What's in Your Fermenter? 2020

[Stickers]

Just now, Bearded Burbler said:

have you compared a hot steep with a cold steep?

2 hot steeps prior to today's cold one. i'm going to do a comparison in three weeks time and go from there. at this stage of my brew making i'm only going to be using small amounts of grain and yeah, if i can save 45 mins of stuffing around on brewday vs chucking it the fridge the night before to get the desired result..

[Pezzza]

Cold Crash - mmm - rapid cool - on the lovely smelling black one - into keg tomorrow all going well... 

:

[Shamus O'Sean]

On 9/25/2020 at 11:35 PM, Woodsy1525230278 said:

Bramling Cross seems to give some additional earthiness to the brew 

I do like the black current flavours you get from this hop.  But you have to look around for it.

[Pezzza]

IPA of sorts from yesterday's AG brew day now in FV w US05 slurry... was thinking of just backfilling the newly emptied (and kegged) FV but went the 'extra mile' and harvested the yeast slurry to clean sterile jar --> fridge and then washed out and sterilised the FV.... topped up with lots of splashing for O2.... then pitched the slurry back in....  any thoughts on that direct pitch game brewers and potential for infections?  That is - pouring fresh wort in over the top of same 'crusty old' FV once it has been kegged or bottled up?   Have done it a couple of times and went ok - one Lager especially worked out well with fresh AG wort backfill over a W34/70 slurry...  brewed once of the nicest lagers I have ever made that way.... but is it dangerous re wild yeast etc infections?

[Pezzza]

The yeast slurry has kicked off nicely and the aromas are just plain byyyyardiful ; )

Will be nice to have an IPA back on tap!

[Pezzza]

And now some late hopping... Columbus 50g and Citra 25g... and @Beerlust Lusty will assure you I will squeeze the hop sock once done ; )

Getting the Columbus working @Norris! Norris ha ha!

[The Captain!!]

Just pulled a sample of my latest pale ale with the "holy trinity" hops in and its sitting it 1.014, so the sample is a couple of points from where it should end up. 

Its a tiny bit sweet, and with the precursor of bubblegum in my head, OH MY GOSH. Its bubblegum.

Looking forward to tasting attenuated, dry hopped and carbed.

[ChristinaS1]

Just put this on. A bit late for an Oktoberfest, but I am never in the mood to brew one until October actually rolls around. 

Oktoberfest 2020

 

1.7kg Coopers Lager

1.5kg light LME

100 Aromatic

300gm Caramunich

300gm Munich 10L

600gm Vienna

46gm Mt Hood @ FO x20min hop stand

1 tube Clarity Ferm

23 L RO water

14gm Coopers ale/lager blend @ 18C

 

OG 1.053; FG 1.012: ABC 5.3%; IBU 28.8; EBC 16; BU:GU 0.55. 

Edited October 1, 2020 by ChristinaS1

[ChristinaS1]

7 hours ago, The Captain!! said:

Just pulled a sample of my latest pale ale with the "holy trinity" hops in and its sitting it 1.014, so the sample is a couple of points from where it should end up. 

Its a tiny bit sweet, and with the precursor of bubblegum in my head, OH MY GOSH. Its bubblegum.

Looking forward to tasting attenuated, dry hopped and carbed.

What yeast and temp did you use Kirk? 

Cheers,

Christina.

[The Captain!!]

8 hours ago, ChristinaS1 said:

What yeast and temp did you use Kirk? 

Cheers,

Christina.

The Verdant IPA yeast at 19c

 

[ChristinaS1]

31 minutes ago, The Captain!! said:

The Verdant IPA yeast at 19c

 

Thanks. Sounds like an interesting yeast. Supposedly a dry version of Wyeast 1318. Unfortunately it will probably never get to my LHBS, and wouldn't you know it: they carry WLP not Wyeast. But I am pretty happy with WLP095. Same idea.

Cheers,

Christina

[UncleStavvy]

On 9/27/2020 at 9:31 PM, Shamus O'Sean said:

I do like the black current flavours you get from this hop.  But you have to look around for it.

Are you in Adelaide?, pretty sure Brewcraft in Salisbury have it in stock

 

[UncleStavvy]

Mr Sinister No4 is done to a turn and ready to bottle in the morning. Then it's off to the races with a couple of lagers. I quite liked the Fresh Draught lager so new Cascade hops bought today and stock up on dry malt tomorrow

[Malter White]

Doing a little side by side experiment (well, top and below experiment to be precise).

Both brews are Coopers APA extracts, BE2 and reactivated CCA yeast pitched at 22C and fermenting at 19C. The only difference is the top one is hopped with a steep of Cluster hops.

I like what Cluster gives to APA but I don't think I'd ever tried CCA yeast in APA without the hops before. It's possible I've been wasting time and hops previously, if the unhopped version proves a winner.

[Pezzza]

1 hour ago, MUZZY said:

Doing a little side by side experiment (well, top and below experiment to be precise).

Muzzy mate that is truly a beautiful thing mate!!!  Will be really cool to see what you come up with ; )

Cheers

BB

[Pezzza]

On 8/31/2020 at 8:58 AM, ChristinaS1 said:

Yes, the results will be interesting. Fermented at 18C, I suspect they will be very similar. I wonder which of the two will be cleaner or, put another way, which will be more ester-y? And what the difference in the FG will be? And which you will like better? Please keep us posted BB!

Not sure I addressed this good question Christina and now the whole lot's gone !?!  

You were right - they were quite similar - both quite clean - from memory the Lager Yeast version was more 'hop forward' - maybe lost less hop aroma/volatiles during the ferment - or something to do with it being in a smaller fermenter with smaller air gap over brew surface losing less hoppy aroma?  Certainly not like the night-day difference if you compare to W3068 wheat yeast fermented brew...

