An earlier version of this Berliner weisse recipe from Josh Weikert won Best of Show at the 2nd Annual Stoney Creek Homebrewers Amateur Brewing Championship. Since then, he has made a slight adjustment to the hops (adding the Sorachi Ace to impart a grassy/lemony flavor).
ALL-GRAIN
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.030
FG: 1.005
IBUs: 6
ABV: 3.2%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
4 lb (1.8 kg) German Pilsner malt
3 lb (1.4 kg) wheat malt
HOPS SCHEDULE
0.5 oz (14 g) [4% AA] Hallertau Hersbrucker at 15 minutes (2 AAU)
0.5 oz (14 g) [12% AA] Sorachi Ace at 15 minutes (6 AAU)
YEAST
Wyeast Lactobacillus 5335 or White Labs WLP677 Lactobacillus delbrueckii Bacteria
Wyeast 1007 (German Ale) yeast
DIRECTIONS
Mash at 149°F (63°C) for 90 minutes, drain, and sparge to yield 5.5 gallons (18.9 l). Allow the wort to cool to 110–120°F (43–49°C), and pitch your Lacto culture. Kettle sour to the desired perceivable acidity level (should be sharply sour). See “The Art of Tart” for more information.
Boil for 15 minutes, adding hops at the start of the boil.
Chill, pitch the Wyeast 1007, and ferment at 65°F (18°C). After completing fermentation, package to 3.5 volumes of CO2.