Flat12 / New Albanian Collaboration - Black Berliner Weiss

Invitations to tag along for brew days don't come our way too often, so when we got an email asking if we wanted to join Flat 12 and New Albanian for a collaboration brew, we excitedly agreed.  I wasn't the only one in the group who wanted to attend, but scheduling foiled many yet again, so I went solo.  

When temperatures are hot, brew days start early.  When you live two hours from the brewery, your day starts even earlier.  I left the house at six in the morning and made a quick stop for coffee and doughnuts, cause people like it when you bring them doughnuts, and headed south to New Albanian Brewery's Grant Line location.

Upon arrival, the guys were all ready to go.  The guys being Rob and Josh from Flat 12 and Ben and David from New Albanian.

Mash in

Sour Mash - This started the Sunday before brew day (Thursday) so the grain had some time to get sour.  And by sour, I mean smell like a dumpster.  Although that is an accurate description, it's not as bad as you might think.  It was endearing and it tasted pretty good too.

And then, like many brew days go...

You wait.  

Next up, malt addition...

Checking the beer:

Getting ready for transfer:

Hop Addition (Tettnang):

Did I mention it was getting warm in there?

Meanwhile, there was a tank to be cleaned.  From here, a farmer picks up the grain and feeds it to to some undoubtedly happy cows.  Eric joined in on the "fun".

Sinamar addition, cause these boys are all about fun and Berliner Weiss beers aren't traditionally dark.

So, here would normally be a transfer to fermentation, but in true collaborative effort (and after a sample), they weren't completely happy with the sourness of the beer, so modifications to the recipe were made.  Instead of moving on to the fermenters, the beer went back into the mash tun for another grain addition (and to set for a night to sour a bit more).  Boil and transfer happened the following day.

Look for this brew (edit: Die Saur Von Satan is the name, thanks Roger!) to be out the week of the Microbrewer's Festival.  We'll keep you up to date on releases as we hear about them.  Enjoy!

Thanks so much to Flat 12 and New Albanian for the invitation to join and the midday nourishment of pizza and Community Dark.