Shamus O'Sean Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 5 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said: Wow that is LEGENDARY Shamus - own hoppage - luvyerwork - well played! Thanks BB, I hope that this one goes well. I did some brews with my own hops from their first season last year. They were great in dry hop usage, but the boils were a bit boiled vegetable tasting. This time I made sure not to over-boil and to get the liquid cooled quickly and get the hop matter out quickly. The hydrometer sample tasted okay so I am hopeful. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elLachlano Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 21 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said: So the CCA is generating some rotten eggs? Here I thought it was the domain of Lager Yeasts? Live and learn... Naw, this was in relation to the Lager I had fermenting with W34/70 in FV2. CCA was its usual sweet smelling self. I now have to harvest some more as this batch has been through enough generations. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyBrew2 Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 My stout has been stuck on 1.020 for past few days. Looks like she is done. OG was 1.066. BS said she should finish at 1.012. LHBS had no Nottingham so I used MJ New World Yeast. But in my haste, I only got the one packet. I know some on here pitch two packs with a OG in the sixtys. Don’t think I can do anything else. She’s been ramped up to 20-21 to let the yeast clean up. Sample tasted great but might have a final bit more sweetness than intended. Lesson learnt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popo the Reprobate Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 You could try a forced ferment test if you are worried about the final gravity @PaddyBrew2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyBrew2 Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 What does that entail mate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchBastard Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 (edited) Steam ale. Stinking it up rotten egg style on day 3. please comment on my over use of tape Edited July 22, 2019 by MitchBastard 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popo the Reprobate Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 2 hours ago, PaddyBrew2 said: What does that entail mate? It helps you to check if you have really reached final gravity. You can do it when you think you have a stuck ferment. You can also do it at the start of your ferment to get an idea of where the whole batch will finish. Take a sample of your wort/beer and pitch a heap of new yeast in it. If it doesn't budge after a day or two, that's probably as far as it will go. If it comes down further, it is probably worth pitching yeast into the whole batch and see if you can get it moving. These guys explain it a little better: https://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/forced-ferment-test 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer Baron Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 2 hours ago, MitchBastard said: Steam ale. Stinking it up rotten egg style on day 3. please comment on my over use of tape I’m happy with the overuse but I’m not happy how it’s not perfectly square. Shame on you 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchBastard Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 3 hours ago, Beer Baron said: I’m happy with the overuse but I’m not happy how it’s not perfectly square. Shame on you I’m glad you pointed that out.......rekon it will effect head retention? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 10 minutes ago, MitchBastard said: I’m glad you pointed that out.......rekon it will effect head retention? Gold. Hey what size is that Fermenter - is it a massive double batcher - or maybe a small fridge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 5 hours ago, Popo said: It helps you to check if you have really reached final gravity. You can do it when you think you have a stuck ferment. You can also do it at the start of your ferment to get an idea of where the whole batch will finish. Take a sample of your wort/beer and pitch a heap of new yeast in it. If it doesn't budge after a day or two, that's probably as far as it will go. If it comes down further, it is probably worth pitching yeast into the whole batch and see if you can get it moving. These guys explain it a little better: https://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/forced-ferment-test That's a cool post Popo - thanks for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted July 22, 2019 Author Share Posted July 22, 2019 You'll get oxidation from not having the tape square. I thought I went overboard with my vertical, horizontal, and two diagonals 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 (edited) On 7/21/2019 at 12:50 PM, Popo said: No worries. It can take up to 15. I've only used it for batches up to 11 or 12 and it's been fine. I use it regularly to split batches and ferment the rest on the bigger one. Yeeeeeehaaaaa. Thanks for the Country Brewer tip Popo! My new FV Acquisition seen below: I did a few miles after work and managed to find one lying around like an unregistered dog in the back of ol' mate's shop ; ) Well to be honest - I rang well beforehand as wasna gunna drive all that way for nout - and there it was up the back corner smiling at me desperate for a new home! Good stuff. So this now provides me with capacity to utilise this Freezer space as a reasonable brew cabinet - as the fixed Freezer shelving (running refrigerant) could not be moved. Coops will not sell the baby out-of-kit (one of which I had)... but now have Popo's recommended 15L fella wooohooo…. So now pretty much 23-24L FV capacity and can experiment with dry hopping on a standard All Grain batch volume... Question re using a freezer as the Temp Controlled Cabinet: And all of you good brewers assure me that with a standard Inkbird or other Temp Controller running a freezer for temp control is no diff to running a fridge hey? Edited July 22, 2019 by Bearded Burbler 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchBastard Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 9 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said: Gold. Hey what size is that Fermenter - is it a massive double batcher - or maybe a small fridge? Just a 30ltr bad boy. I use a stand alone freezer with the drawers taken out for my ferment fridge. Stands about 5ft tall and yay wide. Fermenter just squeezes in haha 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porschemad911 Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 I like it, good use of space BB! