Berliner Weisse 4/2013

24 hours after pitching lacto

Time for yet another sour beer; next weekend I'll be brewing a Berliner Weisse. I finished brewing my Saison a couple hours ago, so now I'm kicking off the lactobacillus starter.

I tried making a Berliner Weisse a few years ago. It wasn't bad but it wasn't all that great either. The level of tartness/sourness was much lower than I was shooting for. It really ended up tasting like a bland low ABV wheat beer with a slight "Belgian" character.

This style should be noticeably tart with a fairly intense sourness. I've heard stories of people visiting Germany and ordering a straight Berliner Weisse (minus the traditional Woodruff or Raspberry syrup) and the waiters refusing to serve them. My goal is to make it sour enough to make a German waiter want to shake his head at the silly Americans.

I did a little more research for this recipe including studying various other recipes and reviewing an NHC presentation on how to brew this style. Traditionally, Berliner Weisse's use a no-boil method. I don't like the idea of potential unknowns making their way into my fermenter, so I'll be using a short-boil (15 min) method. My plan is to use the following process:

1. I'll be using 1/2 carbon filtered tap water and 1/2 RO water. This should help prevent any weird mineral/lactic acid flavors.
2. Seven days prior to brew day, add one packet of Wyeast 5335 Lactobacillus to 1L of 1.020 starter wort. Do not aerate! No stir plate! In fact, if possible, purge your starter container with CO2. Keep warm, preferably between 80-90F for a week.
3. On brew day after cooling wort, pitch  the 5335 starter and allow it to ferment for one week at 68F. Again, do not aerate!
4. After one week, add Wyeast 3191 Berliner Weisse blend and continue to ferment at 68F until finished.

The grain bill on this style is pretty simple and typically consists of only base malt and wheat malt. Gravity is also low; this is a light, spritzy, and refreshing style. I prefer to use aged hops in my sours as bitterness from hops can really clash with the sourness from the acid-producing bacteria. Below is the grain bill along with some additional process info.

3.75 # Belgian Pilsner Malt

3.00 # Weyermann Pale Wheat Malt

1.0 oz Aged Debittered Hops (Mash hops, 0.0 IBU's)

1 package Wyeast 5335 Lactobacillus in 1L starter

1 package Wyeast 3191 Berliner Weisse Blend

Mash at 150F for 90 minutes. Mashout at 168F. 

Collect 5.5 gallons and boil for 15 min. Chill to 68F and pitch 5335. Ferment at 68F for 7 days before pitching 3191.

Brewing Notes 4/21/2013
Brew session went well with no issues. The 5335 Lactobacillus was pitched and will get a 7 day head start on the 3191 Berliner Weisse yeast blend. I tasted a small sample of the starter wort and it had a nice lemony tartness, so I think we're headed in the right direction. My ferm chamber still has my Saison in it so this one is fermenting in my basement which is pretty close to 68F.

Update 4/28/2013
I pitched the 3191 Berliner Weisse Blend today. The krausen from the lacto has dropped from a couple inches to about a quarter inch.

Update 5/6/2013
I pulled a sample today to get a gravity reading and do a little taste test. There's a bit of brett character in the nose...more than I expected considering it's only been in there for a week. More dominant than the brett is the lacto character. This brew has some absolutely fantastic tartness especially considering it was just brewed back on 4/21/2013. It's not as intense as my Flanders Reds but it's definitely noticeable. The flavor reminds me a lot of lemonade, but unsweetened. Even my wife who isn't a real big sour fan said she really liked it. Starting gravity on this batch was 9.8P (1.040) and it's currently at 5.8P (1.014) with an ABV of 3.32%. One thing really surprised me was the clarity of this brew. The recipe wasn't quite 50/50, but there was a lot of wheat malt in it so I was expecting it to be hazy. As you can see below, it's awfully bright for such a young wheat beer.

Berliner Weiss at 15 days old

Update 5/18/2013
Pulled another sample today. Gravity has dropped to 5P (1.009). I'm really happy with the level of tartness; this attempt is so much better than the first one. It looks like a hint of a pellicle is starting to form. I'm trying to decide whether to bottle it soon and let it age in the bottle for a bit or let it age in the fermenter. I'm leaning towards giving it another week in the fermenter then bottling.

