What's in Your Fermenter 2023?

[Brauhaus Fritz]

Invested my $50 Westfield voucher into a good cause. Went to BigW to get ingredients for a Stout. Taking up @Pezzza ‘s tip I got a can of Coopers Stout, 1kg of LDME ( equivalent to a 1.5 kg can of LME) and a BE3. Also added some leftovers, 125 gr of Dextrose and 250gr Lactose. Used two kit yeasts and a volume of 19l with an OG of 1074.

 

[ChairmanDrew]

Just put on another brew using a Coopers European Lager that just hit the BB date, scored it for a measly $5.50NZD, so I'll be using them for my next few brews it looks like.

For this one I very roughly followed the Tranquil Tea recipe and made a jasmine green tea lager:

 

Coopers European Lager 1.7kg

1.5kg Maltex

100g dextrose

20 jasmine green tea bags steeped in 2l of hot water for 5-6 minutes

1 and half packs of the Coopers can lager yeast (I accidentally spilled half a pack, so threw another whole one in for good measure).

 

Got an OG of 10.44 at 21l. Plan is to dry hop with 25g of Nelson Sauvin hops and another 5 teabags later.

[Back Brewing]

My brew has fermented out and has been in the FV for a week I will leave it for another 5 to 7 days to clear 

Can I turn my inkbird off and let the temp drop to around 13c or 14c ambient instead of keeping it at 18c ?

[Cult Of One]

On 7/1/2023 at 3:24 PM, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Don’t waste your money  

That sounds promising. I am gifting it to a friend who is a fan of ginger beer. It is not something I like at all. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Back Brewing said:

My brew has fermented out and has been in the FV for a week I will leave it for another 5 to 7 days to clear 

Can I turn my inkbird off and let the temp drop to around 13c or 14c ambient instead of keeping it at 18c ?

You could, probably better if it was a Lager as opposed to an Ale, but personally I would rather leave it at a constant controlled temperature. Or you could cold crash it scaling down the temp over a few days.

[Back Brewing]

Thanks for that but I haven't got a fridge yet so will just leave it at 18c

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 minutes ago, Back Brewing said:

Thanks for that but I haven't got a fridge yet so will just leave it at 18c

Righto, in that case it is not going to hurt if you turned it off, but I would keep an eye on it & if needed whack it back on.

[Classic Brewing Co]

4 hours ago, Cult Of One said:

That sounds promising. I am gifting it to a friend who is a fan of ginger beer. It is not something I like at all. 

I tried a mates last week & it was pretty potent, about 10%, after a few of those I had grown another foot & had trouble walking 

Interestingly he used Victoria's Secret & Citra Hops to flavour it yet not overpowering the ginger.

Apparently dry hopping carbonates much faster& can sweeten the brew, so he used about 20-30gms in a hop bag infusion.

[Shamus O'Sean]

10 hours ago, Back Brewing said:

My brew has fermented out and has been in the FV for a week I will leave it for another 5 to 7 days to clear 

Can I turn my inkbird off and let the temp drop to around 13c or 14c ambient instead of keeping it at 18c ?

No harm in turning off the Inkbird.  You might get some minor cold crashing benefit.

[Back Brewing]

18 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

No harm in turning off the Inkbird.  You might get some minor cold crashing benefit.

That is what I was thinking that is why I asked so I will turn it off and let it go as low as it wants

I couldn't work out why the alcohol % was always a bit lower than the Coopers recipe until I worked it out they are allowing the .5% for the carbonation drops in the bottle.

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by Back Brewing

[Cult Of One]

23 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I tried a mates last week & it was pretty potent, about 10%, after a few of those I had grown another foot & had trouble walking 

Interestingly he used Victoria's Secret & Citra Hops to flavour it yet not overpowering the ginger.

Apparently dry hopping carbonates much faster& can sweeten the brew, so he used about 20-30gms in a hop bag infusion.

interesting.......I like the sound of that, I have about 15 grams of simcoe in a vacuumed sealed bag in freezer. I might give it a go. The issue is that if it turns out well I will not want to give it all to my mate. lol 

[Brauhaus Fritz]

On 7/2/2023 at 10:43 AM, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Just a sneaky K&K light beer, . OG 1082 (not in picture 300 gr steeped Chocolate Malt.)

As the ambient temperature didn't drop as expected for the "Tsar's Tar" (down to 13 degrees after 24 hours, pitched at 18 degrees) I put the FV into my cooling bag. As the wort started vigorously fermenting after 30 minutes and the airlock continuously bubbling and filling the bag with unpleasant smells the solution came in my sleep. As I wasted already an old airlock (cut the tube to fit in the bung and the hose on the tube) I didn't want to cut my hose, so I came up with this chimney. I can also use it as an overflow tube for the upcoming Hefeweizen (once the fermenters are empty). Will wait till Saturday to take the first reading.  The stout in the box sits on a constant 21 degrees (heatbelt)

[Classic Brewing Co]

This All In FWK - Leg breaker American Pale Ale has been in the FV for 8 days & down from 1.052 to 1.010 using Nottingham.

I can keg this in a couple of days, I will be dry hopping with 50gms of Citra first.

