One of the advantages we have to brew through in a former bathhouse, the tiled walls. Which contribute to the relatively sterile environment in which bacteria can not settle too quickly, forming one of the several measures to leave no bacteria are part of the brewing process. In the long history of brewing is that exclude bacteria a relatively new approach. Because bacteria long time indeed played a role in the production of beer and often also partly determined the taste. Until it became possible to isolate were brewers yeast for the fermentation of beer, depending on their free-floating “wild” yeast cells. Their fermentation vats were therefore, unlike today, wide open. As a result, there is landed next to yeast cells are also often the necessary bacteria in the brew. Their chemical effects often caused quite a sour taste which also was once difficult to predict. Once they had the potential decided the most brewers also the influence of those unpredictable bacteria to eliminate as much as possible.
A much smaller number of breweries continued to focus on beers which the sour taste of certain bacteria was properly cultivated. The most famous example of this is likely to be called as Kriek lambic beers and gueuze. But present also other sour beers again more attention. One is the Berliner Weisse, a beer that conscious with lactic acid bacteria “infected” is true, and later often fruit is added. We chose our first sour beer ever to brew something in that style.
We linked this experiment with our desire to cooperate more closely with inspiring breweries. For a half-forgotten style if we could imagine no better candidates than our Amsterdam colleagues of Oedipus. This group of four young brewers did during their short existence for many an obscure beer successful in Amsterdam (re) introduce and here were so eminently suitable partners.
Because it was a one-off experiment, we decided not to take more risk than a sour beer anyway required and added to the lactic acid bacteria therefore controlled periodically. The brew had already after 48 hours the desired sour taste and additionally are surprisingly crisp, funky showing, inter alia, rhubarb. Subsequently, the brewing largely proceeded according to the usual steps until there are at the end of fermentation, the fruit was added. We added on a volume of about a thousand liters hundred kilo raspberries and – oh yes – even a few blackberries. Which give the Himbeer alongside its slightly fruity taste also a dazzling bright pink color.
In addition to the fresh, sour taste, there is another reason that makes this beer perfect for the patio: an alcohol content of a modest 4.5. It is disposable brew that is probably already over by the time the summer sun our fine terrace ablaze put so be quick because it is only as draft beer in our tasting room.
