Lacto?
 
sorry, wyeast, I think 4355 or similar

Although a homemade lacto starter has some pretty unpredictable results, I have heard that the wyeast Lacto can take forever to produce sourness.

I know I had just a hint of sourness when I used it for my first Berliner Weisse. Try a homemade starter for Lacto. Very Easy.
 
Although a homemade lacto starter has some pretty unpredictable results, I have heard that the wyeast Lacto can take forever to produce sourness.

I know I had just a hint of sourness when I used it for my first Berliner Weisse. Try a homemade starter for Lacto. Very Easy.

I will. After fermenting for 3 months (no pellicle), bottled for a few weeks, I put the bottles outside (in boxes). They developed pellicles in the bottle within 3 days. Crazy. (by the way, one batch I added a couple slices of lime, which is very good).
 
Hi All,

I have a question regarding the process of making a Berliner.
Since you do not boil the wort, how long will this beer keep?
Aren't you afraid of contamination?
I am planning on brewing this next week so I really appreciate any comment on those issues.

Thanks.
 
Hi All,

I have a question regarding the process of making a Berliner.
Since you do not boil the wort, how long will this beer keep?
Aren't you afraid of contamination?
I am planning on brewing this next week so I really appreciate any comment on those issues.

Thanks.

It will stale like any other beer when put into a keg. Drink in probably 3 months or so. As for if you bottle this in a Belgian Bottle, it will last years. The Lacto can taste entirely different after about 6 months in the bottle.

Also, contamination is and isn't a concern. You need to sanitize everything just as you would a regular beer. But, you are in fact inoculating this beer with a Lactic Acid Bacteria, which in some beers in considered an infection. But because this is a sour beer, it is desired. Just brew normally and you'll be fine.

Boiling Hops and the acids in hops are a protector against contamination and bacteria growth. If you boil too much hop oils into this beer, the Lacto might not take off and it might not be sour.
 
It will stale like any other beer when put into a keg. Drink in probably 3 months or so. As for if you bottle this in a Belgian Bottle, it will last years. The Lacto can taste entirely different after about 6 months in the bottle.


Thanks,
I bottle my beers in a regular bottles, will it still keep for years?
Belgian bottles are like Champagne bottles, right?


Boiling Hops and the acids in hops are a protector against contamination and bacteria growth. If you boil too much hop oils into this beer, the Lacto might not take off and it might not be sour.

I am planning on about 1 OZ. of hops, will it be fine?

Thanks,
Tomer
 
Berliner Wiess usually is carves to 3 to 3.5 volumes, which can break normally bottles. Cut down on the carbonation if you use regular bottles. Also, give it more time, as the lacto can eat waste from the yeast.
 
At what temp should you keep the lacto starter after pitching the grains and water, im having a hard time keeping the temps up. Best I can muster is about 70.
 
I get water from the tap at about 100 degrees or so. I then place the starter in a warm place in my kitchen. As long as it stays above 70 degrees you should be fine. You'll know if the lacto is working or not by the smell and how it looks.
 
Another question morkin, my wort took off with the lacto starter and looks nice, but at what temp did you ferment the us-05 at? I was thinking in the low 70s to keep the lacto chugging away.
 
I pitch the US-05 after I've let the lacto go for a day or 2. it usually settles down to around 80 I think, depending on if it's summer or winter. The high threshold for us-05 I think is around 80 anyways, so you won't get any off flavors. But even if you would get off flavors, it would be fruity, which could taste nice in a Berliner.
 
Quick question for you - you only pitch the liquid from the lacto starter right? Sounds dumb but just wanted to be sure...
 
Thanks. Brewed Friday and fermenting heavily this AM. Smells pretty nasty...
 
Just to update real quick - I checked in on mine last night at 4 weeks in the fermenter (following the recipe exactly) and this was perfectly sour and I taste a sort of musty funkiness in there. I really love it! Should be freeing up a keg this weekend to rack it over as I think the flavor is where I want it. Mine was sitting at 1.004ish. Great, simple recipe for anyone considering a berliner weisse.

edit - Another update 3/6 - kegged 4 days ago and force carbed at 30psi for 3 days. Man, this is good. Like really perfectly sour, highly carbonated and a great wheaty/funky flavor after the sour onslaught. I'm wondering if I can bottle from the keg like I usually do without breaking bottles...
 
I've been wanting to do a relatively simple sour beer for a while, without the wait a flanders red/brown or lambic takes. Came across this, and have plans to try this in a couple weeks with a buddy of mine. I'm pretty damn stoked. This is going to be a trial run, because my wife absolutely loves sour beer and she's pregnant right now. So no drinky for her. If we pull this off well I plan to have a batch done and ready for her for after the kid comes. She's due in July so a Berliner Weisse should be a perfect beer for that hot, humid time of year.
 
A question about boiling: is there a concern of DMS production and lack of volatilzation when no boil or a very short boil is used?
 
A question about boiling: is there a concern of DMS production and lack of volatilzation when no boil or a very short boil is used?

You shouldn't get any DMS because you are never heating the work to boiling temperatures, and if so, it's only for a short time.
 
Just to update real quick - I checked in on mine last night at 4 weeks in the fermenter (following the recipe exactly) and this was perfectly sour and I taste a sort of musty funkiness in there. I really love it! Should be freeing up a keg this weekend to rack it over as I think the flavor is where I want it. Mine was sitting at 1.004ish. Great, simple recipe for anyone considering a berliner weisse.

edit - Another update 3/6 - kegged 4 days ago and force carbed at 30psi for 3 days. Man, this is good. Like really perfectly sour, highly carbonated and a great wheaty/funky flavor after the sour onslaught. I'm wondering if I can bottle from the keg like I usually do without breaking bottles...

Awesome! Glad you like it!
 

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