 

 

[Brauhaus Fritz]

Testing times

Firstly I tested a Früh Kölsch, as I interpreted the name of the beer as the German word for early,Great beer by the way. The Tsar’s Tar on the left is not very dark, but oh my good it is tasty, kind of plump and yummy. After 6 day down from 1082 to 1044. The Stout on the right is not too shabby either. Nice flavour so far. Down from 1074 to 1032. And for all the airlock bubblers, this one hasn’t bubbled once. Both beers have still a bit to go, will check them in a week again. And now I will finish the samples, too good to tip them out

[Classic Brewing Co]

In between AG brews I thought I would knock up a quick Draught for a keg, I got these on special this morning, but I will give it wings by adding 200gm Carapils/Nottingham & 50gms of Citra 3 days before kegging.

I don't mind a Draught on tap & I have a few 'plain jane' type mates that don't go for IPA/XPA's.

[jennyss]

Hi @Brauhaus Fritz, I like your photo with the Aboriginal painting as the backdrop - a good celebration of NAIDOC week.

[Shamus O'Sean]

10 hours ago, Brauhaus Fritz said:

Testing times

Firstly I tested a Früh Kölsch, as I interpreted the name of the beer as the German word for early,Great beer by the way. The Tsar’s Tar on the left is not very dark, but oh my good it is tasty, kind of plump and yummy. After 6 day down from 1082 to 1044. The Stout on the right is not too shabby either. Nice flavour so far. Down from 1074 to 1032. And for all the airlock bubblers, this one hasn’t bubbled once. Both beers have still a bit to go, will check them in a week again. And now I will finish the samples, too good to tip them out

I know they are tasty, but I keep these samples beside their respective FV.  They are mini-FV's.  I test their SG daily.  I find they mirror the main FV pretty well.  Certainly enough to know when final gravity is reached.  That way I am not wasting more beer on SG samples.  I always take a final gravity reading from the main FV when I keg/bottle

[Brauhaus Fritz]

9 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

I know they are tasty, but I keep these samples beside their respective FV.  They are mini-FV's.  I test their SG daily.  I find they mirror the main FV pretty well.  Certainly enough to know when final gravity is reached.  That way I am not wasting more beer on SG samples.  I always take a final gravity reading from the main FV when I keg/bottle

Interesting concept, I'll give it a go when the ambient temperatures allow (or I finally get a brewing fridge)

[Brauhaus Fritz]

18 hours ago, jennyss said:

Hi @Brauhaus Fritz, I like your photo with the Aboriginal painting as the backdrop - a good celebration of NAIDOC week.

This one hangs on our lounge room wall

[Graculus]

15 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

I know they are tasty, but I keep these samples beside their respective FV.  They are mini-FV's.  I test their SG daily.  I find they mirror the main FV pretty well.  Certainly enough to know when final gravity is reached.  That way I am not wasting more beer on SG samples.  I always take a final gravity reading from the main FV when I keg/bottle

I do this too.

Just took a reading of the Mangrove Jack's Grapefruit IPA this morning.

It smelt great in the week when I checked it, but even at 22C it's very slow fermenting.

I really would be wasting a lot of beer checking this all the time.

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 hours ago, Graculus said:

I do this too.

Just took a reading of the Mangrove Jack's Grapefruit IPA this morning.

It smelt great in the week when I checked it, but even at 22C it's very slow fermenting.

I really would be wasting a lot of beer checking this all the time.

I take a SG before pitching the yeast & my normal practice is to take another on day 6 & 12 but with yeasts like Nottingham it's fermented after about 4-5 days. I still leave it for 14 days to clear up a bit.

[Graculus]

15 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I take a SG before pitching the yeast & my normal practice is to take another on day 6 & 12 but with yeasts like Nottingham it's fermented after about 4-5 days. I still leave it for 14 days to clear up a bit.

I usually do this, but on day six I leave the sample in the fridge next to the FV.
As you say 14 days and it's done.

Alas using M44 US West Yeast yeast fermentation is not over in 4 or 5 days. It's been a week now and still at 1.023

This brew usually ends up being 14-21 days.

[Classic Brewing Co]

13 minutes ago, Graculus said:

I usually do this, but on day six I leave the sample in the fridge next to the FV.
As you say 14 days and it's done.

Alas using M44 US West Yeast yeast fermentation is not over in 4 or 5 days. It's been a week now and still at 1.023

This brew usually ends up being 14-21 days.

Yeah, I usually forget or don't worry about the second reading because if you are using Nottingham or similar yeasts the FG is going to be the same reading on day 14 when I keg it, so I just record the FG. I wouldn't suggest novices do this but after 40 years or so you sort of know the drill.

[Kegory]

On 7/2/2023 at 12:27 PM, Cheap Charlie said:

FWK - $50

..... until they kill a million brain cells.

Looks like you're going down to La La Land @Cheap Charlie

[Kegory]

On 7/3/2023 at 9:59 AM, Back Brewing said:

My brew has fermented out and has been in the FV for a week I will leave it for another 5 to 7 days to clear 

Can I turn my inkbird off and let the temp drop to around 13c or 14c ambient instead of keeping it at 18c ?

I always turn mine off on about day 12 after I've got a stable gravity.