Update 5/21/2013
I was in my basement this morning for a call with an offshore team from work and peaked in on the Berliner Weisse. This batch definitely has a dusty lacto pellicle forming. I may have to give it a bit longer than a week longer in the fermenter. I hope my most recent Saison finishes soon because I'm running short on fermenters.

Update 5/29/2013
I bottled this one last night. It's very drinkable right now but I'm going to try to let it go at least a month in the bottle before I serving them.

Update 7/1/2013
Not to toot my own horn, but this beer has turned out better than I could have imagined. I recently took some to the Big Ass Summer Solstice Beer Pow-wow and it seemed to be very well received. It has some great tartness going on and a very nice wheaty/bready finish. It's dry, light, and refreshing like a Berliner should be. I don't think there's anything I'd change the next time I brew it. This beer will absolutely make it into my regular rotation. 

Read more...

Saison 4/2013

First runnings

Today I'm brewing another Saison. I'm excited about this one because it uses a few ingredients I haven't used. First up is Golden Naked Oats which are described as follows:

This unique product is a huskless oat crystal malt. It has a special sweet berry-nut flavor and will add a deep golden color with light caramel flavors to the finished beer. The usage rate is 4-15% of the grain bill.

I'm also using Grains of Paradise or Paradise Seeds in this brew. They are described as:

These small seeds look like cardamom, but have their own unique character. The spice is native to West Africa and during medieval times it was used to flavor food. It has also been used as a pepper substitute. While it does have a peppery zing, paradise seeds also have notes of citrus and an earthy pine aroma.

Lastly, I'll be using Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison yeast. This yeast has a reputation for stalling out a little early, but with proper temperature control it will usually start back up after a short pause. It is described as:

Classic farmhouse ale yeast.  Spicy, complex aromatics including bubble gum.  Tart and dry on the palate with mild fruitiness.  Finishes crisp and mildly acidic.  Ferment at warm temperature.  May have vigorous fermentation start.

My last three Saisons were pushing the ABV limits for the style (9+%), so the goal with this one is to come in closer to 6.5%. The grain bill and procedure are as follows:

8.25 # Dingemans Belgian Pilsner Malt
10 oz Weyermann Acid Malt
10 oz Castle Aromatic Malt
10 oz Simpson Golden Naked Oats
0.46 oz (13g) CTZ Hops (FWH)
12 oz Amber Candi Sugar (15 min)
2 g Grains of Paradise (5 min)
1.75 oz (49.6g) Styrian Goldings (0 min)
Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison in 1L starter
Whirlfloc
Wyeast Yeast Nutrient

Mash at 148F for 75 minutes. Mash out at 168F. 90 minute boil. Start Fermentation at 70F then ramp up to 92F over a few days. If fermentation stalls, maintain temp around 92F.

Brewing Notes
Everything went well. The only problem was I was shooting for an OG of 1.056 but ended up with 1.067. The color on this brew was awesome going into the boil kettle.

Update 4/24/2013
Sure enough, the 3724 yeast seems to have stalled out at 1.034. I gently roused the yeast today and I'm continuing to hold it at 92F. I'll probably check the gravity again over the weekend to see where it's at.

Update 5/6/2013
I had to move this out of the ferm chamber to make room for the Hop Stoopid IPA. The Saison definitely wasn't finished, but sometimes you gots to make room. I'll probably let this go another week or so and check the gravity again. If it's still not done, I'll probably add some WLP001 or maybe Wyeast 3711.

Update 5/18/2013
As I mentioned in the previous update, this one has been chilling in my basement. There's still a ton of yeast in suspension and it looks like fermentation has restarted. I think I'll move this back into the fermenter (and bump the temp back up) in about a week to try to get this to finish.

Update 5/29/2013
The freezer I use for my ferm chamber appears to have died. The good news is it still works for heating, so this Saison is back in the ferm chamber at 92F.

Update 6/3/2013
I checked the gravity today and it's down to 7.6P (1.008).

Update 6/9/2013
This got kegged today. It finished out at 7.4P (1.007). I'm glad that fermentation picked back up and I didn't have to add a different strain. This one will be conditioning in the house for a few weeks until I get a chance to finish the new keezer.

Read more...

