Helmut | Berliner Weisse | BeerCo All Grain Brewers Recipe Kit BeerCo

A regional speciality of Berlin; Berliner Weisse was affectionately referred to by Napoleon’s troops in 1809 as “the Champagne of the North” due to its lively and elegant character.  This lightly soured low abv Berliner Weisse is designed to taste great straight or form the base for fruit additions and further sour beer fermentation.  Helmut would approve and Deeter Sprockets says”, Prost!

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Vital Stats:

Batch & Boil

• Batch Size: 21 Litres / 5.25 US Gallons
• Boil Time: 90 mins

Properties

• OG 1.028
• FG 1.002
• IBU 6
• ABV 3.5%
• Colour 6 EBC

Malt:

Amt     Name                                         Colour       % Grist

1.80 Kg  Malteurop Pilsen Malt                        3.8    EBC        80%

0.90 Kg  Joe White Wheat Malt                                 4    EBC        15%

2.70 Kg  TOTAL                                                 6    EBC      100%

Hops:

• 25 gm Saaz CZ Hops – Alpha: 2.7% – 15 minutes from end of boil

Yeast

Liquid | 

• N/A

Dry | Lallemand

• WildBrew™ Sour Pitch Lactobacillus Plantarum (Frozen) 1 x 10g Sachet

• Fermentis Safale K-97 Yeast 1 x 11.5g Sachet

Water Adjustments (Optional):

• ½ teaspoonful of calcium chloride and
• ½ teaspoon of calcium sulphate added to the mash per 5 gallons of finished beer.

Method:

1. Make bacterial starter 2 weeks before brew day if over 3 months old. Make yeast starter 2–3 days before brew day.
2. Heat 7.6 L (2 gal) of strike water to 72 °C and mash at 66 °C for 45 minutes.
3. Collect about 11 L (3 gal) of wort and add water to make about 20 Litres (5.33 gallons) of pre-boil wort.
4. Option A: Kettle Sour – Allow the wort to cool to 43–49°C (110–120°F) , and pitch your Lacto culture. Kettle sour to the desired perceivable acidity level (should be sharply sour).
5. Boil for 15 minutes, adding hops at beginning of boil.
6. Option B: Post Boil, Primary/Secondary Sour: Pitch both starters to cooled wort.
7. Ferment at 17 °C (62 °F) for one week, then condition for a week or two at 21–27 °C (70–80 °F)  in primary fermenter.
8. Rack to secondary and if you are going to add fruit or do a prolonged or complex souring in Oak or Glass Carboy do your additions of fruit and/or mixed sour cultures now.
9. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.

10. Target a carbonation level of 3.5 C02 volumes.

11. Food pairing and Glass Match (Goblet)

• Aged Ham on Pretzel Bread
• Havarti
• Cheesecake with Raspberries

Credits & Sauces of Brewspiration & Further Reading on the Style:

• Berliner-Style Weisse | CraftBeer
• Berliner Weisse | Napoleon’s Champagne | BYO
• Sacred Sour Berliner Weisse Recipe | Craft Beer and Brewing
• Designing and Brewing a Berliner Weisse | Sour Beer Blog