What's in Your Fermenter 2022?

[Uhtred Of Beddanburg]

Fresh Wort Kit-Consequences Pale Lager from All in Brewing CO.  Will be ready to start cold crash tomorrow or day after. 

 

Fresh Wort Kit-Kegland Lager in plain black and white packaging already cold crashing. Came out a bit stronger than I wanted 5.7% will water down more next time. With yeast slurry was already at 22 litres. 

[jennyss]

In the fermenter: Husband's pick - Woolworths Draught extract with 1kg dextrose added, then water to 23 litres @22deg and pitched yeast.   OG 1036

Must admit the whole process was so quick and easy with no extra 'yeast food' or hops!

[Classic Brewing Co]

35 minutes ago, jennyss said:

In the fermenter: Husband's pick - Woolworths Draught extract with 1kg dextrose added, then water to 23 litres @22deg and pitched yeast.   OG 1036

Must admit the whole process was so quick and easy with no extra 'yeast food' or hops!

I agree, even with adding extra malts, steeping hops etc a k & k brew hardly takes any time at all & it gets quicker the more you do it.

 

[BlackSands]

18 hours ago, Uhtred Of Beddanburg said:

How did you add the citra?  I sometimes done a 50 gram steep with good results. Then other times I thought it was not enough, Sounds nice.

What I do what is essentially a combo steep/dry hop.  Because I ferment with Kveik fermentation.  In recent times I've been loading up a hop cannister with the requisite amount of hops - place that in the fermenter prior to adding the wort. Because I ferment with kveik the wort is usually at around 35 - 40ºC when I pour it in.  This is essentially the "steeping" aspect.  But as the cannister remains in the beer until done, which with Kveik can be just a few days, this is more a like a dry hop.

One issue that always bothered me with hopier brews was that of "hop fade".  It's just inevitable that over time, and it doesn't seem that long that overall hop presence, aroma in particular fades away.  I'm don't think this method solves that problem but for me it's a just a simple and convenient way to get hops into the beer.   

[Tone boy]

5 hours ago, BlackSands said:

What I do what is essentially a combo steep/dry hop.  Because I ferment with Kveik fermentation.  In recent times I've been loading up a hop cannister with the requisite amount of hops - place that in the fermenter prior to adding the wort. Because I ferment with kveik the wort is usually at around 35 - 40ºC when I pour it in.  This is essentially the "steeping" aspect.  But as the cannister remains in the beer until done, which with Kveik can be just a few days, this is more a like a dry hop.

One issue that always bothered me with hopier brews was that of "hop fade".  It's just inevitable that over time, and it doesn't seem that long that overall hop presence, aroma in particular fades away.  I'm don't think this method solves that problem but for me it's a just a simple and convenient way to get hops into the beer.   

Hey Sandman, that makes sense to me.  Sounds like a simple and sound method.
Regarding the hop fade, have you ever tried dry hopping post fermentation? From memory you lift the lid to add gelatin for fining, I wonder if chucking in then would result in longer lasting hop flavour.

I know when I add hops earlier, and I open up the fridge to check on the fermenter the smell is amazing. But I can’t help thinking that all those beautiful hop aromas that I’m smelling have already left the beer. 
 

[Graculus]

23 hours ago, Uhtred Of Beddanburg said:

Fresh Wort Kit-Consequences Pale Lager from All in Brewing CO.  Will be ready to start cold crash tomorrow or day after. 

 

Fresh Wort Kit-Kegland Lager in plain black and white packaging already cold crashing. Came out a bit stronger than I wanted 5.7% will water down more next time. With yeast slurry was already at 22 litres. 

I made a Kissaki Lager from All in Brewing a few weeks ago. It's very nice.
I find their website a little strange as they show a range of worts, but nothing to click on for extra information.
Or am I missing something??

This morning a made a Mangroves Jacks Grapefruit IPA.
Ignored the advice on the pouch to add a kg of dextrose.
Instead went for 500g each of dextrose & LDME & 250g of Maltodextrin.
I've made this before and it's nice.

In the other fermenter I have a Coopers Lager. I'm using the lager yeast I saved after making the Kissaki fresh wort a few weeks ago.
This will probably be for my son to take along to one of his Rural Fire Service meetings at Christmas.

[Uhtred Of Beddanburg]

@BlackSands that is definitely a very good way to add the hops especially if only fermenting for a few days. If it works for you i guess thats all that matters. 

@Graculus I have one of those japaneese lagers ready to brew. I will do it in a few weeks when I get back from a weekend away.  It's good to know someone has done it and liked it. 

I know what you mean about the website and same happened to me. I was just guessing it would be light bodied and easy drinking like a couple of different Asian beers I had tried.

 

[jennyss]

6 hours ago, BlackSands said:

"hop fade". 

