Berliner Weisse Sourness question

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by holzwama, Oct 10, 2016.

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  1. holzwama

    holzwama Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2015 Minnesota

    Still not showing up on my test strips. I did try them with vinagar and they do work.
    I took a sample and it is slightly tart after 4 days. I'm looking to make a sour, not a slightly tart.
    Do I dump more Good Belly in? I was hoping to boil this weekend, rather than try to do it all during the week. I was hoping it wouldn't be too sour by now, but I'm on the short side now.
    This is weird...
     
    #21 holzwama, Oct 14, 2016
  2. DavidlovesCBC

    DavidlovesCBC Initiate (0) Jan 25, 2014 Florida

    How does it smell? Yogurt like? Perceived sourness will change once you boil, and once the fermentation is complete. I had a beer that was slightly tart become sour after fermentation. The sweet wort can sometimes hide the sourness
     
    #22 DavidlovesCBC, Oct 14, 2016
  3. DavidlovesCBC

    DavidlovesCBC Initiate (0) Jan 25, 2014 Florida

    And try to just sour at room temp 75 ish
     
    #23 DavidlovesCBC, Oct 14, 2016
  4. holzwama

    holzwama Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2015 Minnesota

    Yes, it smells sour, I'd say yogurt like. I'll plan on boiling Sunday afternoon. I'll let it hang around 80, as it is now.
    Thanks for all the help.
    Is sourness directly related to pH? I'm hoping to at least see the pH show up on my strips. I bought them and want to use them!!!
     
    #24 holzwama, Oct 14, 2016
  5. DavidlovesCBC

    DavidlovesCBC Initiate (0) Jan 25, 2014 Florida

    Haha yes it is related, but I had beers had lower pH but didn't seem as sour than a higher pH beer. It was probably due to the residual sweetness in the beer that hinder the less sourness of that beer.
     
    #25 DavidlovesCBC, Oct 14, 2016
  6. DavidlovesCBC

    DavidlovesCBC Initiate (0) Jan 25, 2014 Florida

    I never asked but what's the date on the goodbelly?
     
    #26 DavidlovesCBC, Oct 14, 2016
  7. holzwama

    holzwama Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2015 Minnesota

    I can't say for certain on the 1st jug I added on Sunday, but the 2nd addition has a best buy date of Nov 6 and I just added another portion of one that was best by Dec 6.
    Should be plenty of Lacto in there now.
     
    #27 holzwama, Oct 14, 2016
  8. ac24

    ac24 Zealot (696) Nov 17, 2014 California
    Trader

    I have been souring with Goodbelly for awhile now and the best results I have had have been to cool to 90ish, add the good belly and let it naturally fall to room temp. PH usually ends up at 3.4/3.2 within 3 days.
     
    #28 ac24, Oct 17, 2016
  9. holzwama

    holzwama Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2015 Minnesota

    That's good to know. Next time, I'll just cool to 90, pitch and wrap in blankets.
    BTW, I ended up adding a few more splashes of Goodbelly day 3 & 6. I boiled on Sunday and finally saw some pH change on the strips.
    Post boil, I was around 3.6 and is tasted pretty tart.

    Looking forward to getting this on some fruit. I ended with just over 9 gallons. The recipe I was going off said to add boiling water a few times, to keep the temp up. I didn't, so I'm short of 10. That's fine, higher OG (1.032) and less fruit needed in the end.
     
    #29 holzwama, Oct 17, 2016
  10. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    Trader Joes sells pure fruit juice. I put 64 ounces of cranberry juice (about 7 bucks worth) into my 5 gallon berliner and it turned out great. Nice aroma and flavor.
     
    #30 ghostinthemachine, Oct 17, 2016
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  11. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    Remember that a lot of the sugar will ferment out. Your unfermented wort will not be as sour as when it is finished fermenting.
     
    #31 ghostinthemachine, Oct 17, 2016
  12. holzwama

    holzwama Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2015 Minnesota

    Just had a New Glarus Cranbic on Saturday and it was great. That might actually work will for the Holidays!
    You poured it in at what point? Secondary or in the keg?
     
    #32 holzwama, Oct 17, 2016
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  13. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    towards the end of primary. I didnt secondary. The juice is painfully tart. Came out pretty good. I'm serving it at a beer fest in mississippi this weekend.
     
    #33 ghostinthemachine, Oct 17, 2016
  14. holzwama

    holzwama Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2015 Minnesota

    Ok, so everything is going great, except one carboy.
    US-05 is chugging along slowly.
    However, I'm using Danstar BRY-97 (midwest supply recommendation) in the 2nd carboy and not seeing activity. I had to use a blowoff tube, as I can't find my other bubbler.
    Anyway, it's been 36 hours and I didn't see anything. Should I go grab some US-05 and throw it in? I looked and the BRY-07 and it expired 9/2016.

    Thoughts?
     
    #34 holzwama, Oct 18, 2016
  15. DavidlovesCBC

    DavidlovesCBC Initiate (0) Jan 25, 2014 Florida

    Hmm the yeast is in a pretty stressful environment. I would give it a good 5 days. If still nothing pitch a fresh packet of BRY-07 or US-05. I have had a lag phase last almost 4 days before
     
    #35 DavidlovesCBC, Oct 18, 2016
  16. holzwama

    holzwama Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2015 Minnesota

    Thanks, I'm used to using 1318 and 001 all summer for my big IIPAs. They are blowing over after a 1 night. I'll grab an extra packet of yeast when I swing by the store, just in case.
    Also, what is an estimate when to move to secondary and add fruit? I don't want to be taking too many samples.
     
    #36 holzwama, Oct 18, 2016
  17. DavidlovesCBC

    DavidlovesCBC Initiate (0) Jan 25, 2014 Florida

    I would add fruit after primary fermentation. You will get a secondary fermentation once you add fruit. What fruit are you adding?
     
    #37 DavidlovesCBC, Oct 18, 2016
  18. holzwama

    holzwama Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2015 Minnesota

    About when do I move to secondary? Estimate
    I'm thinking one peach, one blackberry. Of course, that's going to be $50 worth of fruit unless I find some decent concentrate to use.
     
    #38 holzwama, Oct 18, 2016
  19. DavidlovesCBC

    DavidlovesCBC Initiate (0) Jan 25, 2014 Florida

    I move to secondary once you get a stable gravity from primary fermentation
     
    #39 DavidlovesCBC, Oct 18, 2016
  20. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    2 weeks depending on temp. if you are fermenting at 70 degrees or so it should be fine to move to secondary then. I usually bottle at 2 weeks. The only time I've had problems with this is when the ferm temp was low and i end up with diacetyl.
     
    #40 ghostinthemachine, Oct 18, 2016
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