What's in Your Fermenter? 2021

[Pezzza]

On 3/14/2021 at 4:40 PM, ozdevil said:

0.500kg simpsons light crystal malt

The darker tones coming from the X malt Ozzy?

[Pezzza]

17 hours ago, Norris! said:

The fridge smelt pretty good, not super strong but I could pick up the hop aroma.

Hey @Norris! Norris as one of the group's Hop Kings mate - thoughts on the following if you can please...

My IPA is looking good and smelling good - I have it in the PFV and don't want to commando hop or put in hop sock - do you think - for AROMA - that a hop tea would work?  I have never done a Hop Tea for aroma... just late hopped in hop sock, hop tube, or commando. 

Say maybe something like the following - boil water - drop to 70 or 80 then steep overnight - cool - and pour in the tea - late in the brew cycle?

I probably won't do it this time - as am keen to see how my post FO 80 deg steep works...  but am just thinking about aroma for the future.

And then I guess - if I was not going to drink for couple of months maybe a waste of time regards keg Hop Fade?

[Pezzza]

IPA going strong in the PFV with lovely aromas just leaking slowly out of the Spunding Valve.

Is steaming along nicely making its own warmth now around 14PSI and at 22.7 degrees even tho ambient in the Brew Chamber is 18.9 

[Norris!]

10 minutes ago, Graubart said:

My IPA is looking good and smelling good - I have it in the PFV and don't want to commando hop or put in hop sock - do you think - for AROMA - that a hop tea would work?  I have never done a Hop Tea for aroma... just late hopped in hop sock, hop tube, or commando. 

Say maybe something like the following - boil water - drop to 70 or 80 then steep overnight - cool - and pour in the tea - late in the brew cycle?

I probably won't do it this time - as am keen to see how my post FO 80 deg steep works...  but am just thinking about aroma for the future.

And then I guess - if I was not going to drink for couple of months maybe a waste of time regards keg Hop Fade?

I think a hop tea would work great, I wouldn't steep it overnight but just for like 20 or 30 minutes.  Since you are kegging you have some options here. You can just keg the batch and do nothing and if it needs more aroma then do a hop tea or dry hop. Option 2 Drop some dry hops into the keg and rack onto or a hop tea and the brew racked on top of it.  

I think the best thing to combat hop fade is short boils and or even better flameout and hop stands. They seem to hold the aroma and flavour longer than a dry hop and early consumption. If you are making beers for storage then an IPA is not the best choice, a lager or stout would be better for that process, just as an aside. 

[Pezzza]

15 minutes ago, Norris! said:

I think a hop tea would work great, I wouldn't steep it overnight but just for like 20 or 30 minutes.  Since you are kegging you have some options here. You can just keg the batch and do nothing and if it needs more aroma then do a hop tea or dry hop. Option 2 Drop some dry hops into the keg and rack onto or a hop tea and the brew racked on top of it.  

I think the best thing to combat hop fade is short boils and or even better flameout and hop stands. They seem to hold the aroma and flavour longer than a dry hop and early consumption. If you are making beers for storage then an IPA is not the best choice, a lager or stout would be better for that process, just as an aside. 

Beautiful beautiful.  Thanks for the above mate. @Norris!  Most appreciated. 

I have only just started trying the FO cool to 90-80 deg hopping caper and am looking forward to seeing what that brings 

It is looking like it maps to what you are suggesting Norris which is great...

I am having a time-off the Grogs and Meat through to Easter so the IPA won't have to wait too long... and I respect what you are saying re other beers for longer conditioning periods.... good advice.  Only got 18 days, 12 hours, 1 minute and 17 seconds to go at this juncture ; ) not that I am counting or anything hey!? 

 

As for keg hopping - I have been underwhelmed by my attempts so far - but am wondering whether my hop addition in large SS mesh tea ball just got all bound up in there (was a compacted ball of green sludge) and never got out into the brew - smelled pretty good when I cleaned the keg cracked the teaball open and threw the hop residue out... but the brew had pharque-all of the nice aroma... maybe I need to use a looser hop-sock arrangement? 

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by Graubart

[Norris!]

@Graubart for the small ss mesh tea balls I dont put fill more than one side of the ball when it is open and for the big ones (at cheeky peaks) I have tossed in 50g in one side of the ball with great results. You do have to keep them really loose and allow for expansion to ensure you get all the hop oils out and stuck in the middle. Good on ya for doing Lent. 

 

 

[John E Miller]

I brewed 10 litres of barleywine before work this morning and put it in the fermenter just off the boil. If it's cooled down tonight I will pitch some Nottingham and get it started. Can't wait!

[Norris!]

6 minutes ago, John E Miller said:

I brewed 10 litres of barleywine before work this morning and put it in the fermenter just off the boil. If it's cooled down tonight I will pitch some Nottingham and get it started. Can't wait!

Nice

[Pezzza]

4 hours ago, Norris! said:

@Graubart for the small ss mesh tea balls I dont put fill more than one side of the ball when it is open and for the big ones (at cheeky peaks) I have tossed in 50g in one side of the ball with great results. You do have to keep them really loose and allow for expansion to ensure you get all the hop oils out and stuck in the middle. 

