Flat Beer

[DonPolo]

Just about to start.

 

Looking at 200g Carapils steep for 30 mins then 10 min boil.

I can of Mexican Cerveza brewed to 11L

Was thinking of a few grams (200g) of LDM but have half a box of Brew Enhancer 3 already open so might use that.

Also a 15min hop tea with a mixture of Cascade and Centennial.

One packet of 11.5g US05 Yeast

 

Any views on the LDM v Brew Enhancer 3?

[DonPolo]

Just about to start.

 

Looking at 200g Carapils steep for 30 mins then 10 min boil.

I can of Mexican Cerveza brewed to 11L

Was thinking of a few grams (200g) of LDM but have half a box of Brew Enhancer 3 already open so might use that.

Also a 15min hop tea with a mixture of Cascade and Centennial.

One packet of 11.5g US05 Yeast

 

Any views on the LDM v Brew Enhancer 3?

 

Brew went in last night. In the end I used the Brew Enhancer 3 and left the LDM unopened. Didn't rehydrate the yeast because I was advised that with 11g for 11L it was unnecessary.

 

Unfortunately butter fingers (me) dropped the open yeast packet and lost a gram or two on the floor. None of the yeast in the packet touched the floor though.

 

Sprinkled the rest on the top as per instructions.

 

First time I haven't seen noticeable Krausen in the morning having set the brew up the night before. Haven't used US05 before though.

 

And this time, using fridge chilled water and bathing FV in a sink with cold water and frozen water bottles I pretty much got the temp down to 18 degrees straight away.

 

 

[Beerlust]

Hi DonPolo.

Brew went in last night. In the end I used the Brew Enhancer 3 and left the LDM unopened. Didn't rehydrate the yeast because I was advised that with 11g for 11L it was unnecessary.

11gms in 11L of wort' date=' no probs mate even with not rehydrating. [img']wink[/img]

Unfortunately butter fingers (me) dropped the open yeast packet and lost a gram or two on the floor. None of the yeast in the packet touched the floor though.

Unless you are overly anal retentive' date=' don't worry about it. [img']tongue[/img]

First time I haven't seen noticeable Krausen in the morning having set the brew up the night before. Haven't used US05 before though.

 

And this time' date=' using fridge chilled water and bathing FV in a sink with cold water and frozen water bottles I pretty much got the temp down to 18 degrees straight away.[/quote']

Lower pitching & fermenting temps will affect the noticeable activity & speed at which yeast will show obvious signs of fermentation. If after 36 hours you haven't noticed obvious signs that your brew is fermenting, you may have a problem.

 

Good luck with the brew,

 

Lusty.

[DonPolo]

Lower pitching & fermenting temps will affect the noticeable activity & speed at which yeast will show obvious signs of fermentation. If after 36 hours you haven't noticed obvious signs that your brew is fermenting' date=' you [b']may[/b] have a problem.

 

Good luck with the brew,

 

Lusty.[/size]

 

By the time I got home yesterday evening there was about an inch of Krausen (whew). So that was probably about 24 hours.

 

However by the time I got up this morning most of this had dissipated to a bit of a foam on top (33 hours). Quite largish bubbles though.

 

I didn't have time to watch and see signs of fermentation. I'll have a look this afternoon.

 

Thanks for the advice

[Otto Von Blotto]

You've already seen the signs. A krausen on top is a sign of fermentation occurring.

[DonPolo]

You've already seen the signs. A krausen on top is a sign of fermentation occurring.

 

I guess it starts slowing down fairly quickly.

 

I'll start FG testing near the end of the week I suppose.

 

My intention is to dry hop with Centennial and Cascade. That is done after the fermentation is finished right?

 

For a 11L batch, grams of C&C suggestions?

[Otto Von Blotto]

I normally dry hop towards the end or after the end of fermentation but it can be done earlier. For that batch I reckon about 15-20g of each would be good.

