What's in Your Fermenter? 2017

[Otto Von Blotto]

I will be dry hopping it yeah. I usually throw them in a day or two before the cold crash begins and just leave them there until the beer is kegged. Never had any grassy problems, but I've never done it with Galaxy either

[BlackSands]

Seemed like a good way to use up some left over BE2 from a while back...

 

Belgian Blonde

(Partial Mash)

 

1 x Coopers OS Lager

1.5 x BE2

1.2kg GF Pilsner Malt

800g Munich Malt

10g Sticklebract (5mins)

Yeast: Fermentis Abbaye B-256

 

OG=1.060 | ABV=6.5% | EBC=11 | IBU= 25

 

Another mash, featuring a large percentage of munich that fell well short of target

But this abbaye yeast... Rehydrated one packet and it was off like a rocket!

 

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

Another batch of Bo Pils just went into the FV. This one ended up at 21.5L, at an OG of 1.0458, giving me a total efficiency of 73.7%. This time I put the cube in the brew fridge at brekky (about 6 hours ago now), to chill it down closer to my intended ferment temp of 10C. The temp on the STC seems to have stabilised now and is reading 13.9, so probably pitched somewhere around 14 which is much better than pitching in the mid 20s. I expect the lag time to be somewhere around 40 hours, but it might be less, time will tell.

 

I'm going to reduce the lagering time on this batch to 10 days instead of 14 days, just to try to speed up production a bit. I know it's not a lot but every bit counts. They always sit in the keg for weeks before tapping anyway, though it would be better if I had another fridge they could sit in. If it turns out worse then I'll go back to the 14 days but I can't see it making a hell of a lot of difference.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

[BlackSands]

Been on the go for several days now. Dry-hopped this one yesterday with 25g Kohatu. Not only did the OG end up a tad higher than expected (usually they fall short) it also seems to have finished at FG=1.009 which is the first time my FG has actually been bang on the number estimated by Beersmith.

 

 

Kohatu Supernova

(Partial Mash)

 

1.60 kg Gladfield Ale Malt 39 %

0.40 kg Gladfield Supernova Malt 9.8 %

1.70 kg Coopers (OS) Lager 41.5 %

400g Sugar

5g Gypsum

10g Waimea - Boil 20 min

25g Rakau - 5 min

25g Kohatu - FO

25g Kohatu - Dry Hop 3 Days

Nottingham

 

| OG=1.049 | ABV=5.1% | EBC=16.3 | IBU=36.2 |

 

 

[Bird1986]

I have the Red IPA rotm that I did on sunday in the fv. I modified the recipe to bring the volume up to 10 liters. OG was 1.060 so should have a decent malt back bone for the high IBU's. Also going to up the dry hop. Looking foward to this one!

[Bondy1525229727]

Just bottled Deliverance IPA and Coopers Pale Ale on the weekend (both 23 litre wash/30 king browns each) and tonight pitched Deliverance Wheat Ale and Mangrove Jacks Session Ale. all going well i will do another 2 after bottling and put on a TC Celebration Ale and Deliverance Pale Ale.

Might have enough time to do a couple of more runs for Xmas :)

 

Should give me a good selection going in to new year.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Another batch of Bo Pils just went into the FV. This one ended up at 21.5L' date=' at an OG of 1.0458. I expect the lag time to be somewhere around 40 hours, but it might be less, time will tell.

[/quote']Up and running today, well it was earlier when I checked it, may have been as early as this morning but I didn't look at it until around lunch time, so that's about 48 hours. First gravity check will be on Monday lunchtime at the usual 5 days from pitching, I expect to be raising the temp either then or Tuesday.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

[ChristinaS1]

It is not in my main FV, but I have a small batch of Chinese rice wine on the go, in a jar. It is a very interesting process which uses mould for starch conversion, at room temperature, and simultaneous fermentation. You get the mould and the yeast together in these cheap little things called Chinese yeast balls, available at Asian grocers. I have started a thread about it, in the "Everything Else" section.

 

Cheers,

 

Christina.

[Scottie]

This One

I'm brewing a Golden Ale. Not whimpy Golden like JSGA or Dr S's' date=' this one is +50 IBU in he vein of Pirate Life's Golden Era...

 

...Aiming for somewhere in the mid 4% ABV.

[/quote']

Sounds imbalanced.

 

Cheers,

 

Lusty.

 

I pulled the IBU back a little after finding some info that told me the Pirate Life IBU was only mid 20s, although I find that hard to believe. I aimed for 48 IBU.

 

Anyhow I sampled the SG sample last night and it was amazingly good for 12 days in the fermenter. Fruity up front with a nice kick of refreshing bitterness at the end. My efficiency was shite again so I'm looking at 3.5%, which is OK given I'm really enjoying session ales and I have two +5% Lagers to consume as well.

