I am making my first BW and having an issue with the fermentation, or lack of actually. I did an AG 5.5 gallon batch like normal, racked to carboy and added Pilsner malt and soured for 4 day. I then pitched WL San Diego Super and after 48 hours had zero activity. After consulting with some folks, I racked into kettle and boiled for 20 mins or so, cooled and then re-pitched with a fresh pack of US-05. It has been nearly another 36 hours and still nothing. Can anyone help me out, what do I need to do here, add more yeast, nutrient, etc? Thanks in advance.
How do you know you are not getting action?
have you taken gravity readings?
Did you hydrate your yeast before pitching? US-05 works just fine in Berliner Weiss (BW), but I wouldn’t want to sprinkle the US-05 directly onto a pre-soured BW due to the acidity.
+1. Also, I’d bet that it is actually done. Either fermentation occured and you didn’t notice (it would have occurred quickly in a low OG beer) or it fully fermented during the 4-day sour mash (maybe some yeast got in there). So the big question is - What is the current gravity?
How does it taste?
If that was the case, then the alcohol might all be gone after that 20 minute boil. It would explain why the US-05 didn’t seem to do anything.
not all gone but mostly for sure, if it was really done which it might well have been.
I don’t think I missed it, but I guess I could have. I did re hydrate the US05 first, and I will check gravity as post back later today, thanks!
It is down to 1.010-1.008 so pretty much done. I must not have sanitized the carboy all the way between batches because the beginnings of a pellicle are forming. Tastes really nice and I think I am going to keg it soon and try another one! Do I need to boil the wort after souring or just pitch and wait? Also, should I make a big starter to pitch?
You don’t need to boil after souring, but many do. An advantage is that you kill the lacto, so the acid level is stabilized and you don’t have to worry about contaminating other equipment with bacteria. I don’t think you need to worry much about starter size with such a low gravity beer.