Daily diary of a virgin (first ever) home brew!

[pilotsh]

5 hours ago, Pale Man said:

Isn't he using a Kegerator fridge? There would be pre holes for gas line?

Yes. So as well as the font hole I could use either gas line hole (it has two). But the font hole is easier (it's bigger and it's on the top)

At least until I install a font and taps: will probably start my kegging journey with soda water. I hope that uses the same dispensing pressure as beer as the regulator that came with the fridge is a single pressure unit.

Edited September 23, 2020 by pilotsh

[pilotsh]

A question! 

Although the ROTMs are primed with carbonation drops, I am thinking forward to any batch prime brews. Now I have a kegerator I can cold crash.

Would you:

a) rack, then cold crash, then batch prime.

b) cold crash, then rack, then batch prime.

c) something else

Obviously if bottle priming I could just cold crash and then bottle from the one FV.

Knowledge sponge ready! 

[pilotsh]

Brew 011: Coopers ROTM Belgian Chocolate Stout- Wednesday 23rd September: 46 hours (1.92 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: Generally 20.2C . Still playing around and watching my new kegerator, will report back once I have mastered it).

Comments: Krausen already collapsing, about 30% of the wort has no Krausen. I am surprised, considering the high OG, and everyone saying "Stouts have a big Krausen": especially with the ROTM I was expecting it to last longer than ONE DAY! (But not concerned, nice CO2 smell still around, surface is uniform is appearance, I think "normal progress".).

Photo(s):

Edited September 23, 2020 by pilotsh

[Pezzza]

11 hours ago, pilotsh said:

if they have ever let you smell a mash tun

I get what you are saying fer sher Pilot old bud - but a mash tun I would like to suggest should not have a lot of carbon dioxide floating around in its vicinity I shouldn't think... mashing is just that controlled temp stewing time and it's more after pitching and the ferment in the FV that you will then start to generate carbon dioxide....

But I understand that feeling you get - yeah not smelling it - but somehow you do detect a presence of something in the air... somehow the air seems a little thicker?  But usually it is also associated with the lovely aromas coming off during the ferment as well.... 

My current dark brew is performing well with great aromas... and yep... the ol' enclosed space brewfridge helps to concentrate the ferment odours nicely ; )

 

[pilotsh]

11 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

but a mash tun I would like to suggest should not have a lot of carbon dioxide floating around in its vicinity

You are indeed correct, I called it the wrong thing: I was thinking of the wash back, where the distilleries let the wort ferment, but said mash tun. "My bad" for not checking I was calling it the correct thing- oops!

11 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

My current dark brew is performing well with great aromas... and yep... the ol' enclosed space brewfridge helps to concentrate the ferment odours nicely ; )

Very very nice, it's nice when you know you will get nice aromas before you open the door!

Edited September 23, 2020 by pilotsh

[Pezzza]

On 9/23/2020 at 11:44 AM, pilotsh said:

b) cold crash, then rack, then batch prime.

Also can cold crash - and then in the FV batch prime without massive stirrrage - and then bottle...    without racking extra work and extra contam source potential... each has own merits.

Particulates flocc out in bottles usually with a bit of time in the fridge so maybe don't need to rack off.

And yeah if you are batch priming kegs for natural carbonation just be careful in that the liquid post can sometimes clog up with yeast population that develops in the secondary ferment.... but only happened with me in the small (9L) not standard (18L) Corny kegs.

But also removes any oxygen in the keg too as the yeast utilise that to begin with before the solution becomes anoxic and CO2 rich and well preserved.

[pilotsh]

Brew 011: Coopers ROTM Belgian Chocolate Stout- Thursday 24th September: 71 hours (2.95 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 19.1 to 19.4C

Comments: Krausen 80% gone. Still nice aromas when I open the door. (Normal Progress)

Photo(s): Nil

[Shamus O'Sean]

23 hours ago, pilotsh said:

Brew 011: Coopers ROTM Belgian Chocolate Stout- Thursday 24th September: 71 hours (2.95 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 19.1 to 19.4C

Comments: Krausen 80% gone. Still nice aromas when I open the door. (Normal Progress)

Photo(s): Nil

I am interested to hear where your FG ends up.  A few of the brewers on here had high-ish FG's.  I had one of the highest at 1.025 from 1.060.  Like your description, my krausen came and went very quickly.

