Berliner not fully attenuated with WLP644

[jsvarney5]

Hi all,

I made a Berliner Weisse based on steps from Milk the Funk. Soured for only 30 hours and ph was very low (3.1). Soured much faster than I anticipated. Nonetheless, i pitched a 1L starter of WLP 644 into 6 gallons of wort. The FG is sitting at about 1.009 after a week and a half (OG 1.029).

I know WLP644 can do well in a low pH environment but I'm thinking that this exceptionally low pH, accompanied with the fact that I pitched the starter size recommended for 5 gallons into a 6 gallon batch has something to do with it as well. Also, not being able to find alot of info on aeration given this used to be a brett strain that they determined to be sacch, i aerated by giving a decent shake for a little bit bit didnt break out the oxygen tank like i would on a normal clean beer batch.

Anyway, pH is sitting at 3.02 and gravity like i mentioned is about 1.009. What suggestions would you have for trying to drive the FG into the 1.000-1.004 range? I bought another vial of WLP644. Should I try pitching that to see if it'll chew down some residual sugars? Make a starter and pitch it? Pitch a clean ale yeast like cali? Thanks!

 

[BrewDawg79]

How long did you ferment and at what temps? Have you tried ramping temp and/or gently rousing yeast? If those things fail you could let it sit while you ferment a small scale batch with 644 or clean ale/saison strain and pitch "stuck" beer onto that. Not sure how low 644 is going to get you by the way. In my single experience using it it in a kettle soured beer didn't go any lower than yours is right now. I'm currently building up some brett to pitch into mine, but that's because I want some funk in there. Good luck and please keep us updated on what you end up doing.

 

[jsvarney5]

How long did you ferment and at what temps? Have you tried ramping temp and/or gently rousing yeast? If those things fail you could let it sit while you ferment a small scale batch with 644 or clean ale/saison strain and pitch "stuck" beer onto that. Not sure how low 644 is going to get you by the way. In my single experience using it it in a kettle soured beer didn't go any lower than yours is right now. I'm currently building up some brett to pitch into mine, but that's because I want some funk in there. Good luck and please keep us updated on what you end up doing.

Yes, I've ramped and roused it. Started around 72 and it's basically free rose since. Been about 11 days fermenting after souring and temp is about 81 now. But yea that's true, maybe it just wont go much lower. I was thinking about pitching brett but i think i want to keep it clean lactic.

Maybe I'll just settle at this FG and see where it stands after the weekend. It's not too far off and the higher sourness gives it a drying perception as it stands anyway. If I do anything different I'll keep you posted. Thanks!

 

[Agate]

I would pitch some brett and give it a couple of months. You'll have a hard time getting any kind of sacch going in that beer. I typically double the pitch rate when pitching yeast into a low-pH wort, so I'm thinking it stalled early. No harm in oxygenating 644.

 

[505-Brewer]

Thats very acidic. That yeast will struggle that low. What was your mash temp? That can affect attenuation too. Personally if that was me I'd be more concerned about bringing the pH up to a more drinkable pH 3.5 or so via blending. Will take quite a bit of beer I reckon.

 

[jsvarney5]

Thats very acidic. That yeast will struggle that low. What was your mash temp? That can affect attenuation too. Personally if that was me I'd be more concerned about bringing the pH up to a more drinkable pH 3.5 or so via blending. Will take quite a bit of beer I reckon.

Yea definitely low. I didn't boil before pitching either so it's kept on going.pH is now 2.9 so I've crashed it and locked in the fg since it hasn't changed to try and inhibit the lacto. I mashed at 145 so it's got to be the low pH that stressed the environment for the yeast.

Unfortunately I don't have any beers to blend right now. I'm just going to rack some onto fruit, bottle some and chalk it up as a learning experience. Definitely acidic but not undrinkable. I think they'll actually still make for some decent beers. Ive had some good Berliners that were pretty acidic, down in the low 3s. We'll see. Thanks for the input!

 

[505-Brewer]

Ive got a few beers that are that sour myself that are also amazingly drinkable. Time seems to soften the acidity even though the pH doesn't change. I'm going to start making non sour beers just for use as blenders. Its crazy. I have to make even more beer just to get rid of this beer. Even at 1:5 sour:non sour leaves a very acidic beer. Not a lot of buffering capacity in the non sour beers in my experience (so far). You can always blend post carbonation in the glass, even w a commercial bottle of beer if you find it to be too much. Enjoy.