Strawberry Rhubarb Berliner

[morrone_mike]

So I'm trying my hand at my first Berliner and wanted some input. I think I'm gonna do a 50/50 mix of wheat and pilsner, 3.25 lbs of each. Mash and then sour with lacto for 24 to 72 hours in my keg, purge with C02 to get most of the oxygen out. It's the first one so I'll want to try it each day, maybe 2 times a day after the 24 hour mark to get the right amount of sour. I'm assuming I should purge with C02 each time. Or should I be safe and just pull it at 48 hours and alter the time on the next batch? I think ill do some noble hops after the souring is done, 30 minute boil or so, enough to kill the lacto and get a slight hop addition. Also, after I sour, boil, cool, pitch and ferment I want to do a do some fruit additions. I've heard every number of amounts, ratios, etc. I'm thinking of juicing and pasteurizing 5lbs of strawberry and 3lbs of rhubarb and then adding them in different ratios until I get the right combination. Anyone attempted strawberry rhubarb, or am I way off with the fruit amounts? I definitely want some fruit but nothing over bearing. Thanks!

 

[crane]

I don't have much advice, but here is my experience with rhubarb in beer.

I recently added about 4.5lbs of rhubarb to 2.5 gallons of a farmhouse ale. I let it sit on the rhubarb for about 2 months before bottling. It has a decent rhubarb presence that compliments the beer well if it's served at 50F. If served at 40F you can hardly tell there is any fruit in there.

 

[morrone_mike]

Thanks for the info crane. So maybe I will up the amount a little bit, I don't want anything overpowering from the rhubarb but I think it will compliment the tartness of the Berliner quite well. Thanks again!