Kettle Soured Raspberry Berliner Weisse

[MickDundee]

I thought this one deserved its own thread.

Probably my most ambitious brew to date, using not being able to leave the house as an excuse to try out kettle souring.

1.7kg Crisp Europils
1.3kg wheat malt

I’m doing a full volume 90min mash at 64C, then boil for 5mins. Cool to 38C and use sour pitch for 36hrs befoee a second, 15min, boil with 15g Tettnanger.

I only bought one sachet of US05 yeast for this so I ordered a sachet of M44 to go in with it from eBay on Monday but it hasn’t arrived yet. I’m bottling my APA tonight so will keep behind some of that yeast (BRY-97) in a sterilised Kilner jar just in case the M44 doesn’t arrive tomorrow.

After a week in the FV, I’ll add 1kg of raspberry coulis (90%raspberry Purée, 10% sugar) and ferment for another 2 weeks before bottling.

 

[MickDundee]

All cling filmed up and Sourpitch pitches.

Hit my first snag though. The Brewdevil won’t let me set the temperature at 37.5 and just leave it, I’ve had to do a 9 step programme with 9x180mins at 37.5 hopefully it won’t be beeping at me through the night. It’s also crept up to 38.4 but the temperature tolerance is up to 40 so it’s fine.

 

[Clint]

Is the sour pitch you're using one that can infect future brews unless you're cleaning and sanitising is up to scratch?

 

[MickDundee]

Is the sour pitch you're using one that can infect future brews unless you're cleaning and sanitising is up to scratch?

No, I’m kettle souring so the second boil will kill any nasties off. I’ll make sure I give everything a bigger clean than usual though.

 

[MickDundee]

My second yeast didn’t arrive today. I have 2 options:

• Pitch the US-05 on its own tomorrow and add the M44 when it comes if it looks like fermentation is struggling
• Pitch the US05 alongside a Bohemian Lager yeast and make my upcoming Czech lager using one lager yeast and one M44

 

[prog99]

I'd have thought Us05 will have no problems ripping through that lot without any assistance.

 

[MickDundee]

I'd have thought Us05 will have no problems ripping through that lot without any assistance.

Everything I’ve read about fermenting a sour recommends 2 sachets of yeast but I think I’ll just pitch the 05. I did harvest some of my APA yeast but the massive dry hop has meant the yeast jar is pretty much completely green.

 

[MickDundee]

24hrs in and I drew a sample, microwaved it until it was super hot, then chilled it in a cold sink and tested and I think it needs longer. I’ve set another 14 hours and will set the boil away when I feed the cats in the morning.

 

[jceg316]

I tried to make a kettle sour using sour pitch about 1.5 years ago. Something went wrong, probably too much oxygen in the kettle sour as I didn't cling film it or purge with CO2. I'd like to make a sour beer again as it's one of my favourite styles, I'd be interested to see how yours comes out. Did you purge with CO2 or just cling film it?

 

[MickDundee]

I tried to make a kettle sour using sour pitch about 1.5 years ago. Something went wrong, probably too much oxygen in the kettle sour as I didn't cling film it or purge with CO2. I'd like to make a sour beer again as it's one of my favourite styles, I'd be interested to see how yours comes out. Did you purge with CO2 or just cling film it?

Just cling film, I don’t have any way to purge with CO2.

 

[MickDundee]

36 hours later

 

[jceg316]

I don't have CO2 either. Was wondering about getting a CO2 aerosol can to spray my wort before pitching.

Also, are you pitching the sachet into the wort directly or are you rehydrating it all? Did you harvest any lacto once the souring was complete?

 

[MickDundee]

I don't have CO2 either. Was wondering about getting a CO2 aerosol can to spray my wort before pitching.

Also, are you pitching the sachet into the wort directly or are you rehydrating it all? Did you harvest any lacto once the souring was complete?

I pitched straight in given that the 10g sachet said 10g would do 100L so thought it wouldn’t be necessary for 20L.

I didn’t harvest any lacto afterwards as I don’t know when if next get the chance to do another sour - it’s not easy having to be in the house for 49 hours straight when you have a 4 year old and 6 year old in the house.

 

[jceg316]

I pitched straight in given that the 10g sachet said 10g would do 100L so thought it wouldn’t be necessary for 20L.

I didn’t harvest any lacto afterwards as I don’t know when if next get the chance to do another sour - it’s not easy having to be in the house for 49 hours straight when you have a 4 year old and 6 year old in the house.

Fair enough. Even without kids I found it a bit demanding when I did my kettle sour. I'd like to do one again soon. I had some success with a gose recipe which uses acid malt in the mash. It gave the beer a tartness suitable for a gose, but I'm really into sours like Siren's Calypso where you can feel the skin in your mouth peel off.

 

[cheeseyfeet]

Where did you get your raspberry coulis from?

I've been trying to source tart cherry concentrate or pulp for a fake kriek for a while.

 

[Clint]

Do you have to baby sit this brew..?

 

[Leon103]

Do you have to baby sit this brew..?

I was going to ask the same question. Following this with hope of brewing something similar after my last spur beer had to be thrown.

 

[dad_of_jon]

My sour was the easiest brew I've ever done. - No boil Either. I just had to chuck my plastic kit afterwards. I'd love to do a raspberry sour.

 

[MickDundee]

Where did you get your raspberry coulis from?

I've been trying to source tart cherry concentrate or pulp for a fake kriek for a while.

Amazon Carte D'Or Raspberry Coulis (Fruit Puree), 1kg:Amazon.co.uk:Grocery

There are a few brands around (mainly for cocktail making) and they are all either just fruit and sugar or have a “natural flavouring” which I was trying to avoid. The Carte D’Or one is just fruit and sugar and appeared to have the highest fruit content (90%).

 

[MickDundee]

Do you have to baby sit this brew..?

It wasn’t so much that it needed a lot of attention, it was more my paranoia that something was going to go wrong with kettle souring in the Brew Devil because I needed to do it as a 9step mash with all steps being 180mins.

I didn’t manage to get a Ph meter so after 24hrs I drew some off, heated it up to kill any nasties, chilled in the sink and tasted. Decided it needed longer so did the same after 36 (which was first thing this morning). That was all the attention I needed.