What's in your fermenter? 2019

[Naughty Corner Brewing]

1 minute ago, Bearded Burbler said:

What is it with this festive Saison thing.... not done any yet... but the FG is so waaaay low... must look into it.  @Ben 10 I think maybe I need to have a crack at this after all...?

I did one last year and really enjoyed it for something quite different.

The dryness and crispness is really nice on a hot summer afternoon.

[Lab Cat]

Abbey Blonde   As per Cooper recipe, but minus the crystal. Also bittered and steeped more Styrian, I've found coopers are too conservative with hops for my taste. Recipe is well off the ABV for this one. IanH sheet has this at 5.2, even if I added the grain. Interested to see what the 2 Belgian yeasts bring to this, it would be pretty similar to my other summer ale recipes otherwise.

[Shamus O'Sean]

Pink Grapefruit IPA - Fermentation underway.  However, not overly inspiring.  Photo after 44 hours.  Old MJ M44 originally pitched.  No activity at 30 hours.  Pitched a well in-date US-05 24 hours ago.

[Pezzza]

24 minutes ago, NewBrews said:

I did one last year and really enjoyed it for something quite different.

The dryness and crispness is really nice on a hot summer afternoon.

Is the yeast a Kviek or Brettanomyces thing that I can never ever get rid of out of any of my FVs or is it something a little more benign?

 

[Naughty Corner Brewing]

I use the MJ29 French saison yeast which is one of the benign ones.

Actually really good for new saison drinkers too as you can control the funk with temperature essentially.

It is a yeast, rather than a bacteria like Brett.

[Pezzza]

3 minutes ago, NewBrews said:

I use the MJ29 French saison yeast which is one of the benign ones.

Actually really good for new saison drinkers too as you can control the funk with temperature essentially.

It is a yeast, rather than a bacteria like Brett.

Sweet NB.

Gold.

Thanks for that.

So what Yeast would you recommend - as a beginner AG brewer - for a Saison - with temp control - for a foray into this world..... maybe stick to 17 deg C?

I have never done a Saison before and would be keen to get a few tips...

 

[Naughty Corner Brewing]

I’ve only used the MJ29 but it’s pretty safe.

If you get a chance, grab a bridge roads Chevalier Saison and try that. It’s pretty mild. I know a few of the craft breweries around will do them occasionally as house brews too.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Yeah, try one or two before you go and brew a whole batch. 

That's exactly the reason I don't brew them

[Spudley]

Brewed a Czech Pilsner the other day after the spate of 40+ degree days have ended, struggle to keep the temp down when only using wet cold from the fridge t shirts draped over the fv with fan controlled by Inkbird, been happy with the set up just have to baby sit it for a few days

 

4.66 kgPilsner, Malt Craft Export (Joe White) (3.2 EBC)Grain1100.0 %3.04 L

30.00 gSummer (Summer Saaz) [5.50 %] - Boil 60.0 minHop219.2 IBUs-

12.15 mgProtofloc (Boil 15.0 mins)Fining3--

20.00 gSummer (Summer Saaz) [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 minHop44.6 IBUs-

20.00 gSummer (Summer Saaz) [5.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10.0 min, 90.2 CHop52.3 IBUs-

2.0 pkgSaflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) [50.28 ml]Yeast6--

[Norris!]

20 hours ago, Lab Rat said:

Abbey Blonde Also bittered and steeped more Styrian, I've found coopers are too conservative with hops for my taste.

Totally agree with most recipes I see on Coopers, but maybe I don't know what balanced is? I think that is where I expertise comes in to make it to suit our tastes.

[Lab Cat]

22 minutes ago, Norris! said:

Totally agree with most recipes I see on Coopers, but maybe I don't know what balanced is? I think that is where I expertise comes in to make it to suit our tastes.

I don't like overly hopped beer, most modern pales are OTT for me. But I do want some bitterness and flavour. With many of Coopers hop additions I might as well not have bothered putting them in. So now, I bitter and steep with 50g. How much I bitter depends on the IBUs from the IanH sheet.