@BlackSands and @Tone boy, That is very interesting what you have both said about 'hop fade'. I have also been disappointed to find that lovely hop aroma fading away. Next (extract) brew I think I'll try adding steeped hop pellets post fermentation, say on about day 10, a couple of days before bottling.

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 hours ago, Tone boy said:

Hey Sandman, that makes sense to me.  Sounds like a simple and sound method.
Regarding the hop fade, have you ever tried dry hopping post fermentation? From memory you lift the lid to add gelatin for fining, I wonder if chucking in then would result in longer lasting hop flavour.

I know when I add hops earlier, and I open up the fridge to check on the fermenter the smell is amazing. But I can’t help thinking that all those beautiful hop aromas that I’m smelling have already left the beer. 
 

On the subject of Hops, I am just finishing the 2l Growler of Coopers Draught which was also kegged & hop presence is still amazing as a result of using fresh hops (I posted a couple of photos earlier) I realise they are not always available unless you grow your own but even that would come with limitations due to seasonal issues.

If you get the chance to boil up, steep & add to the FV I would go for it. I was almost tempted to chuck a handful of fresh hops in, but I declined as I thought it wiser to boil them.

Really the hop taste is awesome.

[Cheap Charlie]

Coopers Mild recipe followed to a T.

Coopers APA

500g LDME

12g saaz steeped 15 min

Coopers commercial yeast in fridge at 21º

[Graculus]

5 hours ago, Uhtred Of Beddanburg said:

@BlackSands that is definitely a very good way to add the hops especially if only fermenting for a few days. If it works for you i guess thats all that matters. 

@Graculus I have one of those japaneese lagers ready to brew. I will do it in a few weeks when I get back from a weekend away.  It's good to know someone has done it and liked it. 

I know what you mean about the website and same happened to me. I was just guessing it would be light bodied and easy drinking like a couple of different Asian beers I had tried.

 

I'd already tried the KIssaki at @Southern Man's place. He brewed one with US05 yeast.
The next time he made it with Lallemand Diamond Lager yeast. Both were good, but the one with Lager yeast was better.

I've brewed it twice. Both times using the Lager yeast.

I did brew it to drink at Christmas, but the rate I'm going through it there won't be much left.

 

[Uhtred Of Beddanburg]

@Graculus yes the lager one would definitely be better for that style. I'll either use Bavarian or Diamond Lager yeast slurry for mine.

[BlackSands]

18 hours ago, Tone boy said:

Hey Sandman, that makes sense to me.  Sounds like a simple and sound method.
Regarding the hop fade, have you ever tried dry hopping post fermentation? From memory you lift the lid to add gelatin for fining, I wonder if chucking in then would result in longer lasting hop flavour.

I know when I add hops earlier, and I open up the fridge to check on the fermenter the smell is amazing. But I can’t help thinking that all those beautiful hop aromas that I’m smelling have already left the beer. 
 

I used to dry hop post-fermentation, but the hop fade was still a problem.  You do get a much more pronounced aroma doing it that way - initially, but I found after just a few weeks in bottle it was all but gone, and ultimately just ended pretty much the same as late addition/hop-steeped beer.  So, I don't bother anymore.  

 

AND, I think I have just encountered one significant downside to using a large amount of high-alpha hops throughout a high-temp kveik fermentation.  The temperature is obviously high enough to extract more bitterness from the hops!  Compounding the problem this fermentation, unlike other kveik fermentations is also going extremely slow.  I suspect my 3-year old yeast might finally be due for retirement!   As a result I now have a brew that is tasting super bitter!  

[Tone boy]

1 hour ago, BlackSands said:

I used to dry hop post-fermentation, but the hop fade was still a problem.  You do get a much more pronounced aroma doing it that way - initially, but I found after just a few weeks in bottle it was all but gone, and ultimately just ended pretty much the same as late addition/hop-steeped beer.  So, I don't bother anymore.  

 

AND, I think I have just encountered one significant downside to using a large amount of high-alpha hops throughout a high-temp kveik fermentation.  The temperature is obviously high enough to extract more bitterness from the hops!  Compounding the problem this fermentation, unlike other kveik fermentations is also going extremely slow.  I suspect my 3-year old yeast might finally be due for retirement!   As a result I now have a brew that is tasting super bitter!  

Yes it’s definitely a problem Sandy. Maybe we just need to drink quicker!!
 

The issue with bitterness may be more to do with hopping temperature and the extraction of polyphenols from the hops, rather then the high percentage of AA. I found this article interesting, and have been playing around with shorter dry hop times recently. 
Extract from article pasted below if interested…
 

complaints with heavily-hopped hazy IPAs is an aggressive vegetal bitterness, sometimes referred to as “hop bite.” Part of this could be explained by a large portion of polyphenols making their way into beer via dry hopping. In a study examining the transfer rates of hop substances during dry hopping, researchers found the rate of total polyphenols pickup is about 50–60%.¹¹

A paper looking at dry hop temperature, dry hop duration, and the impact on polyphenol extraction also suggests that their may be benefits to shorter and cooler dry hop durations to reduce some hop bite. The authors found that the temperature of the dry hop significantly increased polyphenol extraction. When dry hopping at 66°F (19°C) compared to 39°F (4°C), there was an increase in polyphenol concentrations of nearly two-fold for the low-alpha hop and nearly 2.5-fold for the high alpha hop.¹² In general, the higher the alpha-acid concentration in a hop, the lower the polyphenols. Likewise, the lower the alpha-acid hop, the higher the polyphenol content (pretty much the opposite of what I would have guessed). 

