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Recipe: Schell’s Star of the North Berliner Weisse
This is a homebrew-scale recipe for Schell’s base Berliner weisse recipe, a traditionally brewed, mixed-culture take on the style.
“There is nothing wrong with kettle-sour beers,” says Jace Marti, assistant brewmaster at August Schell in New Ulm, Minnesota. “But I think trying to produce a classically made, mixed-fermentation version is absolutely worth attempting.”
“Brett is really what differentiates a classic example of the style from a kettle-soured version—and it’s why Berliner weisse earned the nickname ‘Champagne of the North,’” Marti says. “Brett lends a distinctly complex, fruity, and floral aroma that you cannot get with regular yeast. It also makes for a drier beer, as Brett breaks down some—but not all—of the more complex sugars in the beer. Combined with an elevated level of carbonation—also partly as a result of Brett—it’s easy to see how it drew comparisons to champagne.”
For much more on Schell’s traditional, mixed-fermentation approach to the style, see Jace Marti of Schell’s Goes Deep on Authentic Berliner Weisse.
“There is nothing wrong with kettle-sour beers,” says Jace Marti, assistant brewmaster at August Schell in New Ulm, Minnesota. “But I think trying to produce a classically made, mixed-fermentation version is absolutely worth attempting.”
“Brett is really what differentiates a classic example of the style from a kettle-soured version—and it’s why Berliner weisse earned the nickname ‘Champagne of the North,’” Marti says. “Brett lends a distinctly complex, fruity, and floral aroma that you cannot get with regular yeast. It also makes for a drier beer, as Brett breaks down some—but not all—of the more complex sugars in the beer. Combined with an elevated level of carbonation—also partly as a result of Brett—it’s easy to see how it drew comparisons to champagne.”
For much more on Schell’s traditional, mixed-fermentation approach to the style, see Jace Marti of Schell’s Goes Deep on Authentic Berliner Weisse.
[PAYWALL]
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.032
FG: 1.005
IBUs: 4
ABV: 3.5%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
4 lb (1.8 kg) German wheat malt
1.9 lb (862 g) German pilsner
HOPS SCHEDULE
0.4 oz (11 g) German Magnum as mash hops [4 IBUs], or 4 IBUs of hop extract added at runoff
YEAST
Kölsch yeast (such as Lallemand LalBrew Köln, White Labs WLP029 German Ale, or Wyeast 2565 Kölsch), Lactobacillus brevis, and Brettanomyces bruxellensis
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mash in at a ratio of 3:1 at 125°F (52°C). Over about 15 minutes, raise to 147°F (64°C); rest 40 minutes. Raise to 161°F (72°C); rest 10 minutes. Then prepare for a decoction: Remove about 20 percent of the mash to boil in a separate kettle or remove 80 percent to a lauter tun and boil the remaining 20 percent. Boil the smaller portion for 10 minutes. Recombine the mash and stir to reach mash-out target of about 172°F (78°C). Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to get about 5 gallons (19 liters) of 1.032 wort.
Raise the wort temp to 205°F (96°C) and hold for 30 minutes without boiling. (If using hop extract, add it now.) Then chill to 68°F (20°C). Adjust pH down to 4.5 with lactic acid or aged Berliner weisse. Aerate the wort and pitch the blend of Kölsch yeast, Lactobacillus brevis, and Brettanomyces bruxellensis. Fermentation should last 3–4 days; allow temp to free rise up to 75°F (24°C). When activity has stopped and gravity is stable, transfer to a secondary vessel and keep at 70–75°F (21–24°C) for secondary fermentation. A pellicle will develop atop the beer—this is normal. Every 2 weeks, check the pH and gravity—target pH is 3.4–3.5, and the final gravity should be about 1.003–1.006. When both the gravity and pH have stabilized for at least 1 month—and you’re happy with the way the beer tastes and smells—it’s time to package. Prime the beer with dextrose to get 3 volumes of CO2. Allow at least 2 weeks and up to 2 months for the beer to bottle- or keg-condition.