[Otto Von Blotto]

How similar are summer hops to actual Saaz? Or not at all? Not sure you'll get an authentic Czech pilsner flavour with them, or the yeast for that matter. 

Should still be a good refreshing beer though!

[Pezzza]

3 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

Yeah, try one or two before you go and brew a whole batch. 

That's exactly the reason I don't brew them

Yeah I had one of those Belgian brews with oak and it was ok... I would like to brew something where you can drop the SG low and see how it all works out... seems like that yeast can drop the final SG really quite low and I reckon that would be worth trying.  But maybe I can do an AG brew and split the wort and do Saison in half of it... good call @Otto Von Blotto Kelsey.

I did that with my Dampfbier experiment - half the wort with wheat beer yeast and half with IPA and that was a good learning experience.

[Red devil 44]

23 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Pink Grapefruit IPA - Fermentation underway.  However, not overly inspiring.  Photo after 44 hours.  Old MJ M44 originally pitched.  No activity at 30 hours.  Pitched a well in-date US-05 24 hours ago.

Shamus,

Did the same Pink  Grapefuit IPA , used M44 Yeast ( in date ) 30 odd hrs nothing, pitched a US05 not long ago WTF ?? 

[Lab Cat]

On 12/19/2019 at 7:14 PM, Lab Rat said:

Abbey Blonde   As per Cooper recipe, but minus the crystal. Also bittered and steeped more Styrian, I've found coopers are too conservative with hops for my taste. Recipe is well off the ABV for this one. IanH sheet has this at 5.2, even if I added the grain. Interested to see what the 2 Belgian yeasts bring to this, it would be pretty similar to my other summer ale recipes otherwise.

Krausen went off in a couple of hours and all over in less than 48. Pretty bad-eggy smell from the FV. Normal? Never used belgian yeasts before.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Got a 500mL bottle of biofine clear to try out so I'll be putting some of that in my ESB when I get home. Then cleaning the centenarillo keg and line so I can put the pilsner in to carbonate and be ready to go tomorrow. Already got two clean kegs but want to clean the line since it'll be disconnected until tomorrow. ESB will be kegged on Monday so it's ready by Xmas day. 

I have cubes of another pale ale and a red ale ready to take their place in the fermenters. Will pitch the pale tomorrow as the starter is ready and chilling. After that I'll make up another starter for the red ale so it can be pitched later in the week. Should be able to get both of them kegged before these next two run out. 

Edited December 21, 2019 by Otto Von Blotto

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

31 minutes ago, Lab Rat said:

Krausen went off in a couple of hours and all over in less than 48. Pretty bad-eggy smell from the FV. Normal? Never used belgian yeasts before.

Not surprised mate. I did that recipe a couple of times but never used the two satchets. Used one pack of danstar abbaye instead. The reason it cut through it so quick is it is 22g of yeast. It will be a nice beer but have found you dont want to overpitch in a Belgian. Your better to underpitch slightly even. 

[Pezzza]

15 minutes ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

Not surprised mate. I did that recipe a couple of times but never used the two satchets. Used one pack of danstar abbaye instead. The reason it cut through it so quick is it is 22g of yeast. It will be a nice beer but have found you dont want to overpitch in a Belgian. Your better to underpitch slightly even. 

Greeny you being the Belgian King - any hints on what might be a good Saison yeast/recipe?  Am asking around... nivva dunna Saison before and am keen to eventually have a crack even though I have been warned by @Otto Von Blotto Kelsey ; )

[Pezzza]

17 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

I have cubes of another pale ale and a red ale ready to take their place in the fermenters. Will pitch the pale tomorrow as the starter is ready and chilling. After that I'll make up another starter for the red ale so it can be pitched later in the week. Should be able to get both of them kegged before these next two run out. 