[DonPolo]

I normally dry hop towards the end or after the end of fermentation but it can be done earlier. For that batch I reckon about 15-20g of each would be good.

 

Perfect exactly what I need!! Ta.

[DonPolo]

Brew is now sitting at 18 C which is the best I can do in the tub with water and a couple of frozen water bottles.

 

I've heard about raising the temperature of brews near/at the end of the fermentation to 'get the yeast to finish off and clean up after itself'.

 

Would this be appropriate at this temperature since it is not really that low?

 

If so, at what point would I raise it, to what temperature and for how long?

 

 

[Norris!]

I raise the temp when it is almost done, so if it was 1.040 OG and it has dropped to 1.012 - 10.15ish and I was expecting 1.010ish or lower I let the temp rise to ambient over 2 days, I wont let it rise above 24c. At that point I cold crash and add finings. I started doing that and letting the beer sit for 12 to 14 days and it got way better, not sure if it is the rest or giving the yeast time to clean up by sitting longer than 7 days but it doesn't hurt so I do it.

 

Norris

[DonPolo]

Thanks Norris,

 

I won't be cold crashing because I don't have that option.

 

So if just raise to ambient, in my case maybe 21-23 degrees, how long should I leave it?

[Otto Von Blotto]

Give it about 3 or 4 days after it reaches FG, then bottle it. There's no need to wait any longer. I normally raise the temp on mine a bit earlier though, after about 3 days when the SG is in the low to mid 1.020s. It's usually finished fermenting by 5 days total in there.

[Norris!]

Give it about 3 or 4 days after it reaches FG' date=' then bottle it. There's no need to wait any longer. I normally raise the temp on mine a bit earlier though, after about 3 days when the SG is in the low to mid 1.020s. It's usually finished fermenting by 5 days total in there.[/quote']

 

I use the 12 to 14 day rule because it lines up with the weekends, but if cut that to 10 to 11 days I could make more beer....but I can barely drink what I have.....but more beer....beer. Imagine Barney from Simpson's saying that last bitbit

 

Cheers,

Norris

[DonPolo]

Give it about 3 or 4 days after it reaches FG' date=' then bottle it. There's no need to wait any longer. I normally raise the temp on mine a bit earlier though, after about 3 days when the SG is in the low to mid 1.020s. It's usually finished fermenting by 5 days total in there.[/quote']

 

Thanks for the info. Still at 18c after 3 days. Nice stable even shiny Krausen with reasonably large bubbles. Hope this is a good sign.

[Otto Von Blotto]

 

I use the 12 to 14 day rule because it lines up with the weekends' date=' but if cut that to 10 to 11 days I could make more beer....but I can barely drink what I have.....but more beer....beer. Imagine Barney from Simpson's saying that last bitbit [img']joyful[/img]

 

Cheers,

Norris

I used to line up my bottling with the weekends as well* but now I work broken shifts so I have a few hours in the middle of every work day that I can use, plus I'm kegging now so it's a lot quicker.

 

*I'd still follow the same fermentation schedule, but after the 9/10 days the beer would be cold crashed and left there until bottling day, which was anywhere from a week to nearly two weeks depending on when it was crashed.

[DonPolo]

Give it about 3 or 4 days after it reaches FG' date=' then bottle it. There's no need to wait any longer. I normally raise the temp on mine a bit earlier though, after about 3 days when the SG is in the low to mid 1.020s. It's usually finished fermenting by 5 days total in there.[/quote']

 

Thanks for the info. Still at 18c after 3 days. Nice stable even shiny Krausen with reasonably large bubbles. Hope this is a good sign.

 

Krausen hasn’t moved in three days. Looks healthy and big but looks like it’s just sitting there. About two inches thick. Do some Krausens just sit there after FG? I’m used to them disapating after a few days.

[DonPolo]

I hope this doesn’t sound too anal or self indulgent just seeking feedback.

 

Checked this morning and the Krausen is still thick and I saw some bubbling still. It is day 5 having started on Sunday evening last. All good?

