Whats in Your Fermenter - 2024?

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 hours ago, Aussiekraut said:

A 4.5l Coopers Lager

 

I wouldn't be over the moon about the quality of the fermenter but looks like it will still work.

Does it say they are reusable. You would hope so.

[Brauhaus Fritz II]

1 hour ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I wouldn't be over the moon about the quality of the fermenter but looks like it will still work.

Does it say they are reusable. You would hope so.

Had a look at Aldi just now, it actually says one time use. 

[Aussiekraut]

16 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I wouldn't be over the moon about the quality of the fermenter but looks like it will still work.

Does it say they are reusable. You would hope so.

Yeah, it is just a plastic bladder, nothing fancy. It says single use but I am sure you can find ways to utilise it for something else...for as long as it lasts. Maybe throw a small batch of mead in it or as @ozdevil suggested, small test brews for new recipes or ideas. That might work. 

Well, let's see how it goes. 

[Cheap Charlie]

On 8/21/2024 at 11:58 AM, Aussiekraut said:

Until it goes wrong

I have been tempted to keep my fermenter going with consecutive batches until it does fail, was thinking about this 2 weeks ago when I put down my current brew. The most I have done is 5 in a row, and the fermenter looked black and cruddy - I use a SS fermenter. I just figured after 5 I would do a clean and start again. Also, I was about to put down a pacific ale style where I had been doing german lager styles. I have W34-70 (dubbya?) on a kolsch atm and I was thinking of dirty batching over the summer until failure. You have just convinced me to give it a crack - in the name of good science of course

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Cheap Charlie said:

I have been tempted to keep my fermenter going with consecutive batches until it does fail, was thinking about this 2 weeks ago when I put down my current brew. The most I have done is 5 in a row, and the fermenter looked black and cruddy - I use a SS fermenter. I just figured after 5 I would do a clean and start again. Also, I was about to put down a pacific ale style where I had been doing german lager styles. I have W34-70 (dubbya?) on a kolsch atm and I was thinking of dirty batching over the summer until failure. You have just convinced me to give it a crack - in the name of good science of course

Some of them on here swear by it, I have never tried it & I don't intend to, I prefer fresh yeast as well.

Everyone to their own.

[Pezzza]

On 8/21/2024 at 11:58 AM, Aussiekraut said:

Although our mate @Pezzza would disagree. His PBFM method works like clockwork…lucky bugger

Yes mate PCBM it is known up in the Mountains ; )

Pezzza Continuous Brewing Methodology 

Three FVs OTW as of this morning... two yesterday one this morning 

Dubbs far left though was slurry harvest into Preserving Jar and had then a little sleep in the fridge for cuppla weeks - but the other two - Switzer S-189 and Yankee US05 were backfilled after kegging yesterday. 

I think that what you are doing is probably best practice @Aussiekraut AK but for the time being - and hopefully ongoing - the ol PCBM seems to be going ok : )

Busy times indeed : )

 

Doubles are a stretch w my kit... and require a bit more effort and definitely monitoring closely at time of boil!

Singles a little less troublesome ; )

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

9 minutes ago, Pezzza said:

Yes mate PCBM it is known up in the Mountains ; )

Pezzza Continuous Brewing Methodology 

Three FVs OTW as of this morning... two yesterday one this morning 

Dubbs far left though was slurry harvest into Preserving Jar and had then a little sleep in the fridge for cuppla weeks - but the other two - Switzer S-189 and Yankee US05 were backfilled after kegging yesterday. 

I think that what you are doing is probably best practice @Aussiekraut AK but for the time being - and hopefully ongoing - the ol PCBM seems to be going ok : )

Busy times indeed : )

 

Doubles are a stretch w my kit... and require a bit more effort and definitely monitoring closely at time of boil!

Singles a little less troublesome ; )

 

Good to see the Mountain Brewery still knocking out luscious beers, no rest for the wicked. 

[NBillett09]

So some of you guys are just scooping out some trub at the end, cooling it then pitching it straight into the next batch?  

[Back Brewing]

47 minutes ago, NBillett09 said:

So some of you guys are just scooping out some trub at the end, cooling it then pitching it straight into the next batch?  

Either leaving a little bit of beer in the FV on the trub swirling it around and getting all the yeast in suspension and drawing some off into as an example cleaned and sanitised 300ml preserving/jam jar and kept in the fridge repitching later into a brew I usually keep at least 2 jars of verdant yeast to reuse I pitch one within a day or 2 and the second one about 2 weeks later. I don't keep the jars any more than 2 or 3 weeks.

The other method which I find works quite well is after you keg/bottle your beer just pour your next brew straight on top of the trub in the FV and away it goes again.

