Berliner Weisse Mystery Revealed

[maxpower2078]

I took a sample, I am at 5 months. The tartness is just not there. I have a feeling this is related to the starting pH of my mash. I didn't check it and I was brewing at a different location where I know they have a high pH.

I checked the pH this weekend and it was at 4.15, not much of a sour in my mind.

I may check this one off to my first one and dose it with some latic acid to get it in the mid 3s

[Ozwald]

Let it ride, it's probably not done yet. Sours take some serious patience.

[maxpower2078]

Let it ride, it's probably not done yet. Sours take some serious patience.

I realize it takes time to develop the complexities but I think the pH should already be in the correct range by now. Since this batch, I have really been monitoring the ph of all my brewing water and I wish I did with this one. Oh well it still tasted good warm and flat, had a little bready thing going though.

[Cody]

Let it ride, it's probably not done yet. Sours take some serious patience.

Agreed. Mine took over a year to get mildly tart. Some lacto just doesn't produce acid very quickly.

[brewinhard]

Let it ride, it's probably not done yet. Sours take some serious patience.

Agreed. Mine took over a year to get mildly tart. Some lacto just doesn't produce acid very quickly.

Especially if you aerated your wort prior to pitching your lacto. Most lacto strains are anaerobic and while oxygen won't kill them all, it does tend to slow them down a bit.

[BrewerJ]

What temp are you letting it age at? Just lacto can take some time to sour. If you can put that keg somewhere above 65 the lacto should start working faster.

[maxpower2078]

Let it ride, it's probably not done yet. Sours take some serious patience.

Agreed. Mine took over a year to get mildly tart. Some lacto just doesn't produce acid very quickly.

Especially if you aerated your wort prior to pitching your lacto. Most lacto strains are anaerobic and while oxygen won't kill them all, it does tend to slow them down a bit.

I did my homework before this batch, I pitched a 1/2g starter that of pasturized apple juice using WLP677 I think that had been going for close to a week in the upper 90s.

I split that between 2 carboys of the 1.030 worth, pitched close to 100f, kept it there for close to a week, although I think it was done in about 3 days. 100% lacto during that portion and then I just sprinkled some US05 in for good measure I guess.

Finished around 1.002 I haven't checked since I put it away to age though.

Aged in the house where it has never gone below 67.

Sitting at 5 months old now, has had a small pellicle since month 1

[BrewerJ]

Did you add hops during the boil? That can really hinder lacto. Give it some more time sometimes they take a while but if its fermented that low their really isn't anything for the lacto to work on. It still needs sugar to produce lactic acid. You could feed it some boiled dme.