7 replies to this topic

[passlaku]

I started off untraditional by having a recipe of 3# 2 row and 2# wheat malt. I mashed as usuals but failed to account for the decreased level of malt (as usual) and overshot the 1st rest temp.I added crushed beano tabs to the mash to breakdown the complex carb chains. I FWH the wort and boiled for 15 minutes.Cooled and pitched a vial of WL lacto at 80F.Notes:I overshot the OG at 1.038.I wonder when I should add the beer yeast (Nottingham dry).And other comments....

[RommelMagic]

I'm thinking that you should have added the Nottingham first, then add the lacto into the secondary.EDIT: I was correct. Below is an excerpt from the WL site"Please note: Cultures are for use in traditional "brett" secondary fermentations. Sound sanitation and separation practices should be followed. White Labs assumes no responsibility for the use of this product."

Edited by RommelMagic, 13 March 2010 - 07:07 AM.

[siouxbrewer]

I think it's debatable whether to pitch the lacto first, then yeast. I prefer this method. The reason is to promote lactic acid production before the little critters shut down due to alcohol production. Lacto goes into a sort of dormancy mode at about 3% abv. At that point it will take much longer aging to get the lactic tartness associated with BW. I think either way works, but I've had better ( more tart) results by doing what passlaku did.

[RommelMagic]

I think it's debatable whether to pitch the lacto first, then yeast. I prefer this method. The reason is to promote lactic acid production before the little critters shut down due to alcohol production. Lacto goes into a sort of dormancy mode at about 3% abv. At that point it will take much longer aging to get the lactic tartness associated with BW. I think either way works, but I've had better ( more tart) results by doing what passlaku did.

Ahhh, I see.

[passlaku]

Thanks for the input. We'll see how this turns out.ALex

[davelew]

I wonder when I should add the beer yeast (Nottingham dry).

My advice on when to add the Nottingham to a Berliner Weisse: never.I like my BWs nice and sour, I don't think beer yeast has a place in them. I also like to do spontaneous lacto fermentations ("pitch" by throwing in a handful of unmilled grain, ferment at 85 or so for a couple weeks)

[siouxbrewer]

Never tried a spontaneous fermentation, but I'm interested in it for sure. I can see it working so long as you avoid enteric contamination which proper sanitation should be able to do. I don't know if nottingham is an ideal yeast for BW but there is no reason it couldn't make a tasty brew. I guess if you can control your "infection" you may be better off than risking contamination from unwanted nasties.

[BrewerGeorge]

My experience with the lacto culture is that it is very slow. I'd just sample a few times and add the Notty when it gets to the level of tartness you like.