[Tricky Micky]

I tend to dry hop late these days and not for very long - no more than 24 hours and when the wort temp is around 14-16 degrees as it's cold crashed. Seems to work for me but I have no way of knowing if the results are better or the same as my previous dry hop method, not without doing a side by side anyway.

 

[DavidM]

Coopers Bootmaker 

1k Light Dry Malt, 400g Crystal Malt, 200g Maltodextrin

40g Galaxy Hops

 

[Tricky Micky]

59 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Coopers Bootmaker 

1k Light Dry Malt, 400g Crystal Malt, 200g Maltodextrin

40g Galaxy Hops

 

Sounds good @DavidM, might just do one of the same.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Threw in the dry hops today for my pale ale. 25g each of Amarillo and Citra, probably take a FG sample on the weekend and chill it down for the week before kegging next weekend. It should be finished fermentation by now really. 

[Shamus O'Sean]

9 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

Threw in the dry hops today for my pale ale. 25g each of Amarillo and Citra, probably take a FG sample on the weekend and chill it down for the week before kegging next weekend. It should be finished fermentation by now really. 

Plus a day or two ago you said about adding Polyclar during the cold crash, but you did not mention using Isinglass.  You used to use them both.  I have been following your previous process of adding Isinglass once the brew is cold, then 24 hours adding Polyclar.  It gives me nice clear beer.  Why no Isingalss step this time around?  Trying something different or just do not have any?

[Otto Von Blotto]

17 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Plus a day or two ago you said about adding Polyclar during the cold crash, but you did not mention using Isinglass.  You used to use them both.  I have been following your previous process of adding Isinglass once the brew is cold, then 24 hours adding Polyclar.  It gives me nice clear beer.  Why no Isingalss step this time around?  Trying something different or just do not have any?

Yeah, don't have any at the moment. Not sure I will again either unless I can find the powdered version somewhere. The liquid one is too expensive per batch. 

[stquinto]

Just out of interest, if you are going to keg a brew, with a pack of finings (Young’s, colloidal-based, whatever that is), and leave it a few weeks before drinking it, is there any point cold-crashing?

Also do you get less hop fade if you make a hop tea with a coffee plunger instead  of dry-hopping?

Cheers!

[Otto Von Blotto]

1 hour ago, stquinto said:

Just out of interest, if you are going to keg a brew, with a pack of finings (Young’s, colloidal-based, whatever that is), and leave it a few weeks before drinking it, is there any point cold-crashing?

Also do you get less hop fade if you make a hop tea with a coffee plunger instead  of dry-hopping?

Cheers!

Depends on your process I suppose. I use the finings in the fermenter during the cold crash so they get left behind when I keg it - and they usually work best at chilled temperature. Alternatively you could put them in at kegging time and keep the keg chilled. Once you pull the first bit of crap out at the first pour the rest would probably stay put unless the keg was moved. 

[Cult Of One]

Quick question to all.

My day job involves me working commercially in sustainability and is one of the reason I like the idea of home brewing. I also despise waste as a result so here is my question.

The bottom of the FV with the sludge of dead yeast and particulate matter

is that useful for anything?

is it OK to put in compost?

Can it be used in any way?

[DavidM]

12 minutes ago, Cult Of One said:

Quick question to all.

My day job involves me working commercially in sustainability and is one of the reason I like the idea of home brewing. I also despise waste as a result so here is my question.

The bottom of the FV with the sludge of dead yeast and particulate matter

is that useful for anything?

is it OK to put in compost?

Can it be used in any way?

I spread mine on the Lawn

(lawn is a poor word for my area, Mowed weeds is better).

[Classic Brewing Co]

15 minutes ago, Cult Of One said:

Quick question to all.

My day job involves me working commercially in sustainability and is one of the reason I like the idea of home brewing. I also despise waste as a result so here is my question.

The bottom of the FV with the sludge of dead yeast and particulate matter

is that useful for anything?

is it OK to put in compost?

Can it be used in any way?

Generally, I rinse mine out & chuck it on the garden, I figure some plants somewhere would benefit.

You can of course re-use the yeast for another brew, save it to a sanitised jar & seal with cello wrap & fridge for 2-3 weeks.

Of course, your cleaning/sanitising practices need to be meticulous as you could infect the next brew.