Well maybe @Norris! Norris me old mate - maybe I just need bigger balls?    ()

Haha mate I am pretty sure the SS mesh teaball I do have -- is that big version from CPB... but maybe I stashed too much green stuff in and it swelled and gummed up and nothing came out?

I do have a hopper SS Mesh Tube - so maybe I should try that if I need more Aromas next time ; )

[Pezzza]

2 hours ago, John E Miller said:

I brewed 10 litres of barleywine

Wotsyer OG there JEM of the festive Barleywine - and where are you forecasting FG will end up?

[John E Miller]

1 hour ago, Graubart said:

Wotsyer OG there JEM of the festive Barleywine - and where are you forecasting FG will end up?

OG is around 1.100 (I'll double check when it's cooled to pitching temp), hoping for an FG between 1.020 and 1.010. I can only hope and guess though! Nottingham has been a pretty good workhorse in the past 

[ozdevil]

8 hours ago, Graubart said:

The darker tones coming from the X malt Ozzy?

possibly  but i think once the yeast starts chewing its way through the colour will change   
in which the colour is starting to lightenin up from its dark colour from the start

 

 

[Shamus O'Sean]

10 hours ago, Graubart said:

It's just recently I pitched a 10 day old Dubbya 34 slurry stored at 2 deg into 20 deg or so AG wort and then cooled it down rapidly to around 14 - the yeast prior had been in high ABV wort as well (saved slurry and fridged) - and it just did not fire...   so 24+hours later with a flat cold unhappy AG Wort free fluid surface I pitched some dry Dubbya 34 which thankfully fired up in the next 24 Woohoo 

Hey Great Grey Beard, you have written about this experience before and I have done this type of thing before too.  But one thing we will probably not know for sure is was the "firing up" done by the original yeast finally kicking-in or the second yeast thrown at the fermenter.  In a way, it does not matter, because in your case and mine the beer finished up being fine.

It is a good chat though.  I have been doing starters the Otto Von Blotto method for a while now.  These are cold crashed for around 3 days before I pitch them cold into a 18-22°C wort.  All have taken off within 24 hours and some within 12 hours.  No none starters at all.

[Shamus O'Sean]

10 hours ago, Graubart said:

Anyway it's all about personal choice and the right to self determination in the Brewery but myself I reckon you are better to push them into the keg or bottles as is and not bother with cold crashing for a Bavarian HW...   But that is after the beer has been FV conditioned so some of the Hefe has already flocced out anyway ; )

For my Keg Priming - I am going to follow the @PB2 methodology which was half a cup of white sugar... would be very happy to hear how that might look like compared to your calcs @Shamus O'Sean Shamus : )  or any other Keg Conditioning Wheat Beer Brewing Barons or Baronesses out there ; )

Thanks for the advice Oh Great Grey One, I agree with the personal choice factor.  Unfortunately, this is the first Hefe rodeo for this brewer.  Therefore, I do not even know what my personal choice is yet.  I know I like the various wheat beers from Aldi, but these are mostly pretty clear.  Also, unfortunately, your advice is about 24 hours too late.  The cold crash is already well underway.  Blame @Norris!.  Next time, I will try them without the cold crash, ala The Grey Method.  

I have seen folks on the Forum say Wheat beer is better in bottles.  I guess it is much easier to roll the bottle or something to re-suspend the yeast before pouring.  Kegging might not work out so well because a yeast crater will quickly form around the dip tube.  The only yeast getting into the glass will be what remains in suspension.  I will certainly post the results of this brew to let folks know what I find.

The keg priming might be a bit tricky.  I am kegging around 9 litres of each (2 Craft FV's worth, remember) into 2x19 litre kegs.  So lots of empty air space to pressurise too.  Is that actually a consideration?  I have recently done 80-100g of sugar into 18 litres of kegged beer and the carbonation has been okay, but nowhere near highly carbonated.  My BrewFather software says 76g of sugar to get to 3 vols of CO2.  Compared to my previous 80-100g, I think it will fall well short of being carbonated to a Hefe standard.  @PB2's half cup (about 100g) is similar to what I have already been doing.  I would also like to hear from any Keg Conditioning Wheat Beer Brewing Barons or Baronesses out there.

[jamiek86]

@Shamus O'Sean appreciate reading post like this even though you are also asking for advice and talking about wheat beer. I want to beef up a coopers Irish stout and prime it in keg with 100 grams of sugar to age warm for 3 weeks or so before taste. It got me wondering if would taste better gassed than going through secondary. I guess I won't know unless I brew 2 and do different lol.

[Shamus O'Sean]

5 minutes ago, jamiek86 said:

@Shamus O'Sean appreciate reading post like this even though you are also asking for advice and talking about wheat beer. I want to beef up a coopers Irish stout and prime it in keg with 100 grams of sugar to age warm for 3 weeks or so before taste. It got me wondering if would taste better gassed than going through secondary. I guess I won't know unless I brew 2 and do different lol.

