Berliner weisse—approachable, fresh, and light—can be an incredible gateway for those who think they don’t like “sour” beers. Best of all, brewing it is—or can be—easy. You can develop the clean, lactic acidity of Berliner weisse in just a couple days—or, if you’re impatient, even a few seconds.
Style: The beer that Napoleon famously called the “champagne of the North” is a pale, low-strength wheat beer that features a bright and prominent (yet refreshing and balanced) acidity. The other prominent features are its dry finish and spritzy carbonation—the champagne comparison is valid. The flavor can be fruity but isn’t typically hop-forward—though we’re going to confound that a bit. The result is a thirst quencher that bursts with character.
Ingredients: The grist is simple—four parts pilsner, three parts wheat. That’s it. Hops? Sure, why not? As I said, this isn’t a conventionally hop-forward style, but here the right hops can complement our flavors in a way that really makes the beer pop. I like a flavor addition that splits the difference between Hallertauer Mittelfrüh and Sorachi Ace. Why the Japanese variety? Simple: It has the flavors we want. Sorachi Ace has lemon-lime and grassy/herbal character that meshes well with the Mittelfrüh, while the citrus notes accent the acidity beautifully, giving it an almost lemonade-like flavor. (It’s true that New Zealand hops can bring the lemon-lime, but I’ve found them to be too much, making the beer seem like an acidified session IPA rather than a nice, tart wheat ale.)
You’ll also need yeast and Lactobacillus. In the interest of simplicity, I stick to Wyeast 1007 German Ale—it’s traditional enough and a pretty clean strain that adds just a touch of esters. And, when it comes to Lacto, a pure culture is your safest bet. (Note that traditional Berliner weisse also included Brettanomyces—for more on that, [see Will the Real Berliner Weisse Please Stand Up?)
Process: There are many ways to acidify beer, and here I’ll share three methods I can recommend: kettle-sour, pitch-and-wait, and “the cheat.” Regardless of method, just add all your hops at the start of the 15-minute boil.
Kettle-acidification is straightforward: Mash, lauter, sparge, flush the kettle’s headspace with CO2, spike the wort with your Lactobacillus culture, and hold it at a specific temperature. After a couple days—or when the acidity is where you like it—come back and boil as usual. Besides allowing you to dial in your acidity, this method has the added benefit of killing all the bugs, halting the acidification while keeping them out of your other equipment. Dead bugs contaminate no wort. Post-boil, just ferment as usual.
For the pitch-and-wait method, mash, boil, and chill as usual, then add your Lacto culture to the fermentor. After a reasonable interval to give the bugs a head start—a week or so—pitch your yeast. Here, the modest IBUs help to inhibit the Lacto and moderate the acidification. Pitch the yeast too soon, however, and they’ll outperform your bugs, and you can end up with very little acidity at all. Be sure to clean and sanitize any equipment that comes into contact with the wort.
For the cheat, simply spike your beer with lactic acid. It works. Many will argue against this, saying it’ll taste too artificial—ignore them. I’ve won Best of Show in competitions with beers acidified this way. If the other methods intimidate you, this is an alternative. It’s inexpensive, and you can add it—again, to taste—directly to the finished beer at packaging.
Speaking of packaging: Carbonate this beer to at least a full three volumes of CO2. Your bottles can handle it, and you’ll love the way it brightens the flavor and fills out the mouthfeel.