 

Cheers & Beers

 

[Worthog]

Given the warming temperatures here in Victoria, I am only going to brew ales over summer. I have a can of Coopers Golden Crown Lager in the cupboard I want to use up, using an Ale yeast rather than the supplied Lager yeast to get it done and dusted (with no rotten eggs).

 

1.7kg Golden Crown Lager

1.5kg can of Light Liquid Malt Extract (rather than the standard 1kg LDME)

20gms SAAZ hop pellets

Safale S04 or US-05 yeast.

Will ferment at 19-21degrees in the fridge with controller.

 

Can someone suggest how this might work out; or will it just be total carp?

 

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

Ferment it with US-05 at 17-18C and you'll probably end up with a reasonable faux lager.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Reading day today on the pilsner and it's sitting around the 1.030 mark, so I'll leave it another day or so before allowing the temp to rise to 18C. Tastes pretty good though.

[Rowbrew]

Pitched the WLP001 starter into my 150 lashes clone yeasterday, had a look this morning and she's well and truly underway. Smells so good

[joolbag]

In my fermenter is my Cascade and Amarillo IPL. OG 1.050 and I did the usual lager schedule (pitch lottos yeast, ferment 10C and raised for an 18C D-rest when it was at 1.026).

 

I was hoping for it to be completed before I went away, so that I could dry hop and cold crash. But I wasn't confident it had reached FG. It was at 1.014, which is about right for my malt bill and mash temp, but didn't want to rush it or take unnecessary risks.

 

So I put it down to 10C again and left it. I won't get back to the fermenter until this Friday, then will dry hop it then set the STC for 14C and leave it there for a few days. Then cold crash to 1.0C for a couple of weeks before bottling. Lucky I have a stockpile of beer because these lagers take a fair while to ferment and condition!

 

[Beerlust]

...Lucky I have a stockpile of beer because these lagers take a fair while to ferment and condition!

I'd honestly brew a lot more of them if not for these reasons. I really like the malt friendliness some of the lager strains I've used produce with my typical pale ale malt bills above the ale strains.

 

In the coming weeks I plan to have another crack at brewing something along the lines of the original Knappstein Enterprise Lager that is very much a hybrid of a hoppy ale combined with a lager yeast.

 

As you mentioned though' date=' I'll have to get the stocks up before I do this! [img']lol[/img]

 

Cheers & good brewing,

 

Lusty.

[Otto Von Blotto]

You should have just left it at 18 jools. Once the temp is raised for the D-rest, it stays up there until a few days after it reaches FG. Dropping it down to 10 again is only going to slow the yeast down more.

[joolbag]

You should have just left it at 18 jools. Once the temp is raised for the D-rest' date=' it stays up there until a few days after it reaches FG. Dropping it down to 10 again is only going to slow the yeast down more.[/quote']

 

Hey Kelsey I probably should have been clearer in my original post.

 

When I went away, the beer had already been fermenting for 8 days at 10C then 4 days at D-rest temp. 12 days in total. Timing was terrible; if I had pitched the brew a few days earlier, I would have been confident it was completed and let it cold crash for the 9 days I've been away.

 

Rather than leave it for 9 days at 18C, I dropped it back to 10C because the S-23 lager yeast would still ferment at 10C, and 9 days would be heaps. I'm sure 18C would have been fine, but I just felt more comfortable leaving it at 10C because I don't like leaving beer on the yeast cake at higher temps for too long.

 

By the time I dry hop, this beer will be 25 days in the fermenter. Cold crash at 28 days, then package two weeks later.

 

My mate left a beer on the yeast too long (probably triple my numbers!) and it was Vegemite city!

[Beerlust]

I just added the 75gm Nelson Sauvin/Citra/Fortnight dry hop to my current brew. The brew has been in primary for 6 days now. I'll take a gravity reading tomorrow but it appears to have finished fermenting as the krausen has dropped & the beer is beginning to clear naturally.

 

I'll leave the dry hops in until Sunday when I will remove them & squeeze the liquid yumminess back into the wort. Will then CC for 3-4 days & likely keg this next Thursday.

 

I was doing a lot of FWH'ing back in 2013 & one of my favourite brews used Citra for the FWH as I have here. Even the small amount just went right through it & made for a delicious beer overall.

 

I've decided that through Summer at least, I'm going to force myself to FWH most of my pale ales. It does extend the brew day by a good half hour at my brewery by using the technique, but the results are sooooo worth it!

 

I'm looking forward to this one.

 

Cheers & good brewing,

 

Lusty.