[pilotsh]

Brew 011: Coopers ROTM Belgian Chocolate Stout- Friday 25th September: 95 hours (3.95 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 19.4 to 19.0C

Comments: Normal Progress. Had to turn off Kegerator and open door and it was starting to sit below 20C.

Photo(s): Nil

[pilotsh]

Brew 011: Coopers ROTM Belgian Chocolate Stout- Saturday 26th September: 108 hours (4.5 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 19.2C Kegerator off and it is just maintaining a constant temperature, lol.

Comments: Normal Progress.

Photo(s): Nil

[pilotsh]

12 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Like your description, my krausen came and went very quickly.

This is a guess, but could this be because two yeast sachets were pitching instead of one like normal?

[Pezzza]

2 hours ago, pilotsh said:

Had to turn off Kegerator and open door

Not just set the Kegerator to 19 or 20 and then the combo of ambient > 19 and the fridge should keep it there nicely without having to open the door?

Just a thought. 

And 

2 hours ago, pilotsh said:

two yeast sachets were pitching instead of one like normal?

Two sachets might have made things fire up quicker and slow down faster if the ferment was more efficiently done...  yes... but... I think it is also associated with the amount of non-fermentables that contribute to head and head retention. 

So my recent Altbier was just one sachet - Grav started around 1060 Monday morning... is now around 1010 Saturday morning...  pitched dry (no starter) 11.5g Fermentis US05... yours was I think 1057-1060 ish... so not that different in OG... 

So mine is AG with freshly milled and mashed with that AG full body so I think somehow the non-fermentables that contribute to head and head retention help keep that kräusen up there a bit longer maybe?    .... see the photo from just now - far below - has collapsed from earlier - but still hanging around somewhat.

And I think that is reflected in the glass - not criticising non-AG beer here by any means - just noting that I think that AG Wort and big bodied Worts then lend themselves with moderate yeasts to generate good head, creamy mouthfeel and good head retention (I do usually include wheat as well which might help).  Re moderate yeasts - if you used Saison yeast here say instead of cultures like US05 or W34/70 I think that you achieve a far greater level of attenuation and some or most of the non-fermentables left behind (the full body - head - head retention etc) - left behind usually by moderate yeasts - are instead metabolised by these more bolshy yeasts (they say I think more akin to a red wine yeast) so you end up with higher ABV and less full bodied brew - with less head and head retention and a somewhat thinner mouthfeel. 

Just a few thoughts for consideration in the festive brewing journey of discovery!  ; )

And a nice neat Kräusen definition from the net:

High Kräusen is a German term, also widely used in English, which refers to the large, billowing, unkempt head of foam that forms on the surface of beer at the peak of fermentation. It refers not only to the foam itself but also to this phase of fermentation; when the wort reaches the peak of its fermentation, it is often said to be at high kräusen.

The name comes from the German Hochkräusen or hohe Kräusen, which has the same definition and likely originates from kräus, an adjective denoting “wrinkled,” “furrowed,” or “frizzy.” This word is often used in reference to a disorderly mane of curly hair (its infinitive kräuseln means to wrinkle, ruffle, curl, etc.).

[Pezzza]

And the change in SG over time in this brew is interesting... uncalibrated SG... Cal is lower to begin with and higher to finish?!?!... still coming to grips with this gadget... but the differential is what is more important over time I think... and the increase in SG at Day 4 I believe was associated with a temperature change... anyway.... things are settling down now and I suspect I could potentially keg on up tomorrow... 

 

Edited September 26, 2020 by Bearded Burbler

[pilotsh]

6 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Not just set the Kegerator to 19 or 20 and then the combo of ambient > 19 and the fridge should keep it there nicely without having to open the door?

Just a thought. 

