Berliner Weisse technique from Zymurgy

[Ozwald]

High levels of carbonation also help to bring out the sourness a bit as well. The carbonic acid adds to that "tingling" sensation of acidity which helps to carry the style.

Excellent point. I like them almost to golden strong levels. It also helps with that refreshing/quenching quality. Great for that mid afternoon bbq at the lake in August. Shit. Now I'm hungry for some bbq.

[EllisTX]

Thanks for all the input 's. I'll be boiling and pitching yeast later today. I'm really looking forward to the result.

[Ozwald]

Thanks for all the input 's. I'll be boiling and pitching yeast later today. I'm really looking forward to the result.

The result wasn't all that good. Chicken & rice. It was local chicken on top of purple lotus rice, but still... Hold on, can someone pass me the feelings calendar?

[brewinhard]

Thanks for all the input 's. I'll be boiling and pitching yeast later today. I'm really looking forward to the result.

I will be curious to see what your gravity is at after the lacto attacked your wort. Sometimes you can get a good decrease in gravity points as the lacto sours your wort, and other times the beer will be nice and sour with a minimal drop in gravity. Which lacto strain did you use? Wyeast lacto is a strain that does NOT produce any alcohol, only lactic acid and carbon dioxide. The Wlabs strain is capable of producing alcohol though.

[EllisTX]

Thanks for all the input 's. I'll be boiling and pitching yeast later today. I'm really looking forward to the result.

I will be curious to see what your gravity is at after the lacto attacked your wort. Sometimes you can get a good decrease in gravity points as the lacto sours your wort, and other times the beer will be nice and sour with a minimal drop in gravity. Which lacto strain did you use? Wyeast lacto is a strain that does NOT produce any alcohol, only lactic acid and carbon dioxide. The Wlabs strain is capable of producing alcohol though.

I used the White Labs. I should have taken a reading preboil I guess. I just cut the flames I'll take a reading once cooled. I was 1.031 before pitching the lacto. I don't know the particulars about alcohol burning off at boiling but I'm guessing the 15 min boil probably blew off what was there.

[EllisTX]

Umm ... I just took my post boil gravity reading. 1.012. So assuming the alcohol burned off during the boil, I'll be looking at a 1% beer? Would I have take a reading before I boiled I would have for sure went the no boil or pasteurized.

[EagleDude]

Umm ... I just took my post boil gravity reading. 1.012. So assuming the alcohol burned off during the boil, I'll be looking at a 1% beer? Would I have take a reading before I boiled I would have for sure went the no boil or pasteurized.

Post-boil lacto addition is new to me, so wondering if next time you would plan for a 1.050 beer, add the lacto, boil 2 days later, then add the yeast to a 1.032 soured wort?

I think you may have just made the new "ultra" session beer. You could probably serve it at church without repercussions.

[brewinhard]

That is actually why I stopped brewing berliners for a bit. When I used the WY lacto strain it doesn't produce alcohol, and by the time I added my ale yeast I highly wondered if it really even did anything being thrown into such a low pH fermentation already produced by the bacteria with it having chewed up most of the sugars already. By the time the yeast gets working (if it even does) and grows enough I really doubted any real chance of alcohol being produced and who wants a beer with no alcohol? i mean, come on, RIGHT?

Next time, I will use the WL strain. Live and learn I guess for all!