Stout Virgin

[Connradd]

Hey guys just a quick update, got the fridge and temp controller and it's been sitting at a steady 18. It looks like the foam has calmed down, didn't go as volcanic as I thought it would. 

[ozdevil]

38 minutes ago, Connradd said:

Hey guys just a quick update, got the fridge and temp controller and it's been sitting at a steady 18. It looks like the foam has calmed down, didn't go as volcanic as I thought it would. 

i wouldnt have worried to much on temp controlling this one  by the time you purchased the fridge and temp controller the yeast  has most likey done most of the work.

having said that   it will make it easy for you to cold crash it when your ready..


atleast in future brews you can temp control from start to finish

 

[Connradd]

Hey guys just a quick update, it's been two weeks and I'm going to test the FG over the next two days and hope for the best. As far as I can tell everything is going well, so fingers crossed and in a few months I should have some nice stout. Also should I "cold crash" it for a day or two before I bottle?

[Malter White]

@Connradd Cold crash is usually done to clear a beer up. I'm not sure there's much point in doing it for a stout due to it's dark colour. Your stout has been fermenting for two weeks so most of the gunk would have dropped out by now anyway. However, I do drop the temp on many of my brews before bottling because they foam up less when filling the bottles. The choice is up to you.

Edited May 11, 2021 by MUZZY

[Boot Straps]

1 hour ago, Connradd said:

 a few months I should have some nice stout.

A few months!! crikey, I couldn't wait that long.

[Classic Brewing Co]

4 minutes ago, Boot Straps said:

A few months!! crikey, I couldn't wait that long.

I tried mine after 2 weeks ( I posted a photo earlier this week ) so I have to make another batch or I won't have any for the winter !!

[Connradd]

16 minutes ago, CLASSIC said:

I tried mine after 2 weeks ( I posted a photo earlier this week ) so I have to make another batch or I won't have any for the winter !!

I'll definitely be trying some in 2 weeks to see how it's coming along, can't wait.

Edited May 11, 2021 by Connradd

[ben 10]

2 hours ago, CLASSIC said:

I tried mine after 2 weeks ( I posted a photo earlier this week ) so I have to make another batch or I won't have any for the winter !!

 

I cannot keep stouts for as long as people do, they are so nice.

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 minutes ago, Green Blob said:

 

I cannot keep stouts for as long as people do, they are so nice.

I totally agree GB it is just the ticket these cool days & nights in Adelaide anyway, but a nice drop anytime.

[Connradd]

So I've just done a FG test and it's sitting at 1023, OG was 1085, so it's sitting around 8.14abv but I'll check again tomorrow and if it's stable gonna, bottle it on Friday (hopefully). I'm not sure if it was me or the mug I was using (pulled from dishwasher halfway though cycle) but it had a bit of a vinegar smell, smelt great when I checked it a few days back, hope it's fine, tasted alright

[Pezzza]

2 minutes ago, Connradd said:

I'm not sure if it was me or the mug I was using (pulled from dishwasher halfway though cycle) but it had a bit of a vinegar smell, smelt great when I checked it a few days back, hope it's fine, tasted alright

Am sorta thinking if the mug was half warm @Connradd Con... and the draft came straight out of the FV... maybe with a bit of yeast still in solution... it might end up pushing that sort-of-fermenting-yeasty slightly more sour aroma.

Cannot say for sure - but I reckon FV samples can sometimes sorta taste that way a bit.

Give it time for secondary ferment and then a bit of time for bottle or keg conditioning and chill-on-up and it is quite different usually.  I know what you are thinking - as in the past I have smelled and tasted the FV product and gone - woo - that seems a bit sour/yeasty...  and usually they came good. 

If putting in bottlies - do make sure you have hit FG as you don't want to go early.... but it probs is a huge big beer and might be ending up nice big full bodied final FG... so 1023 might be your FG. 

Am just cognisant of going early on a high FG like that and generating bottle bombs that's all...  anyway... hopefully all will be good and live the nice ABV you are generating mate : )

@Shamus O'Sean Shamus - do you know what sort of FG this should be levelling out at mate?

[Shamus O'Sean]

1 hour ago, Graubart said:

@Shamus O'Sean Shamus - do you know what sort of FG this should be levelling out at mate?

Hey Grey Beard, I do not know exactly what this should finish at.  @Connradd's started at 1085 and finished at 1023.  That's just under 73% attenuation by the yeast.  That is pretty good going and probably finished.  My RIS started at 1092 and finished at 1023 (coincidentally), exactly 75% attenuation.  Attenuation can be pretty variable.  I bottled mine in glass.  Nine were fully carbed and the rest were half carbed.  I drank the nine first and they were over-carbonated for the style.  The half carbed were ideal and I drank the last one just over 10 months after bottling.  I love my stouts too.  But, I have more restraint than some.