Janet's Brown Ale

Today I'm brewing a version of Janet's Brown Ale. This is based on the gold medal recipe from The Brewing Network's Mike "Tasty" McDole. This beer was his late wife's favorite brew, and it's named after her. It's described as an American Brown Ale which tends to be hoppier than an English Brown. This one even pushes the hop limits for an American Brown but I've been craving some hoppy beers lately so I'm looking forward to it.

I ran into a little hiccup on my version. I adjusted the recipe for my efficiency and went to the LHBS to pick up my specialty grains. When I got home I threw them on my digital scale and I was almost eight ounces short of my target. I measured each one closely but this shop doesn't have digital scales so I must have messed up on at least one of them; I suspect they're all a bit shy. Since I didn't know which one, I decided to make up the difference with base malt. I still think this is going to be a great beer, but it'll probably be a tad lighter brown than intended and also a tad higher ABV. This is the first time doing a mash hop addition. It's said it gives it a different bitterness profile than boil hops (smoother is one description) so I'm excited to try it out. It's also the first time using Patagonia Malt. I guess the LHBS has carried it for a little while but I just didn't notice it. I was planning on using Crisp's Chocolate Malt but decided to give this a try.

Below is the intended recipe, not exactly as I brewed it:

10.03 # Briess Pale 2-row Malt
1.04 # Briess Crystal 40L
1.04 # Briess Carapils
0.83 # Rahr White Wheat Malt
0.42 # Patagonia Chocolate Malt
1.00 oz (28g) Northern Brewer (Mash Hop)
1.25 oz (36g) Northern Brewer (60 min)
1.00 oz (28g) Northern Brewer (15 min)
1.50 oz (43g) Cascade (10 min)
1.50 oz (43g) Cascade (0 min)
2.00 oz (57g) Centennial (Dry Hop)
Whirlfloc
Wyeast Yeast Nutrient
WLP001 California Ale Yeast in a 1.120L starter

Mash at 154F. 60 minute boil. Ferment at 67F

Brewing Notes
Other than the recipe hiccup, everything went well on this batch. Since I kind of screwed up the recipe, I'm not going to bother trying to figure out my efficiency on this batch. The color doesn't seem too far off for a brown ale, so that was a relief.

Update 3/31/2013
I checked on the fermentation this afternoon and as you can see it's pretty active. I normally ferment with the lid on but the gasket on my conical broke before the last brew session. I ordered a replacement but it hasn't arrived yet. I don't get a very good seal without the gasket, so it's less messy without the lid than trying to use a blow-off hose. This beer smells fantastic so I'm looking forward to trying it.

Update 5/18/2013
I put this beer on tap a couple weeks ago for National Homebrew Day. I can see why this brew has won so many awards. I'll definitely be brewing this one again.

Read more...

HLT and MLT Upgrade

Earlier this month I posted my redesigned Heat Exchanger. Not long after that I upgraded my Hot Liquor Tank (HLT) and Mash/Lauter Tun (MLT) from cooler-based to stainless vessels. I was able to reuse a lot of the parts from my cooler-based HLT and MLT which saved me a little bit of money. Both use the same Kal/Blichmann style weldless fittings for the valve assembly and the HLT uses the same style of element mount (except that it's mounted through the side).

As for the pots themselves, both stainless steel pots are from my local Asian market where they sell for $69.99 each. The reason I mention this is I almost ordered the economy welded pots from Morebeer.com or Homebrewing.org. Both sites offer economy kettles with two welded 1/2" fittings and they're a pretty good deal at around $80-$90 each. The only drawback was they maxed out at around 8.5 gallons, and that was a bit smaller than I wanted, especially for the MLT. The stainless pots I'm using measure 16"H x 15"D, so the total volume is 12.24 gallons. The quality of these pots seems pretty good but I don't know that I'd recommend them for a Boil Kettle over a gas burner as they're a little thin and not triple clad, so there's a better chance of scorching. Also, I don't think I'd trust lifting them by the handles when they're full.

