Other uses for Berliner blend

[DaveSeattle]

I make a Berliner Weiss using the White Labs blend every year. I'd like to repitch the yeast and bugs into something else to keep them active over the winter, because White Labs releases the blend later in the year than I want to start my BW. Any ideas on what would be good as an interim beer?

 

[chefchris]

You could do a Gose. Same beer basically but with salt and coriander.

You could pitch the blend then move the beer to secondary, pitch some brett and add fruit. Should make a quick turn around sour beer.

 

[DaveSeattle]

Gose is an interesting idea. I hated the one I tried, but I think it was mishandled.

What kind of beer do you think would turn out well with your second idea? BW is the only sour I've made.

 

[Calder]

Someone else chime in and tell me I'm wrong, but I would have thought the yeast would have been the dominant strain in any re-use that you will not get any appreciable (or any) souring in subsequent uses.

 

[stpug]

Someone else chime in and tell me I'm wrong, but I would have thought the yeast would have been the dominant strain in any re-use that you will not get any appreciable (or any) souring in subsequent uses.

From what I've gathered and generally speaking, repitches of mixed bacteria and yeast cultures tend to get more sour as you reuse them. I suspect this is due to the fact that bacteria can propagate much faster than the yeast. So the second pitch may contain a higher proportion of bacteria than the initial pitch did. But there's no steadfast rule about this. IBUs and temperature are going to play a big role.

 

[chefchris]

Plus, if the pH drops low enough it's pretty rough on sach. I would also think that repitches of this would get more sour, it's been my experience with other blends. But I'm not familiar with this particular blend.

For the quick sour I was talking about you could shoot for a basic saison grain bill. Pils or 2Row, Wheat, Vienna or Munich if you want, and you might need some acid malt for pH adjustment. Usually .25-.5 lb of acid malt in 5 gal works for me but it's best to use a calculator. Grain bill really wouldn't matter.

I suggested adding fruit because a lacto only sour can be a little one dimensional at times. When you add fruit you're adding citric and malic acid as well, helps to round it out a little. You could also move to secondary to save the cake and pitch bottle dregs of a sour beer. I'd recommend Jolly Pumpkin if you want a quick turn around.

 

[Calder]

From what I've gathered and generally speaking, repitches of mixed bacteria and yeast cultures tend to get more sour as you reuse them. I suspect this is due to the fact that bacteria can propagate much faster than the yeast. So the second pitch may contain a higher proportion of bacteria than the initial pitch did. But there's no steadfast rule about this. IBUs and temperature are going to play a big role.

Mixed bacteria - yes. Not sure how well the lacto stands up to the alcohol, and whether there is much/any in re-pitch.

 

[DaveSeattle]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll give that farmhouse ale idea a try. I don't actually want it to go fast, I want it to take at least six months so the bacteria are ready to use right around December for the BW. The good thing about that style is it tolerates a range of sourness so I'm less worried about the balance. On the saison if it turns out more or less sour that should be fine, with the Brett character. Lacto hates hops so I'll have to go light there, but that's fine. Maybe I'll spice it in the keg.