100g for 3 weeks for an Irish Stout sounds good.  Maybe a smidgen high, if you plan to age it once carbonated.  I have been ... not underwhelmed, but a bit meh! with some brews carbonated in the keg with 80g of sugar.  It is enough to start drinking them once they are cold, but they need a bit more I think.  That is why I think 100g in the Irish Stout will be good.

[jamiek86]

thanks I just wasn't sure with that style if I gassed and didn't give it secondary I thought it might not taste right. I'll probably only take a few weeks to drink it if goes down well then have to make another before winter.  I was however thinking of using us05 slurry as yeast but might he better off with Nottingham or making starter from kit yeast? I want boost up to about 5.5% with extra malt and not keen on just kit yeast. @Shamus O'Sean

Edited March 16, 2021 by jamiek86

[Shamus O'Sean]

14 minutes ago, jamiek86 said:

thanks I just wasn't sure with that style if I gassed and didn't give it secondary I thought it might not taste right. I'll probably only take a few weeks to drink it if goes down well then have to make another before winter.  I was however thinking of using us05 slurry as yeast but might he better off with Nottingham or making starter from kit yeast? I want boost up to about 5.5% with extra malt and not keen on just kit yeast. @Shamus O'Sean

I would go with Nottingham.  However, your other ideas are fine too.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

11 hours ago, Graubart said:

 

It's just recently I pitched a 10 day old Dubbya 34 slurry stored at 2 deg into 20 deg or so AG wort and then cooled it down rapidly to around 14 - the yeast prior had been in high ABV wort as well (saved slurry and fridged) - and it just did not fire...   so 24+hours later with a flat cold unhappy AG Wort free fluid surface I pitched some dry Dubbya 34 which thankfully fired up in the next 24 Woohoo 

 

Interesting. Pitched a 2 week old w34/70 slurry into 10c wort of my asian lager I made on Sunday and it took 40 hours to get going. This was 400ml of compacted slurry. Conservative it should be at least 300bn cells. Very weird. The first batch using a 3L starter with half the packet then pitching the starter and the other half took off within 24.

[jamiek86]

5 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

I would go with Nottingham.  However, your other ideas are fine too.

I was assuming the 7 gram pack would be something similar I have a Nottingham handy I think ill use it thanks I have all these kit yeast building up ill need to start using them as nutrients.

[John E Miller]

18 hours ago, John E Miller said:

OG is around 1.100 (I'll double check when it's cooled to pitching temp), hoping for an FG between 1.020 and 1.010. I can only hope and guess though! Nottingham has been a pretty good workhorse in the past 

Gravity is 1.112. I was thinking about diluting with a litre of water when I pitch the yeast, but I think I might as well go with it and see what I get. The style can go up to OG 1.120. 

[Pezzza]

20 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Hey Great Grey Beard, you have written about this experience before and I have done this type of thing before too.  But one thing we will probably not know for sure is was the "firing up" done by the original yeast finally kicking-in or the second yeast thrown at the fermenter.  In a way, it does not matter, because in your case and mine the beer finished up being fine.

It is a good chat though.  I have been doing starters the Otto Von Blotto method for a while now.  These are cold crashed for around 3 days before I pitch them cold into a 18-22°C wort.  All have taken off within 24 hours and some within 12 hours.  No none starters at all.

Great Post Shamus - truly spoken - and really I should be doing the same - the OVB @Otto Von Blotto method is the biz - I am just a bit slack and you do need a bit of forward planning... I do like the backfill into FV thing a few times in a row as that seems to work... but yeah making enough good yeasty fellas from a pack to save and also to pitch is sound brewery practice mate luvyerwork : )

And yeah you are spot on - who knows - was it the slurry or the dry that fired up - or both haha!?!  

But yes Shamus @Shamus O'Sean no wonder you are getting 100% fire up with the good methodology... good stuff!

[Pezzza]

19 hours ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

Interesting. Pitched a 2 week old w34/70 slurry into 10c wort of my asian lager I made on Sunday and it took 40 hours to get going. This was 400ml of compacted slurry. Conservative it should be at least 300bn cells. Very weird. The first batch using a 3L starter with half the packet then pitching the starter and the other half took off within 24.

Wow Greeny.   Mmmm.  Sounds very familiar.  I did not have the patience...  and ran for some dry Dubbya 34 

Any thoughts on why the delay - I am wondering for me was it cos I dropped the temp sharply after pitching.... ?

Did you pitch at same temp it was to ferment at @Greeny1525229549 Greeny?

Interesting stuff 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Graubart

[Stickers]

2nd time using verdant yeast. 240 hours into fermentation and i've still got a thick layer of foam on the top but going by the colour of the brew i think fermentation is complete.. or at least time to start checking gravity. it's a kit and kilo with partial addition. with nottingham i'd already be done and have this in bottles.

do some yeasts leave a bit of foam when they're done or should i really be waiting for this to clear up before doing a dry hop?

[jamiek86]

@Stickers apparently verdant IPA is good  for krausen hanging around long after FG. I would start checking gravity and either bottle without disturbing it or wack side few times to make it sink