Yeah I just wanted to get a quick 1c of heat in there but in the end it didn't matter as it was so cold I had to turn on the reverse cycle anyway for comfort. It's closed not to avoid light strike and hasn't move off 19.4C all day. Based on the weather forecast for the rest of the week and I don't think I'll have trouble with a 20C brew temp this brew, lol

[pilotsh]

I am looking for 'entries' / ideas for Brew 15: 'Competition' Lager

I have setup a dedicated thread for this here:

 

Edited September 26, 2020 by pilotsh

[Pezzza]

So Pilot @pilotsh ... just in the pursuit of brewing understanding and positive discourse... here is my black one getting ready for "cold crash" (mmm just means cooling down in the brew fridge or other refrigeration receptacle/device - caused me great concern in the early days of not having that frame of reference on this site ha ha) ... and the brew still seems to retain a bit of frothy top...  just set me inky to 3 deg C... 

 

Edited September 27, 2020 by Bearded Burbler

[pilotsh]

Brew 011: Coopers ROTM Belgian Chocolate Stout- Sunday 27th September: 140 hours (5.8 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 20.0C

Comments: Nice banana bread smell from the FV/Kegerator. Will taste test and test the SG tomorrow.

Photo(s): 
 

[pilotsh]

20 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

just in the pursuit of brewing understanding and positive discourse... here is my black one getting ready for "cold crash" (mmm just means cooling down in the brew fridge or other refrigeration receptacle/device - caused me great concern in the early days of not having that frame of reference on this site ha ha) ... and the brew still seems to retain a bit of frothy top...  just set me inky to 3 deg C... 

Very nice, thank you. Yes I am looking for my first cold crash now with it is much easier!

[Pezzza]

3 hours ago, pilotsh said:

Yes I am looking for my first cold crash now

Maybe slightly less important on an extract brew (with less suspended solids/particulates - but still a beautiful thing)...

I think the cold crash is more of a thing with grain - partials - all grain - when you have cloudy brews with lots of particulates...

And you are wanting to pursue that crystal clear beer thing...  

[pilotsh]

1 hour ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Maybe slightly less important on an extract brew (with less suspended solids/particulates - but still a beautiful thing)...

I think the cold crash is more of a thing with grain - partials - all grain - when you have cloudy brews with lots of particulates...

And you are wanting to pursue that crystal clear beer thing...  

Hey hey hey.... I'll have you know that my first brew with my Kegerator where I can easily cold crash is also the first brew where I steeped smashed grain, so yeah, there is probably a BLANK load of suspended particles in my FV from my Noob 'cracking grain neatly' technique! 
 

[pilotsh]

Brew 011: Coopers ROTM Belgian Chocolate Stout- Monday 28th September: 166 hours (6.92 days) since pitch.

Brew Temp: 20.0C

SG: 1023

Appearance: Cloudy Chocolate colour. Fizzy.

Nose: Nice dark malts, chocolate, hint of coffee, deep caramel.

Palate: Chocolate! Light nuttiness, lots of sediment. Certainly will need a cold crash.

Comments: Nice banana bread smell from the FV/Kegerator. 

Photo(s): 

 

[pilotsh]

Are Chocolate Grains "burnt", or can I still cook with them? They look very black wet, I am wondering if they are burnt.

[Pezzza]

2 hours ago, pilotsh said:

Are Chocolate Grains "burnt", or can I still cook with them? They look very black wet, I am wondering if they are burnt.

All malt is roasted and or maybe smoked off to stop the germinating baby plant the coleoptile in the grain, that has kindly produced all the lovely enzymes that we then utilise in the mash at the right temperature... that baby plant we no longer want to grow anymore and use the substrates in the seed for germinating... we need the fermentables and non-fermentables for our brew.... 

So very light malts - are lightly kilned.  Lightly kilned. 

Darker - the more they are kilned - like coffee and dark roasting... or when you make a piece of toast...  a light faint colour or darker... 

 

But back to the real question - burnt - no I would suggest not.  Cook with them - who knows - why not - what are you making?

Edited September 29, 2020 by Bearded Burbler

[pilotsh]

20 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

- what are you making?

Was thinking of Cocoa and Kahlua biscuits/cookies, using the spent steeped grain and cocoa nibs. 

Edited September 29, 2020 by pilotsh

[pilotsh]

But rather than ruining a whole batch of cookies maybe I should just add some to bread first: it's easier and cheaper if it turns out that it tastes like a fire pit.