European Sour Ale - Berliner Weisse - Beer Recipes | Brewer's Friend
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European Sour Ale - Berliner Weisse


A very pale, refreshing, low-alcohol German wheat beer with a clean lactic sourness and a very high carbonation level. A light bread dough malt flavor supports the sourness, which shouldn't seem artificial. Any Brettanomyces funk is restrained.

Flavor Profile: Clean lactic sourness dominates and can be quite strong. Some complementary doughy, bready or grainy wheat flavor is generally noticeable. Hop bitterness is undetectable; sourness provides the balance rather than hops. Never vinegary. A restrained citrusy

Ingredients: Wheat malt content is typically 50% of the grist (as is tradition with all German wheat beers) with the remainder typically being Pilsner malt. A symbiotic fermentation with top-fermenting yeast and Lactobacillus (various strains) provides the sharp sourn

BJCP Style Guide

Top 10 Berliner Weisse Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
23A.Berliner Weisse
21 L 3.72% 4.19 1.034 1.006
All Grain 5446
Kettle Sour w/ Raspberry
5 gal 5.99% 1.75 1.055 1.009
All Grain 4792
Bakke Brygg Berliner Weisse 22L
15 L 5.47% 8.01 1.051 1.010
All Grain 4007
Sour Ale strawberry
13 L 3.43% 6.32 1.031 1.005
All Grain 3164
Proviva Berliner
25 L 4.22% 0 1.039 1.006
BIAB 3028
Berliner malina
20 L 4.29% 8.22 1.039 1.007
All Grain 2803
Sour
720 L 2.77% 7.9 1.030 1.008
All Grain 2737
Wild Maine Blueberry Kettle Sour (Berliner Weisse)
3.5 gal 5.06% 12.86 1.052 1.014
All Grain 2673
Kettle sour experiment probiotic
5.5 gal 7.01% 19.97 1.068 1.014
All Grain 2327
Base Berliner Weisse with lactose
5.5 gal 7.94% 3.87 1.086 1.026
All Grain 2279

Newest Berliner Weisse Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
BierLab Pastry sour
2000 L 6.39% 0 1.070 1.024
All Grain 15
Roas Peachy Sour
5 gal 3.56% 5.31 1.031 1.004
BIAB 12
Berliner Weisse Guayaba Maracuyá
21 L 4.66% 5.13 1.042 1.006
All Grain 20
sour test 2
20 L 5.34% 18.91 1.054 1.013
All Grain 23
Horroris Causa
20 L 3.26% 7.11 1.033 1.008
All Grain 20
Flanders Red Ale
5.5 gal 2.48% 0 1.025 1.006
All Grain 22
Flanders Red Ale
5.5 gal 2.48% 0 1.025 1.006
All Grain 18
Raspberry Lime Berliner
70 L 3.91% 0 1.037 1.008
All Grain 23
Berliner Weisse
10 L 3.83% 10.17 1.032 1.003
BIAB 30
Waggoo
3 gal 3.29% 0 1.033 1.008
extract 36

Fermentables Used In Berliner Weisse Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
German - Pilsner 207 German Grain base malt 1.6°L
38 50% 3% - 100%
American - White Wheat 205 American Grain base malt 2.8°L
40 38% 2% - 100%
German - Wheat Malt 173 German Grain base malt 2°L
37 40% 7% - 67%
American - Pilsner 145 American Grain base malt 1.8°L
37 49% 8% - 100%
German - Acidulated Malt 142 German Grain acidulated malt 3.4°L
27 6% 1% - 50%
American - Wheat 90 American Grain base malt 1.8°L
38 40% 4% - 70%
Rice Hulls 71 Adjunct other 0°L
0 6% 0% - 53%
US - Pale 2-Row 65 US Grain base malt 1.8°L
37 54% 13% - 100%
German - Bohemian Pilsner 64 German Grain base malt 1.9°L
38 50% 16% - 99%
Flaked Oats 57 Adjunct raw 2.2°L
33 10% 3% - 29%

Hops Used In Berliner Weisse Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Average AA Avg. Usage Usage Range
Hallertau Mittelfruh 82 3.75 87% 20% - 100%
Saaz 64 3.5 79% 3% - 100%
Hallertau Hersbrucker 38 4 90% 50% - 100%
Citra 36 11 45% 4% - 100%
Domestic Hallertau 35 3.9 83% 15% - 100%
Tettnanger 32 4.5 83% 17% - 100%
Cascade 29 7 78% 8% - 100%
Amarillo 28 8.6 49% 10% - 100%
Magnum 26 15 86% 9% - 100%
Sorachi Ace 25 11.1 48% 10% - 100%

Steeping Grains Used In Berliner Weisse Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
German - Wheat Malt 2 German Grain base malt 2°L
37 53% 50% - 56%

Yeasts Used In Berliner Weisse Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Laboratory Type Alcohol Tolerance Flocculation Attenuation Min. Temp Max. Temp
Fermentis - Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05 187 Fermentis / Safale Ales Low Medium 81% 54°F 77°F
Lallemand - WildBrew Philly Sour 103 Lallemand Wilds & Sours Medium High 85% 68°F 77°F
Wyeast - German Ale 1007 45 Wyeast Ale 0.11 Low 75% 55°F 68°F
Fermentis - Safale - German Ale Yeast K-97 35 Fermentis / Safale Ale .104 High 81% 54°F 77°F
Wyeast - Lactobacillus 5335 32 Wyeast Ale 0.09 - 75% 60°F 95°F
Omega Yeast Labs - Lactobacillus Blend OYL-605 29 Omega Yeast Labs Bacterial Cultures 0.12 N/A 0% 68°F 95°F
White Labs - German Ale/ Kölsch Yeast WLP029 26 White Labs Ale Medium Medium 75% 65°F 69°F
Fermentis - Safale - English Ale Yeast S-04 23 Fermentis / Safale Ale .0975 High 75% 54°F 77°F
Lallemand - WILDBREW™ SOUR PITCH 23 Wilds & Sours Low Low 0% 86°F 104°F
White Labs - Lactobacillus Brevis 20 White Labs Ales Low Low 80% 70°F 95°F

Other Ingredients Used In Berliner Weisse Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Type Use Avg. Usage Usage Range
Lactic acid 145 Water Agt Mash 64% 0% - 100%
Gypsum 140 Water Agt Mash 13% 0% - 100%
Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) 74 Water Agt Mash 13% 0% - 100%
Whirlfloc 59 Fining Boil 41% 0% - 100%
Epsom Salt 50 Water Agt Mash 5% 0% - 25%
Calcium Chloride (anhydrous) 35 Water Agt Mash 11% 0% - 50%
Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) 31 Water Agt Mash 9% 0% - 83%
Table Salt 29 Water Agt Whirlpool 9% 0% - 100%
Phosphoric acid 28 Water Agt Mash 67% 2% - 100%
Yeast Nutrient 22 Other Boil 10% 0% - 67%

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