Quite the hive of industry Kelsey!  ; )

Am not that keen on the plastic thing but the cubes certainly provide a wonderful level of convenience in ongoing production and also in the chilling side of things.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

7 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Greeny you being the Belgian King - any hints on what might be a good Saison yeast/recipe?  Am asking around... nivva dunna Saison before and am keen to eventually have a crack even though I have been warned by @Otto Von Blotto Kelsey ; )

Hey mate. Id keep it simple. 75% pilsener or ale malt and 25% wheat malt. Hop with saaz or some other noble hop to mid 20s IBU. Id use belle saison or MJ29 french saison. Those are on the milder side of the saison scale. If you dont like them you aint gonna like some of the other yeasts. I start low and finish high when fermenting. Usually 18 or 19 and let it free rise from there sometimes into the early 30s. You will get super attenuation on these yeasts as well so just be careful how much malt you add too depending on how much ABV you want. I usually aim for 6% ABV. I have had them finish below 1000 but id work on about a 1004 finish.

[Lab Cat]

36 minutes ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

Your better to underpitch slightly even. 

Thanks. I thought 2 packs was a lot, considering we're not in high OG territory, but just going with the recipe. Never used Belgians so not sure how to use them or what to expect.

[Pezzza]

28 minutes ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

Hey mate. Id keep it simple. 75% pilsener or ale malt and 25% wheat malt. Hop with saaz or some other noble hop to mid 20s IBU. Id use belle saison or MJ29 french saison. Those are on the milder side of the saison scale. If you dont like them you aint gonna like some of the other yeasts. I start low and finish high when fermenting. Usually 18 or 19 and let it free rise from there sometimes into the early 30s. You will get super attenuation on these yeasts as well so just be careful how much malt you add too depending on how much ABV you want. I usually aim for 6% ABV. I have had them finish below 1000 but id work on about a 1004 finish.

Beaut.  Thanks Greeny. Will take a copy and put it in my brew recipe records.  Am happy about the attenuation and final ABV 6-7% is a beautiful thing.

Do I need to do a starter for c. 20L or just get a 11g dry pack of Belle Saison or MJ29 Froggy Saison and toss in at 18 deg C?

I want to do a Kölsch, a Saison, and then another Black either IPA or Stout...  and then a Rauchbier.   So have got a nice roadmap for begin of 2020 already ; )

Thanks mate. BB

Edited December 21, 2019 by Bearded Burbler

[Otto Von Blotto]

54 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Quite the hive of industry Kelsey!  ; )

Am not that keen on the plastic thing but the cubes certainly provide a wonderful level of convenience in ongoing production and also in the chilling side of things.

Yes it's finally going full steam ahead after brewing four weeks in a row, including tomorrow when I'll be doing a leftovers lager. I have some Hallertau and Saaz left over so I'll do up a recipe with those and some magnum to top up bitterness. Bought a sack of bohemian pilsner malt today with the biofine and some extract for my starters so all set to go. 

Plastic doesn't worry me, those things are rated to 110 or 120 degrees or something so 85ish degree wort isn't gonna be a problem. 

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

47 minutes ago, Lab Rat said:

Thanks. I thought 2 packs was a lot, considering we're not in high OG territory, but just going with the recipe. Never used Belgians so not sure how to use them or what to expect.

It will still make a nice beer mate.  The esters might be a touch muted but i think you will still enjoy it.

If you decide to really get into Belgian beer the biggest taste lever you have is the pitch rate of yeast. Its remarkable the different tastes you get by just varying it slightly. Let me know what you think of it when its ready to drink.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

39 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Beaut.  Thanks Greeny. Will take a copy and put it in my brew recipe records.  Am happy about the attenuation and final ABV 6-7% is a beautiful thing.

Do I need to do a starter for c. 20L or just get a 11g dry pack of Belle Saison or MJ29 Froggy Saison and toss in at 18 deg C?

I want to do a Kölsch, a Saison, and then another Black either IPA or Stout...  and then a Rauchbier.   So have got a nice roadmap for begin of 2020 already ; )

Thanks mate. BB

If your aiming for a circa 1050 OG id just throw it in. If your going higher id consider a 2L starter. You could just throw it in on a higher OG batch and it will get there but the funkiness will increase. Id go low in funk to see if you like it. Dont want you throwing out a whole batch if you dont like it.

Got a nice line up there too mate. Love a kolsch. Got to get around to making one again.