BenjaminBier
Well-Known Member
MMkay so here goes another Berliner Weisse thread.
Lately the local tap rooms have been getting some nice sour ales on tap, the distributor must have their hands on some. It seems like Duchesse and Jacobins Rouge are alternating at different bars back and forth.
It's been my first chance to drink sour ales and I'm hooked! Now it's time to brew one. Wifey says brewing with stinkies is a go! As long as the first batch is her favorite sour, the Berliner Weisse.
After scouring every old thread at HBT and other forums, it seems like there are two camps - sour mash or pitching a starter made with commercial lacto.
I really really wanted to try making a sour mash to see what that's all about. I also want to go for the consistency people say comes of pitching lacto. So why not both? Too sour? Too Funky? Off-style? I'm finding out!
Made a mini sour mash just to see what it's like before we commit for realz..
Pitched 1/2# pils into 1/2 qt hot tap water. Covered with foil, sealed tightly. Held at 100F with a heating pad. Smelled like hot underpants after day 1, after day 2 it started smelling like sourdough and honey. Wifey says it doesn't smell half-bad. pH was down to 4.0 after 48 hours.
Made 1040 DME wort, split into two batches. Decanted / strained 1/2 cup liquid from mini sour into one wort. Waking up Safale 05 in the other.
Pitched rest of sour mini-mash into triple decoction mash. Smelling yum yums! After 12 hours, taste is a clean with somewhat mild but lingering sour, kind of like sauerkraut washed in water. After work today I will sparge and no-boil directly into a carboy.
The Lacto Starter has a pellicle after 36 hours. Smells citrusy and a little musty, nearly identical to the mash but without the grain scent. I'll be pitching this tonight and will update!
edit: noun/verb agreement
Lately the local tap rooms have been getting some nice sour ales on tap, the distributor must have their hands on some. It seems like Duchesse and Jacobins Rouge are alternating at different bars back and forth.
It's been my first chance to drink sour ales and I'm hooked! Now it's time to brew one. Wifey says brewing with stinkies is a go! As long as the first batch is her favorite sour, the Berliner Weisse.
After scouring every old thread at HBT and other forums, it seems like there are two camps - sour mash or pitching a starter made with commercial lacto.
I really really wanted to try making a sour mash to see what that's all about. I also want to go for the consistency people say comes of pitching lacto. So why not both? Too sour? Too Funky? Off-style? I'm finding out!
Made a mini sour mash just to see what it's like before we commit for realz..
Pitched 1/2# pils into 1/2 qt hot tap water. Covered with foil, sealed tightly. Held at 100F with a heating pad. Smelled like hot underpants after day 1, after day 2 it started smelling like sourdough and honey. Wifey says it doesn't smell half-bad. pH was down to 4.0 after 48 hours.
Made 1040 DME wort, split into two batches. Decanted / strained 1/2 cup liquid from mini sour into one wort. Waking up Safale 05 in the other.
Pitched rest of sour mini-mash into triple decoction mash. Smelling yum yums! After 12 hours, taste is a clean with somewhat mild but lingering sour, kind of like sauerkraut washed in water. After work today I will sparge and no-boil directly into a carboy.
The Lacto Starter has a pellicle after 36 hours. Smells citrusy and a little musty, nearly identical to the mash but without the grain scent. I'll be pitching this tonight and will update!
edit: noun/verb agreement