Sour Mash Berliner Weisse #2

This is my second attempt at a sour mash Berliner Weisse beer with a few adjustments to the original version. I wanted to bring the wheat percentage up in this recipe to increase the beady characteristics which are prevalent in this style. Along with the increase in wheat, I also changed to Wyeast 1272 because I was lazy and didn't want to drive 20 minutes to purchase a vial of WLP001. Acidulated malt amount remained the same but more on that later.

Ingredients:

3.5 lb - Pilsner
2.5 lb - Wheat
8 oz - Acidulated Malt
1 oz - Williamette Hops @ 15min
Wyeast 1098

My mash was a bit different this go around as well. I dropped the mash temp down to 149F and let it rest for ~80 minutes to ensure I achieved full conversion. Berliner Weisse beer styles typically run in the pH range of 3.2 - 3.4 of the finished beer due to the lactic acid production and low mash pH. To reach this pH level, the addition of the Acidulated Malt helps to reduce the pH of the mash and gives the lactic acid an environment suitable to grow in. According to Weyermann, Acidulated Malt should reduce the pH of the mash by 0.1 per 1% addition of Acidulated Malt to the grain bill. To test this I mashed in and let the mash rest for 5 minutes before taking a pH reading. My normal mash pH is 5.2 - 5.4 depending on the grain but since this is all base malt, I would say the mash should have been at 5.2 level without the Acidulated Malt addition. Since I added 8oz of Acidulated Malt, this should have reduced my mash pH by 0.8.. Quick math here: 5.2 - 0.8 = 4.4 pH. My pH meter reads 4.37 pH.. that's close enough! 

After the mash was complete, I dropped the temperature down to 105F by adding ice and then covered with plastic wrap to cut down on the oxygen being in contact with the mash. Added heating pad and temperature probe and we will see how it comes along in a few days. 

8/7/2013 Update:

Took a pH reading this afternoon and it clocked in at 3.42 pH. Since the style's pH range is 3.2 - 3.4, I decided to go ahead and drain the mash instead of waiting another 24 hours to finish the brew and running the risk of it being too sour. 

BeerSmith calculated my sparge water volume to be 2.5 gallons but my final collected wort gravity was 1.042! The pre-boil estimate was 1.026! Holy smokes! I added another gallon of water to bring it down to 1.033. 

Boiled the wort for 20 minutes with a 15 minute hop addition of 1oz Willamette hops. 

8/12/2013 Update:

Sampled some of the beer tonight and it shows promise of being a fantastic beer. It is not over powering sour like the first attempt. The nose gives you the idea of it being sour but the fumes do not hit you in the back of the throat. The taste is sour but very earthy at the same time (grass and minerals). Again, not overly sour this time and is more balanced than before. It seems to need another 5 or so days in the primary to clean up.