I was a little concerned about using my existing false bottom (12" in diameter) with the wider vessel but I didn't see much difference in efficiency in my last brew session (83-84% is typical). One thing I did change up was the element; the original used a 1500 watt element just like the HEX, but this one uses a 2000 watt element. This should heat the water a little quicker. One more mod I'm still planning on is a sight glass for the HLT so I can tell how much water I've transferred for the mash and make sure I have enough left for the sparge. I'm also trying to decide where to install the HLT temp probe fitting. I'm kind of leaning towards installing it through the side of the HLT. Here are a few pics of the shiny new vessels.

HLT interior

Sparge assembly through lid of MLT

HLT element enclosure

MLT interior

Update 3/30/2013

I ordered a couple more parts for my HLT. I decided on going through the wall of the pot for my temp probe, so I ordered a thermowell from Brewers Hardware. It will utilize the same type of bulkhead fitting as the others (Kal/Blichmann style). I haven't decided where to mount it yet, but it will most likely be fairly low in the HLT so that I can read the temp even when the water level is low. I'll post an updated pic once I have it installed.

I also ordered a 1/4" compression x 1/2" MPT stainless fitting to replace the brass fitting currently installed in the HEX. 

For the HLT sight gauge, I think I've settled on this one by Fermentap available through MoreBeer. I like that it's glass and that it has a protective sheath. I'm only planning on installing one in my HLT. I'd considered installing one on my BK, but I'm afraid I'd bang it around too much. I haven't ordered it yet but I think I'll start dropping some Father's Day hints.

Update 4/10/2013

Here are a couple pics of the compression fitting on the HEX and the HLT thermowell. The thermowell is mounted at the same height as the ball valve (2 1/4" on center from the bottom). I also had to arrange the Kal/Blichmann style bulkhead slightly different because of the small diameter of the thermowell's hex head. You can see in the one pic that it uses two washers on the outside in order to hold the silicone o-ring in the correct position. The standard BCS temp probes easily fit in the thermowell. I'm planning on trying this out this coming weekend when I brew another Saison.

HEX fitting for temp probe 

HLT thermowell outside

HLT thermowell inside

Update 4/20/2013
I was a little disappointed with the thermowell performance. It worked great when heating the initial strike water for the mash, but then after topping off the HLT to heat the water for the sparge I noticed the element seemed to be firing too frequently and for too long. I grabbed a digital thermometer and checked the temp and it was 10+ degrees over my target temp. Seems I wasn't getting good contact between the thermowell and temp probe unless I held it in place...not good. I could have used some thermal paste in the thermowell, but that seems to defeat the purpose of having a thermowell and being able to easily remove the probe. Instead, I ordered another 1/2" male NPT x 1/4" compression fitting (same as on the HEX). I did some tests last night and it seems to be working much better.

Read more...

American Pale Ale

Today I'm brewing an American Pale Ale. This may not be the most exotic of craft brews but it's very enjoyable and I've been craving a lighter session beer with some nice hop character. This is also the first brew session using my new heat exchanger (HEX), hot liquor tank (HLT), and mash tun (MT). I haven't done a write-up on the new HLT and MT yet but like the HEX they're essentially inspired by Kal's Electric Brewery.

This recipe is based on the American Pale Ale recipe from Brewing Classic Style. I've adjusted the grain bill based on an expected efficiency of around 83%.


8 lbs 10.8 oz Briess Pale Ale Malt 2-Row
9.2 oz Dingemans Munich Malt 7L
9.2 oz Briess Victory Malt
6.1 oz Rahr White Malt
0.66 oz Chinook - Boil 60.0 min
0.50 oz Centennial - Boil 10.0 min
0.50 oz Cascade - Boil 10.0 min
1.00 oz Cascade - Hopback
1.00 oz Centennial - Hopback
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) in 1L starter

Mash at 152F for 60 min.  60 min boil.

Ferment at 67F

Brewing Notes
The HEX seems to be performing well. Strike temp was a little low but I was able to raise the temp by almost 1.5F per minute. The old HEX was a bit over 1F per minute, so this seems to be performing at least as well as the original.

Brewhouse efficiency came in at 84.01% on this batch. This is consistent with the old equipment, so I'm glad I'm not seeing any huge differences.

OG 12.9P, 1.052

Update 5/18/2013
I put this one on tap a few weeks ago. This is a very good beer with some really nice bready and biscuit flavors. It has a real nice hop/malt balance; definitely lower hop flavor and aroma than my last SNPA clone but a great beer nonetheless.

Read more...