[Otto Von Blotto]

You could take a gravity reading and see where it's at. If it's close enough to your expected FG you could dry hop it now and shave a few days off it. It is a long time in the FV though, my lagers are being kegged at 28 days and I'm actually gonna do them earlier from now on (as long as it produces the same quality beer anyway) to try to get the production cycle happening a bit faster. Instead of a 14 day cold crash I'll be doing 9-10 days. Sure, it'll only speed up the process of the block of three batches by 4-5 days but that could be the difference between having to buy a carton of beer or not. I might even start fermenting my ales at 19 or 20C instead of 18C to get them through a bit faster too.

[Fergy1987]

Just put down a Fruit Salad Ale. Hoping to have this ready for an Xmas brew on those hot summer days.

Followed the directions but bit concerned about the 30mins hop steep. Think it might be too long and the water too hot. Didn't seem as fragrant as a previous hop steep I did. Fingers crossed it all works out.

[Beerlust]

Hiya Kelsey.

You could take a gravity reading and see where it's at.

No rush really. Tomorrow will be fine. Like yourself my processes are fairly consistent & predictable.

First time I've EVER made a starter using a dried yeast. It appears to have been a good move.

If it's close enough to your expected FG you could dry hop it now and shave a few days off it.

Err...I am dry hopping it now.

It is a long time in the FV though' date=' my lagers are being kegged at 28 days and I'm actually gonna do them earlier from now on (as long as it produces the same quality beer anyway) to try to get the production cycle happening a bit faster. Instead of a 14 day cold crash I'll be doing 9-10 days.[/quote']

I think you could easily do this & have commented in an earlier post as such. You're using some pretty solid products to assist in clearing your beer(s) & if they are not reducing the time to clarify the beer then I fail to see their true benefit above standard cold conditioning.

Sure' date=' it'll only speed up the process of the block of three batches by 4-5 days but that could be the difference between having to buy a carton of beer or not. I might even start fermenting my ales at 19 or 20C instead of 18C to get them through a bit faster too. [/quote']

I feel I understand your rotation pretty well & at most the elevated ale temp ferment might save you a day or so at most, so hardly worth the effort I reckon. The chink in your wanted even rotation is the Bo Pilsner as it takes longer to ferment & condition. If it's not already, it probably needs to be the first brewed of your regular 3 on each cycle to allow for this (IMHO).

Just put down a Fruit Salad Ale. Hoping to have this ready for an Xmas brew on those hot summer days.

Followed the directions but bit concerned about the 30mins hop steep. Think it might be too long and the water too hot. Didn't seem as fragrant as a previous hop steep I did. Fingers crossed it all works out.

Get yourself a thermometer' date=' then you can accurately test the temperature. With steeping hops it can make a difference to the final outcome.

I am a fan of the Fruit Salad Ale. It's a very clever beer (IMHO) & to get the most from it you MUST use the re-cultured Coopers commercial ale yeast to ferment the brew as it adds the 3rd dimension of banana esters into the trio of flavours & aromas. I must make an effort to brew it this Summer. [img']cool[/img]

 

Good luck with yours Fergy1987.

 

Lusty.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Thanks Lusty but I was actually replying to Jools' comment above

 

The clarifying agents I use do work quite quickly so from that perspective I could totally get away with a shorter CCing time on the lagers, but the other reason I give them longer is for flavor. When the time comes that I have an extra fridge to store kegs, it won't matter because they can just lager in the keg in there, but at the moment I don't have that luxury so I give them what I can in the FV.

 

Yes, the Bo Pils is always the first brewed on each block of three batches. The one currently in there I suspect has finished fermenting by now and I'll be taking the first FG sample tomorrow. If Monday's sample is the same and the beer tastes fine, I'll begin the drop to 0C either then or Tuesday, and look to keg about 9-10 days later.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

[Morrie]

Is there a benefit in largering ales? After kegging my kegs always go under refrigeration immediately and have had some last a couple of months before finishing. My perception is that they do improve in flavour but wonder if its just imagination.

[joolbag]

Thanks did the reply Kelsey.

 

I fly home today so will take a gravity reading this arvo that will prove/disprove my theory. It is definitely finished fermenting having been in there for 20days now. I'll dry hop with 40g Cascade and 40g Amarillo at 14C for three days. Am trying out dry hopping at a colder than ale fermentation temp. Then cold crash.

 

Will report back if my extra 9 days was wise or a total waste of time!

[Otto Von Blotto]

Is there a benefit in largering ales? After kegging my kegs always go under refrigeration immediately and have had some last a couple of months before finishing. My perception is that they do improve in flavour but wonder if its just imagination.

Pretty well all beers do improve with time in the keg, I've noticed it myself, but lagering an ale in the same way you would a lager I think probably isn't all that worth it*, for me at least they don't really improve much after about 3 weeks kegged, whereas lagers take longer to really be at their best.

 

*Obviously there are some ales that do benefit from extended ageing periods such as the darker ones, but it doesn't really have to occur at near freezing to get the most out of it like it does with a lager.