German Brewing

Biological acid is sauergut.

Got it: lactic acid naturally produced by malt. I wonder how they make and store it? I think that Kunze is saying (191) that acid malt is produced by sprinkling sauergut on green malt (or steeping it) and then curing it; using sauermalt in a large brewery would be redundant.

His statement would seem to contradict my statement above that using sauermalt is an "older" practice. Maybe it's a newer practice designed to drop pH in newer, highly modified malts?

Anyway - thanks for the heads up!

One can make sauergut but simply taking wort, and some raw malt, holding it at 40c for a few days. The pros just top up the tank(as it were) every brew and have a basically endless regeneration.

Thanks - that's good to know.

I consider Noonan to be a primer for lager brewing - although as a newcomer to the art and science of brewing, I don't discount the advantages of a primer. I'll definitely look for Die Bierbrauerrei Vol. 2. Most here don't mention de Clerck; is he popular just because he's been translated into English? I put in a request at the NYPL and will be able to take a look on-site.

For those able to read German, these books are the best introduction to home brewing the German way

http://www.hagenrudolph.de/Bier/Bier/Titel.html

Rudolph got many home brewers started back home. it's a great introduction to step mashing and producing Bottle conditioned lagers (Kellerbier). It is very lager centric.