[Otto Von Blotto]

It can happen with US-05 for some reason. I've experienced it many times. It can be forced to drop with cold crashing but maybe hitting the side of the FV might work since you don't have the means to CC.

[DonPolo]

It can happen with US-05 for some reason. I've experienced it many times. It can be forced to drop with cold crashing but maybe hitting the side of the FV might work since you don't have the means to CC.

 

Thanks for the advice. I’ll try bashing the side tomorrow. It certainly still looks very solid.

 

If it doesn’t dissipate and is on the top is it just a matter of testing the SG and bottling under it?

 

What about the dry hop? Do I just place the tea strainer on top / through the Krausen ?

[DonPolo]

You know I just opened a draft that I bottled on 14/1 which has been in the fridge for 48 hours. Very fizzy in a lemonade type of way. Head disappeared almost immediately.

 

No beading but it is carbonated. The mouthfeel is kind of like you get with a coke.

 

Followed all the can and other instructions to the letter. I would have thought the Cooper’s cans would have a slightly better result with all their experience.

[DonPolo]

So followed the instructions and bashed the FV. In fact I bashed it quite a few times. Then it appeared that bits of debris started falling down through the beer. Eventually there was no big bubbles just a thin layer of foam on top.

 

Good, I thought, that will be it then.

 

Left for a couple of hours, then when I got back the Krausen was back!

 

Been like this since about day 4 now day 7

 

 

[worry wort]

i had the same thing for years making Dark Ale, Tried all the recommendations from here, very littie if any improvement, then one person gave me the key. I was brewing shitloads at a time and was drinking beer about the 8month mark. I was advised to cut my batches down from 7 to 3 and trial it from there, drinking now about 3-4 months. Head retention, bubbles, just like sitting at a pub tap, the older ale for some reason lost all its life so long in the bottle, still tasted great but had to drink out of a pewter coz it looked like orange cordial in a glass, but now its great.

[DonPolo]

i had the same thing for years making Dark Ale' date=' Tried all the recommendations from here, very littie if any improvement, then one person gave me the key. I was brewing shitloads at a time and was drinking beer about the 8month mark. I was advised to cut my batches down from 7 to 3 and trial it from there, drinking now about 3-4 months. Head retention, bubbles, just like sitting at a pub tap, the older ale for some reason lost all its life so long in the bottle, still tasted great but had to drink out of a pewter coz it looked like orange cordial in a glass, but now its great.[/quote']

 

Thanks for advice. Unfortunately the one I drank the other evening was only 2 and a half months old.

[Otto Von Blotto]

If you put a tea strainer with hops in it will just sink through the krausen. Often times I've used this as a way to get the krausen to drop.

 

I wouldn't be worried about it still being there on day 4 though. It's more after day 7 or 8 and it's still hanging around when it should have dropped. It doesn't matter though, if it finishes fermenting you can just bottle anyway and leave the krausen behind.

[DonPolo]

If you put a tea strainer with hops in it will just sink through the krausen. Often times I've used this as a way to get the krausen to drop.

 

I wouldn't be worried about it still being there on day 4 though. It's more after day 7 or 8 and it's still hanging around when it should have dropped. It doesn't matter though' date=' if it finishes fermenting you can just bottle anyway and leave the krausen behind.[/quote']

 

Thanks Kelsey,

 

I did find a blog string this morning that was dealing with this issue and they said just wait and it will eventually drop https://club.coopers.com.au/coopers-forum/topic/10475/

 

It is now day nine. This morning part of it MAY have looked a bit thinner so maybe it is on the way.

 

I could start dry hopping now as you have suggested but might wait until Thursday/Friday. I'm not going to be able to bottle until next Sunday at the earliest. I understand that three to four days is optimum but longer than that is not recommended. True?

 

It's been sitting at about 18C and I could let it get up to 20/21C to 'clean up'. Is that OK while dry hopping or best to do that before?