Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss  (Read 7659 times)

Offline gordonstrong

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1355
    • BJCP
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #15 on: May 27, 2011, 05:11:10 am »
The tart flavor is out front, and if you drink it with the woodruff or raspberry syrup that is even more out front.

So where does one get woodruff syrup (in the US)?

I got some at Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati.  Look for a place that specializes in German foods.  It might be labeled 'Waldmeister', which is sort of a cool name (Forest Master).  Or grow your own and infuse it in a simple syrup, like making mojitos or mint juleps.
Gordon Strong • Beavercreek, Ohio • AHA Member since 1997 • Twitter: GordonStrong

Offline tomsawyer

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1694
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #16 on: May 27, 2011, 02:20:16 pm »
Or grow your own and infuse it in a simple syrup, like making mojitos or mint juleps.

Northern Brewer sells dried woodruff, I suppose this could be used to infuse a syrup although you'd probably need to add some green food coloring.  Its supposed to give a pleasant vanilla aroma.  I thinkI have some but only ever used it once in an attempt at a grozet that didn't turn out.

The wife has been using DaVinci syrups in her weizens, they have many flavors including raspberry but no woodruff.
« Last Edit: May 27, 2011, 02:37:18 pm by tomsawyer »
Lennie
Hannibal, MO

Offline dee

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 65
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #17 on: June 21, 2011, 07:49:16 am »
I'm just reporting back my first Berliner Weiss results.  I was pleased overall and this is the easiest, quickest and most refreshing beer I've brewed.  I didn't get quite the sourness I was expecting and that's probably due to only giving the lacto a 24 hour head start.  I've already kegged it and was wondering if I could add another tube of lacto, take it off carb and warm it up to get a little more sourness.  I could brew another one I guess and let it go a little longer.  I actually pitched WB-06 at 75 degrees and none of the normal clove/banana came through.  This is is a very interesting style and I will be brewing this often.

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #18 on: June 21, 2011, 09:50:19 am »
You've brewed "the easiest, quickest and most refreshing beer" you've ever made.  I say don't mess with it, take notes and enjoy what you've produced.  Play with the next batch.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline dee

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 65
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #19 on: July 20, 2011, 06:26:47 am »
I've had success (i.e. it tastes good) with the following (almost no boil):

Lactobacillus:
I use a pure lactobacillus culture (one smack pack) to make a 800 ml starter (1.050) (stir plate, 100F) 2 days prior to fermentation.

The Mash:
Single decoction, 150F with hops  in the mash.  After thirty minutes I pull enough (enough to reach mash out) thick mash and bring to a boil. Main mash gets a total of 60 minutes. Add thick mash to main mash to reach mash out.  Collect wort. I cool to 115F and pitch lacto. I give it a day head start and then pitch the yeast.   

Cheers,
Mike

I'm ready to brew another Berliner Weisse and wanted to make sure I understood your procedure.  You are making a lacto-only starter and then pitching that a day in advance of the yeast correct?.  I'd pitched the lacto and let it go for day on my last attempt but I didn't make a starter.  I'd hoped for a little more sourness on my previous attempt but nonetheless, it was very tasty.  Am I correct in assuming the lacto starter will markedly increase the sourness?

Offline nateo

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2336
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #20 on: July 20, 2011, 11:04:42 am »
IIRC lacto is inhibited at over 7 IBU. I wonder if making a hop tea and adding that a day or two after the lacto culture would increase the sourness?
In der Kürze liegt die Würze.

Offline eltharyon

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 74
    • Barefoot Lion Brewing
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #21 on: July 23, 2011, 12:12:51 pm »
The tart flavor is out front, and if you drink it with the woodruff or raspberry syrup that is even more out front.

So where does one get woodruff syrup (in the US)?

Was just looking for some myself.
http://www.germandeli.com/4054600095139.html

Offline dee

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 65
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #22 on: August 02, 2011, 03:18:18 pm »
For anyone still following this thread, making a lacto-only starter is the key to this style.  I made a 1 liter starter and kept it near 100 degrees with a heating pad and let it go for 2 days on the stir plate.  The finished product has the crisp and lively twang that is the hallmark of this style.  You can't beat the cost of less than $2 a gallon either.  Love me some Berliner Weisse!

Offline kramerog

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2262
    • My LinkedIn page
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #23 on: August 02, 2011, 04:33:19 pm »
For anyone still following this thread, making a lacto-only starter is the key to this style.  I made a 1 liter starter and kept it near 100 degrees with a heating pad and let it go for 2 days on the stir plate.  The finished product has the crisp and lively twang that is the hallmark of this style.  You can't beat the cost of less than $2 a gallon either.  Love me some Berliner Weisse!

Thanks for the update Dee.

I brewed my Berliner Weiss this weekend.  It's a no boil which I batch sparged with water at 70F.  Efficiency was 80% confirming the suspicions of some that cool water would not effect the efficiency of batch sparging significantly.  I pitched the lactobacillus at 104 F straight from the "smack pack."  I pitched a yeast starter made from the wort the following day.  I'll report back later. 

When making a lacto starter, it probably isn't particularly helpful to do it on a stir plate as lactobacillus likes low levels of dissolved oxygen.

Offline kramerog

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2262
    • My LinkedIn page
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #24 on: August 11, 2011, 09:13:23 pm »
For anyone still following this thread, making a lacto-only starter is the key to this style.  I made a 1 liter starter and kept it near 100 degrees with a heating pad and let it go for 2 days on the stir plate.  The finished product has the crisp and lively twang that is the hallmark of this style. 

Just tasted mine, not sour enough.  I didn't make a lacto-only starter, but I did pitch lacto straight from the smack pack and pitched an ale starter nearly 24 hours later.  I may end up putting some lactic acid in to get to the desired acidity.  Oh well, there is always next time.

Offline dee

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 65
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #25 on: August 12, 2011, 06:29:50 am »
If you make a lacto starter you will get sour.  Trust me.

Offline kramerog

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2262
    • My LinkedIn page
Re: Mash schedule for no boil Berliner Weiss
« Reply #26 on: August 13, 2011, 11:51:23 am »
If you make a lacto starter you will get sour.  Trust me.

In addition, I'm thinking of doing a rest at 132 to produce more glucose in the wort, which is the only stuff that lacto delbruekii eats, or adding some corn sugar.