[Pezzza]

13 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Hey Grey Beard, I do not know exactly what this should finish at.  @Connradd's started at 1085 and finished at 1023.  That's just under 73% attenuation by the yeast.  That is pretty good going and probably finished.  My RIS started at 1092 and finished at 1023 (coincidentally), exactly 75% attenuation.  Attenuation can be pretty variable.  I bottled mine in glass.  Nine were fully carbed and the rest were half carbed.  I drank the nine first and they were over-carbonated for the style.  The half carbed were ideal and I drank the last one just over 10 months after bottling.  I love my stouts too.  But, I have more restraint than some.

That's exactly the sort of inf I was chasing @Shamus O'Sean Shamus so as to ensure that I was not inadvertently leading @Connradd Con up the Brewery Garden Path ; )

Thanks mate... good stuff. 

By the sounds of that... it might be sound advice @Connradd to go one Coopers Lolly only per 750 Glass Largie or Plazzie Boy hey...  firstly you are less likely to overcarb and also less likely to facilitate generation of bottle bombasticos. 

[Connradd]

Cheers guys and yeah I'd read about only using one drop for carbonating this brew, would like to learn other ways without using the drops as I have seen mix reviews 

[Pezzza]

57 minutes ago, Connradd said:

Cheers guys and yeah I'd read about only using one drop for carbonating this brew, would like to learn other ways without using the drops as I have seen mix reviews 

When bottling I am happy with the ease and practicality of the Coopers Lollies...

I think @CLASSIC Phil has been trying different secondary ferment additions - you there Phil - think you have used different combinations of sugar and drops?

In this specific brew @Connradd Con mate I would just use one drop.... obviously you can try two and or using sugar dex or malt etc... but would not use too much.

HTH

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Graubart said:

When bottling I am happy with the ease and practicality of the Coopers Lollies...

I think @CLASSIC Phil has been trying different secondary ferment additions - you there Phil - think you have used different combinations of sugar and drops?

In this specific brew @Connradd Con mate I would just use one drop.... obviously you can try two and or using sugar dex or malt etc... but would not use too much.

HTH

Hey Graubster, I do experiment with the Carb drops & white sugar with the same measurement just to see to see the difference in carbonation, head retention etc.

So far I am very happy with the results & will continue to do so. Hops I have just started to dry hop as opposed to infusion, so it is all part of the challenge.

Cheers.

[Shamus O'Sean]

7 hours ago, Connradd said:

Cheers guys and yeah I'd read about only using one drop for carbonating this brew, would like to learn other ways without using the drops as I have seen mix reviews 

Hi, You could try a level teaspoon of table sugar into each bottle.  That's about 4g of sugar.  For bottling in stubbies (half the volume of a longneck), I use 3 x 1/4 teaspoons of sugar.  So about 3g of sugar.  Pretty close to what one carb drop is supposed to weigh.  Neither option will over-carbonate this beer.

[Connradd]

Thanks again guys, gonna just use the carb drops for now but want to look into using sugars. Quick question, what's the best way to clean/prepare bottles? Doing another read on the brew now and if it's stable gonna try to bottle it this Thursday/Friday.

[Malter White]

1 hour ago, Connradd said:

Quick question, what's the best way to clean/prepare bottles? Doing another read on the brew now and if it's stable gonna try to bottle it this Thursday/Friday.

What kind of bottles do you have, Connradd? Glass or PET? New or used?

Edited May 12, 2021 by MUZZY

[Connradd]

22 minutes ago, MUZZY said:

What kind of bottles do you have, Connradd? Glass or PET? New or used?

Hey @MUZZY I'm using new PET bottles

[Shamus O'Sean]

8 hours ago, Connradd said:

Hey @MUZZY I'm using new PET bottles

I just rinsed my brand new ones to remove any plastic bits from the manufacturing process.

Rinse, soak, rinse, dry and sanitise thereafter.

[Malter White]

9 hours ago, Connradd said:

Hey @MUZZY I'm using new PET bottles

Sorry for the delay in responding. I went to bed.  
You can use new PET bottles straight out the box or if you want to be safe you can do as Shamus does and give them a rinse, just in case.
Once you've drank your beer it's advisable to rinse them out as soon as you can, while all the gunk left in them is still soft and wet. Using hot water is best but not boiling. Boiling water is detrimental to the plastic. If the gunk dries out it makes it harder to remove.
I'm going to tag you in another thread of my bottle cleaning process so I don't have to type all the information again. Keep in mind it's the way I do it, others might have different ideas and you might find a better way yourself. However, I haven't had any problems in 3 years of doing it (in Frank Sinatra style) MY WAAAAY.
 

Edited May 13, 2021 by MUZZY

[Connradd]

10 hours ago, MUZZY said:

@MUZZY cheers mate, had a read through your post great info but because I've never used these bottles I should be safe to just rinse and sanitize yeah? 

[Malter White]

2 minutes ago, Connradd said:

10 hours ago, MUZZY said:

@MUZZY cheers mate, had a read through your post great info but because I've never used these bottles I should be safe to just rinse and sanitize yeah? 

Yes

Edited May 13, 2021 by MUZZY

[Connradd]

Bottling day begins!!!