As for which one I liked better ha ha - I cannot really split them - they were both very nice drinking strong full bodied brews ; )

 

[Malter White]

2 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Muzzy mate that is truly a beautiful thing mate!!!  Will be really cool to see what you come up with ; )

Cheers

BB

Thanks Burbs. You're always very positive. One of the main reasons, along with a number of other contributors, why novice brewers continue to visit this forum.

[Pezzza]

3 hours ago, MUZZY said:

Thanks Burbs. You're always very positive. One of the main reasons, along with a number of other contributors, why novice brewers continue to visit this forum.

Ha ha Muzzy mate it has taken a few years to get here mate... have been pretty cranky and unhappy with work stuff over the years... things then improved and I think I too that I finally realised that focusing on the positives is not such a bad thing...  plus I guess I am really grateful to be here - 6 foot up not 6 foot down like some of my mates - and that I have made the journey to pouring AG fine tapped Ales and Lagers and all manner of festive brews... that I seriously could not have done without the input from festive Brewers on this site... honestly - could not have done without the guidance on this site..... guess that sorta gives you a positive frame of reference hey!?! 

And besides... you Muzza -- know how to spell you're -- so mate a bloke has gotta be happy with that ha ha     (One of my aims in life is helping those with their your (possessive pronoun) and you're ("you are" contraction) word allocation and spelling challenges ha ha) .... though I make enough mistakes in my script myself hey.

Onwards and upwards and Good Brewing to All!!!

Cheers Muzzy. BB

[Malter White]

12 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Ha ha Muzzy mate it has taken a few years to get here mate... have been pretty cranky and unhappy with work stuff over the years... things then improved and I think I too that I finally realised that focusing on the positives is not such a bad thing...  plus I guess I am really grateful to be here - 6 foot up not 6 foot down like some of my mates - and that I have made the journey to pouring AG fine tapped Ales and Lagers and all manner of festive brews... that I seriously could not have done without the input from festive Brewers on this site... honestly - could not have done without the guidance on this site..... guess that sorta gives you a positive frame of reference hey!?! 

It's a great saying and a bit corny but "every day above the ground is a good one". I try to remember that often. Especially, like yourself, losing mates prematurely.

[Fergy1987]

Just checked the FG of my Smash Citra Pale Ale. And I'm sitting at 1.005 after an OG of around 1.043 - I think I got terrible efficiency for my first AG brew but have never had anything go as low as 1.005 - any reason for concern? Seems bloody low. Used US-05 

[Shamus O'Sean]

3 hours ago, Fergy1987 said:

Just checked the FG of my Smash Citra Pale Ale. And I'm sitting at 1.005 after an OG of around 1.043 - I think I got terrible efficiency for my first AG brew but have never had anything go as low as 1.005 - any reason for concern? Seems bloody low. Used US-05 

That does seem very low for US-05.  If I calculated it right ((43-5)/43)x100 = 84% attenuation.  If you used a low mash temperature, it will produce more fermentable sugars (than a higher temperature).  That might explain a lower FG, but maybe not that low.

If the beer looks and tastes fine, then infection should not be an issue.  Sour, medicinal, or plastic flavours indicate an infection.

[Smash]

Finally got around another brew last weekend (first in 6 months Ish). Pale ale with LME and a kit with US-05. OG was 1.044, hasn't gone nuts or anything yet. Just tested again and it was at 1.032 so I put a kit yeast in as backup (US-05 was purchased around 2 months ago, so thought it might need extra). Beer looked and smelled fine. Took the reading into the kitchen to taste and it now read 1.012. Never had an issue with the hydro so not sure what happened. I'll let the kit do a bit and see what happens. Tasted great though!

[Pezzza]

1 hour ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

If the beer looks and tastes fine, then infection should not be an issue.  Sour, medicinal, or plastic flavours indicate an infection.

@Fergy1987 Fergs I agree with Shamus on this one - but am thinking you should be fine if you have used your standard good hygiene.... I have got a US05 brew cold crashing before kegging at the moment and we got to 1.008.... which I think is lower than I am used to too....  brewing does bring up some interesting differences sometimes... let us know how it goes please!  Cheers. BB

[Pezzza]

54 minutes ago, Smash said:

Took the reading into the kitchen to taste and it now read 1.012. Never had an issue with the hydro so not sure what happened.

Yeah Smasher - like @Fergy1987 with the super low FG... your 1.032 and then the next minute at 1.012 and mine at 1.008....  I sorta don't focus on the actual values but more what is going on in terms of change... obviously I do like to calc my ABV with the SGs but other than that... as long as the beer turns out well... probably nothing to be too stressed about... happy to be corrected on this by other Brewers but yeah... I brewed KnK for years without any hydro at all and did just fine... I do use a nice fancy glass one now plus an electronic gadget (Tilt) too... but yeah it is more about the change over time... and then how the beer tastes?  ; )

[Fergy1987]

44 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

@Fergy1987 Fergs I agree with Shamus on this one - but am thinking you should be fine if you have used your standard good hygiene.... I have got a US05 brew cold crashing before kegging at the moment and we got to 1.008.... which I think is lower than I am used to too....  brewing does bring up some interesting differences sometimes... let us know how it goes please!  Cheers. BB

Well I did screw up my starsan dilution so that has me worried, but I mean it tastes alright. As good as flat beer can be. Its a little bitter which I am hoping a dry hop sorts out as well as mellowing a bit over time. But no vinegar or apple or weird flavours or anything weird growing on top so here is hoping I get away with it and get something that resembles beer. I will admit the US-05 was over a year old too so maybe that had something to do with it. Would have thought that would have made FG higher though due to less viable yeast.