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Wyeast 3191 (Berliner Weiss) issues?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by BedetheVenerable, Aug 16, 2012.

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  1. BedetheVenerable

    BedetheVenerable Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2008 Missouri

    I bought Northern Brewer's Kinderweiss extract kit, as I was craving Berlinerweiss after trying 4 Hands' "Prussia". In my original order, both the yeast for this kit and the Weihenstephaner strain were faulty; the Berliner pouch had a tiny pinprick-sized hole in it, while the hefeweizen strain never expanded. NB immediately responded to my query and replaced both (great customer service). Got them both today, and while the Weihenstephan strain swelled within an hour or so, the Berliner pouch is still showing no activity. I saw a comment on one of the NB boards about a seemingly faulty (i.e. very, very slow to start) package of this yeast. Anyone else experienced any issues or anything with this? I really hate to email them back and complain AGAIN...
     
    #1 BedetheVenerable, Aug 16, 2012
  2. kjyost

    kjyost Initiate (0) May 4, 2008 Canada (MB)

    Make a starter to check viability...
     
    #2 kjyost, Aug 16, 2012
  3. HopNuggets

    HopNuggets Initiate (0) Oct 8, 2009 Connecticut

    I brewed this recipe (not the kit) with the 3191 and be prepared to add lactic acid at kegging or bottling to get the tartness you want in a Berliner Weisse. I was not impressed with this blended strain. Added 1/2 bottle of Lactic Acid (~2.5oz) to each of 2 batches I made. 1 batch with that yeast blend and another batch with WB-06 then just lactic acid at kegging. I let the blended batch go about 10 months in secondary (through a summer heat too) with no luck on tartness. Next time I'm going to use straight US-05 and lactic acid and not even try any aging.

    Don't think you want to create a starter for that yeast since it will mess with the ratio of yeast to lactobacillus.
     
    #3 HopNuggets, Aug 16, 2012
  4. ColForbinBC

    ColForbinBC Pooh-Bah (2,473) Sep 9, 2005 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    I have a Berliner with 3191 in the primary right now. My pack didn't swell either, but I pitched it anyways. Figuring, if it didn't work I'll just re-pitch. I finally got some activity on day 3. A nice Krausen developed, but the bubbling was never vigorous. I am racking to secondary this weekend, so I will report back with any tartness issues, as I have seen HopNuggets post on this topic before, I am slightly worried.
     
    #4 ColForbinBC, Aug 17, 2012
  5. olympuszymurgus

    olympuszymurgus Initiate (0) Nov 24, 2009 California

    That pack wont swell vigorously, the lacto dominated the pouch and in those concentrations will hinder the sacro from fermenting too much. Your pack is fine, pitch it and wait it out.

    Don't build a starter, you will change the blend concentrations.

    Give it a few weeks, I just kegged up a Kinderweisse kit and it has a wonderful tartness after a month in primary. Drinking a pint as I type this.
     
    #5 olympuszymurgus, Aug 17, 2012
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