Wlp 655 anyone have any feedback?

[Bryceefisher]

Wanted to buy wpl630 for a berliner Weisse but my lhbs was all out. Their white labs poster said the Belgium sour mix 1 is in style so I pitched it last night. Just kind of wondering what to expect?

 

[Oldsock]

I'm actually not a big fan of WLP630. It's a hefewiezen strain and Lacto. I prefer a cleaner primary fermentation for Berliners, and I've had nothing but bad luck (minimal acidity) with the WL Lacto strain.

The 655 may be a bit funkier than Berliners classically are, but it'll still produce an enjoyable beer. Hopefully it starts quickly, I prefer to pitch more brewer's yeast than that blends come with.

 

[Bryceefisher]

It started bubbling in about 10 hours with Krausen shortly after. I did a lot of research and found that traditionally berliners probably included Brett, that being said it will probably be sort of funky for the style (which is fine by me). This is my first sour beer so as long as it's drinkable I will consider it a success. Do you think it will require the long aging times of say a lambic with such a low og (1.034)?

 

[Oldsock]

Do you think it will require the long aging times of say a lambic with such a low og (1.034)?

Depends how you made the wort. The less fermentable it was, the longer the necessary aging time for the gravity to stabilize. My Berliners usually are ready to bottle at about 3 months, but I mash below 150F.

 

[highgravitybacon]

I'm actually not a big fan of WLP630. It's a hefewiezen strain and Lacto. I prefer a cleaner primary fermentation for Berliners, and I've had nothing but bad luck (minimal acidity) with the WL Lacto strain.

The 655 may be a bit funkier than Berliners classically are, but it'll still produce an enjoyable beer. Hopefully it starts quickly, I prefer to pitch more brewer's yeast than that blends come with.

The Wyeast Berliner blend has a very nice and uniquie brett strain in it that, for the first year is a background note. However, after a year it really starts to funkify the beer. It did something to the acid as well. My beer was fairly lactic tart. But it's softened quite a bit in the bottle. Not sure how that happens, but it certainly did.

I wish Wyeast would sell the brett from this blend seperately. It's really enjoyable. Nice grassy, straw, floral funky thing going on.

 

[Bryceefisher]

The Wyeast Berliner blend has a very nice and uniquie brett strain in it that, for the first year is a background note. However, after a year it really starts to funkify the beer. It did something to the acid as well. My beer was fairly lactic tart. But it's softened quite a bit in the bottle. Not sure how that happens, but it certainly did.

I wish Wyeast would sell the brett from this blend seperately. It's really enjoyable. Nice grassy, straw, floral funky thing going on.

Thanks for this, my lhbs does not carry much wyeast. Might have to do an online order.

 

[highgravitybacon]

Thanks for this, my lhbs does not carry much wyeast. Might have to do an online order.

It would behoove you to pick up a pack of their lacto to pitch concurrently. I know you will balk at this because a pitch of lacto is $10. BUT....I think the more lacto you pitch the better your beer will be. If you enter comps, the judges (right or wrong) are consistently looking for insanely sour weisse beers.

There is lacto in the blend, but IMO not enough to sour it rapidly and firmly. The first time I made some, I pitched on pack. Meh. The second time, I pitched lacto that I'd stepped up in a 1L starter for a week and then the smack pack of the 3191. Much better.

It will take a few months in bottles for the flavors to mellow, so plan accordingly.

 

[Bryceefisher]

It would behoove you to pick up a pack of their lacto to pitch concurrently. I know you will balk at this because a pitch of lacto is $10. BUT....I think the more lacto you pitch the better your beer will be. If you enter comps, the judges (right or wrong) are consistently looking for insanely sour weisse beers.

There is lacto in the blend, but IMO not enough to sour it rapidly and firmly. The first time I made some, I pitched on pack. Meh. The second time, I pitched lacto that I'd stepped up in a 1L starter for a week and then the smack pack of the 3191. Much better.

It will take a few months in bottles for the flavors to mellow, so plan accordingly.

In your lacto starters do you use apple juice, low gravity wort or something else. Do you oxygenate or use any other method? Can you cold crash and just pitch slurry? Sorry for the questions but it is hard to find these answers.

 

[highgravitybacon]

In your lacto starters do you use apple juice, low gravity wort or something else. Do you oxygenate or use any other method? Can you cold crash and just pitch slurry? Sorry for the questions but it is hard to find these answers.

I used unstirred wort at about 1.020-1.030. No oxygenation. I did cold crash and decant as much as possible, but I have no evidence for or against it.

You could just skip all this and pour the whole pack of wyeast lacto in and call it done.