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted July 23, 2019 Author Share Posted July 23, 2019 Looks like the dark ale is at FG, took a reading just before of 1.011, giving an ABV of 4.5%. I don't think it has any further to drop and I reckon it probably finished a few days ago given the 72 hour sample was at 1.020 and it's now been 8 days in there, but I'll check it Thursday anyway before I drop the temp down just to be sure. Tastes pretty good too. It'll be kegged Saturday week. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozlizard Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Saison looking good, day 6. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 10 hours ago, porschemad911 said: I like it, good use of space BB! Cheers John. I was so excited when I got the ex-freezer... and then when I opened the door and realised I could fit a reasonable size fermenter I was shattered... 'Anyway - I had the Coopers Craft Kit vessel - which fitted in nicely - and then my man Popo showed me the short-vat.... and it all came together. And it is a bit easier heaving around 15L than it is 26L... so I am thinking this might work out ok. Just would be not so good running a Unit that size for just 12-15L. So I can do a standard 23L All Grainer and then cool and push into the two baby-vats with different final dry hopping treatments. Should be good. Thanks for your feedback mate - and your and the team on this site's help in my original foray into the scary world of AG - helped me get the whole venture going ; ) Thank you!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 7 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said: Looks like the dark ale is at FG, took a reading just before of 1.011, giving an ABV of 4.5%. I don't think it has any further to drop and I reckon it probably finished a few days ago given the 72 hour sample was at 1.020 and it's now been 8 days in there, but I'll check it Thursday anyway before I drop the temp down just to be sure. Tastes pretty good too. It'll be kegged Saturday week. Kelsey do you use any software to forecast your FG from the OG and then via your monitoring - like you said 72 hours was 1020... Or is it that brewing experience and your knowledge of all of your previous brews.... Mmmm or a bit of both ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 On 7/21/2019 at 8:06 PM, Shamus O'Sean said: Thanks BB, I hope that this one goes well. I did some brews with my own hops from their first season last year. They were great in dry hop usage, but the boils were a bit boiled vegetable tasting. This time I made sure not to over-boil and to get the liquid cooled quickly and get the hop matter out quickly. The hydrometer sample tasted okay so I am hopeful. Shamus it really does indicate that maybe we need to learn how to best utilise self-grown hops... I wonder is there someone on this site who can help indicate the best way forward... Your experience is such a great opportunity for us to work out the best way forward... so do we use flowers as the dry-hop addition... if we grow our own - do we need to dry and then use dried rather than fresh... You know what I mean... anyway.. It's a great brewing achievement Shamus to have done a brew with your own hops - that is huge. And if there is someone out there on the site who might provide us some advice... that would be gold.... Brewing Hop Growers? @PB2 can you and your guys advise - for Kit brewers who might grow their own hops - some general principles of how to maximise the benefits of fresh cones? Cheers BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 36 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said: @PB2 can you and your guys advise - for Kit brewers who might grow their own hops - some general principles of how to maximise the benefits of fresh cones? Utilise them in the same way you might pellet hops. That said, I think it's best to use dry hops rather than fresh (also called green or wet). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzala Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Bearded Burbler said: So I can do a standard 23L All Grainer and then cool and push into the two baby-vats with different final dry hopping treatments. Should be good. That’s a bloody good idea BB! I can fit 2 fermenters in my brew fridge and I really need to experiment with dry hopping so I may try this for my next pale ale. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted July 23, 2019 Author Share Posted July 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Bearded Burbler said: Kelsey do you use any software to forecast your FG from the OG and then via your monitoring - like you said 72 hours was 1020... Or is it that brewing experience and your knowledge of all of your previous brews.... Mmmm or a bit of both ? Yeah Beersmith estimates the FG, but i can't remember what the figure was. It'll be written in my brew book though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1 minute ago, Otto Von Blotto said: Yeah Beersmith estimates the FG, but i can't remember what the figure was. It'll be written in my brew book though. Is BeerSmith the answer - or the freeware BeerCipher? And as I would only expect - my Chief Brewer (aka OVB) has got it recorded come hell or high water as hard copy - in the Brew Book! Luvyerwork Kelsey! BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 7 minutes ago, Gazzala said: I can fit 2 fermenters in my brew fridge and I really need to experiment with dry hopping so I may try this for my next pale ale. Cheers Gazz - absarrrloootely - a great opportunity mate! Thing is that I have this nice old ex-freezer - which has fixed shelving that has the refrigerant/coolant flowing through it - so I CANNOT move the main shelves - without breaking the cooling machine ; ) so has been a bit of a wasted asset the last while.... so when @Popo showed us his 30cm vat.... and I had a Craft Coops Vat... it all came together. If I am brewing a massive kräusen high foaming brew - maybe that might be an issue as there is not a lot of head room... but I reckon I need to give it a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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