Edited August 23 by Back Brewing

[Red devil 44]

IPA FWK, I will pressure ferment this at 10PSI, closed loop dry hop around high krausen with 80g Galaxy. 
US-05 Yeast@19 degrees. . 

[Shamus O'Sean]

Inspired by this post, I mixed up a James Squire Chancer Golden Ale today.  Made up to a 27 litre batch in my Coopers fermenter.  28 IBU, 29 EBC, OG 1.042.  I decided to use Perle hops in the initial boil because I only have Amarillo Cryo hops.  Cryo hops are meant to be a late addition, for their intense aromas and flavours.  I read it is a bit of a waste using Cryo hops in a boil.  Hence why I went for something else.  I ended up boiling the Perle for a bit longer to get the equivalent IBU's out of them.

• 1.7kg Coopers Australian Pale Ale
• 1.4kg Light Dry Malt
• 250g Medium Crystal Malt - 30 minute hot steep
• 200g Carapils Malt - 30 minute hot steep
• 13g Perle - 35 minute boil (9 IBU)
• 11g Amarillo Cryo - 5 minute boil (3 IBU)
• 10g Amarillo Cryo - Dry hop
• Fermenting with a spare packet of Bootmaker Pale Ale yeast at 18°C

Some of the ingredients

Insulated grain hot steep

Hops

Wort coming to the boil

Fermenter tucked away in my hi-tech fermentation chamber.  A heat belt will keep the brew around 18°C when the night time temperature drops.

[Red devil 44]

Just an update on my IPA currently pressure fermenting@12PSI, will dry hop with 80g Citra soon. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 hours ago, Red devil 44 said:

Just an update on my IPA currently pressure fermenting@12PSI, will dry hop with 80g Citra soon. 

Looking very drinkable RD.

[Red devil 44]

1 hour ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Looking very drinkable RD.

Yeah looking forward to this one. 

[jennyss]

I'm excited! I have a Coopers Botanic Ale at day 8 in the fermenter. The juniper berries were something different to add right at the beginning. First time I have tried Nectaron hops. I was able to keep the brew at 18 deg. It is SG/FG at 1015 after starting at 1056. Should make an ABV of 5.5%. I tasted the brew this morning early when I checked the SG. I couldn't think what it tasted like, so I went back to the Coopers recipe description and read "malty, hoppy, herbal, resinous, fruity". I'll drink to that!

[BlackSands]

A Golden Ale.  Haven't brewed one for a long time. 

Gladfield malts: pilsner, a bit of toffee malt and wheat malt, hopped up with Pacific Jade, Motueka and Nelson.  And of course, fermented with voss - my usual "go to" yeast, which literally took a day to chomp its way through a 1.040 OG wort down to a 1.009 FG @ 35ºC.  And voss, being a floccing good yeast, the beer is already clearing up very nicely! 

 

 

[Red devil 44]

My IPA  that I dry hopped with 80g Citra under CC, this has been fermenting just over 2 weeks, so planning to keg it tomorrow. 
‘Very hazy looking, not that it bothers me.

[Back Brewing]

42 minutes ago, Red devil 44 said:

My IPA  that I dry hopped with 80g Citra under CC, this has been fermenting just over 2 weeks, so planning to keg it tomorrow. 
‘Very hazy looking, not that it bothers me.

So fermented and cold crashed at 12psi when you keg it you can drink it straight away or you still have to carb it more for a few days?

[Red devil 44]

27 minutes ago, Back Brewing said:

So fermented and cold crashed at 12psi when you keg it you can drink it straight away or you still have to carb it more for a few days?

You can drink it, but it is normally not fully carbonated.

It drops a few psi when cold crashed, but will bump it up to 12PSI tomorrow to keg. 
‘I usually leave it on serving pressure for a few days then try it. 

[jennyss]

A bit like that movie 'Ground Hog Day': we are doing the same brews over and over again! (Well not quite; I am experimenting with hops, and I am waiting for my Botanical Pale Ale to be ready). What's in the fermenters currently are my Coopers Pale Ale on the left and my husband's Coopers Lager on the right. Empty bottles waiting in the cupboard underneath.

[Beerdo]

58 minutes ago, jennyss said:

A bit like that movie 'Ground Hog Day': we are doing the same brews over and over again! (Well not quite; I am experimenting with hops, and I am waiting for my Botanical Pale Ale to be ready). What's in the fermenters currently are my Coopers Pale Ale on the left and my husband's Coopers Lager on the right. Empty bottles waiting in the cupboard underneath.

Nothing wrong with routine, Jenny. In my earlier days of brewing, roughly around the same stage you are at now, I experimented quite a bit. The results varied from excellent to quite average but it was all drinkable and part of the fun of learning. Now I'm 7 years into this hobby and I mostly make the same beers over and over - Coopers APA & Stout. They are great kits and always turn out well.