Berliner Weisse next batch

[Cody]

Thinking about this more has led me to another question. If a majority of your sugars are converted by lactobacillus in the first few days, then you put in your yeast, how are you supposed to get any alcohol? Lactobacillus doesn't produce ethanol, just lactic acid, H2O, and CO2, right? So am I going to have a 1% ABV beer?

[siwelwerd]

Lactobacillus doesn't produce ethanol, just lactic acid, H2O, and CO2, right? So am I going to have a 1% ABV beer?

Lactobacillus is a genus. Some species like L. delbrueckii behave like you describe, while others are heterofermentative and produce both ethanol and lactic acid. I think the Wyeast and White Labs Lacto products fall in the latter category (http://www.beerandloafing.org/hbd/fetch.php?id=92810).

[Cody]

Lactobacillus is a genus. Some species like L. delbrueckii behave like you describe, while others are heterofermentative and produce both ethanol and lactic acid. I think the Wyeast and White Labs Lacto products fall in the latter category (http://www.beerandloafing.org/hbd/fetch.php?id=92810).

So you're telling me that even though WL sells/labels this stuff as homofermentative L. delbrueckii, it's actually something else? Convenient, but a little annoying.

[siwelwerd]

Lactobacillus is a genus. Some species like L. delbrueckii behave like you describe, while others are heterofermentative and produce both ethanol and lactic acid. I think the Wyeast and White Labs Lacto products fall in the latter category (http://www.beerandloafing.org/hbd/fetch.php?id=92810).

So you're telling me that even though WL sells/labels this stuff as homofermentative L. delbrueckii, it's actually something else? Convenient, but a little annoying.

Well, that link was for Wyeast, but that's what it seems to say, yes. You could try and email WL and see what they say.

[Cody]

So this beer went great. I ended up buying an aquarium heater and fermenting in a water bath at 90F for three days with just lacto, then cooling to 68F and pitching German Ale. When I pitched the yeast, I took a gravity reading, and it was down to 1.015ish from 1.045. Quite a drop. I have left the carboy to sit untouched over these last 6 weeks to mature while I was getting its permanent home ready. I bought a keg to store this in, as I figured it would be easier and better than trying to bottle. I took the covering off of the carboy the other night to take a peek, and it is brilliantly clear and beautiful. I'm going to transfer to the keg this weekend and prime with sugar. I'll take pictures and share them here when I do. Starting to get pretty excited! (Especially since I just drank my last remaining homebrew. )

[Cody]

Well, that link was for Wyeast, but that's what it seems to say, yes. You could try and email WL and see what they say.

Got an email back from White Labs: WLP677 is a single strain of L. delbrueckii that does produce ethanol.

[siwelwerd]

Thanks for sharing the reply.

[brewinhard]

Well, that link was for Wyeast, but that's what it seems to say, yes. You could try and email WL and see what they say.

Got an email back from White Labs: WLP677 is a single strain of L. delbrueckii that does produce ethanol.

Any word on the Wyeast strain? Is it an ethanol producer as well?