Berliner Weisse + Lambic dregs

[sclitch]

Just looking for some advice!

I have made a berliner weisse using WLP630. It's been sitting in a carboy for a couple months, but not nearly sour enough for me. If I bottled it as-is, I just wouldn't enjoy it that much. So! I want to spice it up a bit without simply adding a pure lacto culture to crank up the sourness.

I was thinking about adding __ lbs of raspberries (3 gallon batch), and dregs from some Belgian lambics/guezes. Do you think the dregs will kick up the sourness a decent amount? How long will it take? Tips on how many lbs of rasperries to add for a 3 gallon batch (OG ~1.040).

Any other ideas of how to improve this boring berliner weisse?

Thanks!!

 

[tjBrewer]

A couple months seems pretty young still. It may take some time to develop character.

As far as rasberries, a little bit can go a long way with them, and it depends how much rasberry flavor you want in the finished product. I would start with maybe two pounds and add if you want more rasberry flavor. You can always add but not take away.

Dregs are always good. A lot of the belgian sours are pasturized though, but I don't think pitching them would necessarily hurt anything.

 

[TNGabe]

Keep waiting. I think those berliner blends usually take 6 months. I usually go at least 2lb/gallon with fruited sours if you decide to go that route. I did a berliner with wild blackberries and 2lb/gal was too much, but raspberries have more sugar and are less acidic. If you want to pitch dregs, I'd suggest doing so before adding fruit. It's going to take longer to make the beer, but you'll get more fruit flavor by adding it once you have a beer you like.

Try making a sour mash berliner to get you through until this one is ready. Even with fruit and bottle conditioning, you can get a sour mash grain to glass in 4-6 weeks.

 

[tjBrewer]

Try making a sour mash berliner to get you through until this one is ready. Even with fruit and bottle conditioning, you can get a sour mash grain to glass in 4-6 weeks.

This is what I do. Mash in boil kettle with BIAB, toss in a handful of grain, hold at around 100 for three or four days, wait until it is tart enough, quick boil, pitch yeast, wait a few days, keg and force carb. Quick, easy and clean.

 

[sclitch]

This is what I do. Mash in boil kettle with BIAB, toss in a handful of grain, hold at around 100 for three or four days, wait until it is tart enough, quick boil, pitch yeast, wait a few days, keg and force carb. Quick, easy and clean.

I've done this too, and it turns out great. Just wanted to see how the WLP630 would perform this time.

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll just be dumping in dregs as I drink them, then add a couple lbs of raspberries in a month or so and monitor the deliciousness.

 

[tjBrewer]

After three days, disgustingly delicious

 

[mot]

Give it some time. What the gravity at?
You kind of made an imperial Berliner or atleast s higher gravity than traditional.
Like was stated its pretty young yet.

Adding fruit will add some acid and more fermentables for the bugs to work on. But you start adding all those bugs and your not really going to have a Berliner anymore.