berliner weisse input...

[jtakacs]

any recommendations? although i'm pretty settled on the recipe, but i'm curious as to mash/etc... i'm inclined to sour the entire batch, but will not be doing so...

what i'm going for; bracingly sour, as low SRM as i can get, high fermentables, slightly out of style ABV-wise, generally a session sour is what i'm looking for...

7.0 gal. batch and a 10 minute boil (i use brewsmith);


6.50 belgian pils
2.00 flaked wheat
1.00 white wheat malt
0.25 rice hulls

1.00 hallertau (10 min)
1.00 saaz (flame out)

OG: 1.035 / BU: 5.0

the batch will get split into 4.5 and 2.5 gal. the 4.5 is getting whitelabs berliner blend and the 2.5 is getting S-33 until most fermentation is done and then an overpitch of WL lacto-d culture.

30 minute protein rest at 122, 60 min. mash at 152. batch sparge (split evenly).

thoughts? i don't brew "to style" often and am convincing myself that saaz at flame out and S-33 changes are off the track enough for my tastes but keep me in style..

 

[jtakacs]

just to add, i know whirfloc is in there, but i really don't give a damn about clarity otherwise and the whirfloc might get omitted.

 

[heywatchthis]

In my experience, you won't get much sour-ness from the Berliner Blend in the first generation. In my experience with Berliners, its better to just pitch straight lacto the first day and then sacc the second day if what you are looking for is a serious sour. That's my two cents.

I do think your beer will be interesting though. A little spice from the Saaz and a slight twang from the yeast.

 

[jtakacs]

interesting... maybe i'll do that - been reading about letting lacto take hold. i've done sour mashes, but never pitched lacto. maybe on the small batch i'll pitch lacto at 110 and let it do its thing until it gets down to 70 or so then sacc.

i have very low hopes for the WL blend... if it doesn't go sour, the girlfriend will like it.