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Super High OG


DouglasM1

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I just put my experimental Porter/Stout in the FV this past Sunday. I kind of messed up and put too much dextrose (slipped) in the wort. I brought it to a light boil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, so I know that all the sugars are well mixed. My OG was 1.086 at 80 deg F. I pitched 2 packs of Coopers yeast. Monday morning I had a good tall bubble going, by Tuesday morning it had died down. My brew room maintains a constant 70 deg F. I haven't taken the top off, but I can detect a banana smell coming from the FV. First question: did I not pitch enough yeast for the gravity, if not, can I still add another pack of yeast after 3 days in the FV? Second question: what does the banana smell indicate?

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Check out MrMalty for correct pitching rates. It doesn't work on my iPad so I can't check it but I would say that 14g yeast in 1086 wort (assuming 20 odd litres) is under pitching. Not sure by how much so you may get away with it and I am surprised it has conked out in 2 days.

 

The banana smell you have could be from the increased ester production from under pitched, stressed yeast.

 

If you have a spare packet I would pitch it.

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Hi DouglasM1.

 

I agree with both Hairy & AdamH's points about you underpitching your yeast amount for this brew.

 

The banana ester smell you speak of, is related to the temperature at which the brew probably fermented at. That being (80\xb0F/27\xb0C). Without knowing the exact size of your "brew room" & how the ambient temperature is controlled in that room, on the surface I would suggest that after pitching your yeast, the brew has at a bare minimum, maintained the 80\xb0F & more likely increased in temperature by some 4-6\xb0F above your pitching temperature once the yeast got up & going. [pinched]

 

To me, this explains the fast ferment, & the obvious banana esters produced as a by-product of that.

 

If the banana esters are an unwanted characteristic in the beer you like to brew, then try to pitch your yeast into your brew wort at a much lower temperature, say 68-72\xb0F, & then attempt to maintain a temperature of approx. 64-66\xb0F throughout the primary ferment. This will produce a much cleaner profile ale beer, with lesser ester influences.

 

Good luck with your future brewing. [wink]

 

Anthony.

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Thanks Lusty, I didn't worry about commenting on the temps.

 

I didn't know what 80 deg F was [innocent]

I'm hopeless too (most of the time) when it comes to immediately converting Fahrenheit to Celsius temperature, & vise-versa. So I went looking (a while back), & found this easy online conversion tool.

 

Easy Temperature Conversion

 

I use it all the time. Particularly when converting American based recipes.

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

 

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I have a converter on my phone, which comes in really handy on brew day because my thermometer is in bloody Fahrenheit. Although from using it constantly, I've started to learn or get used to what temps in F are in C. You'll probably find that that OG reading at 80F is in actual fact more like 1088 or something at 68F (20C), where the reading should be taken.

 

The under pitch of the yeast, combined with the higher than desired temperatures is what has led to these off flavours and aromas.

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Thanks Lusty, I didn't worry about commenting on the temps.

 

I didn't know what 80 deg F was [innocent]

 

Same, I got no idea.

 

At SMWBO's grandma's place on the weekend I found a bottle of some oil they use to take and it was in fluid ounces. Made in Australia. That bottle must be around 50 years old or more!

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For quick conversion from any Internet enabled device, just use google.

 

eg. Type in 'convert 80f to c' and you'll get the answer. Plus a handy little calculator after your first search to type in any temp. It will convert pretty much anything to anything that is possible. Very handy.

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The under pitch of the yeast' date=' combined with the higher than desired temperatures is what has led to these off flavours and aromas. [/quote'] Off?!! Our commercial Sparkling Ale throws banana aromas from time-to-time. I kinda like it - each to their own, I guess [whistling
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Yeah, it depends how much flavour you want your yeast to put out. (Heh, heh. Put out. [biggrin])

 

I find myself fermenting my Belgians higher and higher so that I get more flavour from the yeast. Of course, the higher I go, the greater the wrath of Mt. Crackaphilbo. [pinched]

 

Hey, why am I the only one on this forum who has wood for Belgian beers?

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[lol]

 

Well, off if they aren't desired in the beer then. [tongue]

Yeah, I'm with you! Many people (at the brewery) find the 4VG (clove like) characteristics, thrown by a number of yeasts, to be offensive. I can see how it could be seen as a symptom from a spoilage organism if it is not meant to be in the style of beer being made. [sideways]

 

Hairy, I encourage you to make a Belgian. Just bottlled/kegged a Lemon Myrtle Witbier, using a stepped up yeast (Wyeast 3944) from a LMW bottled in Feb. The ferment went great guns - no risk of overflow when fermented in the DIY Beer FV [wink]

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[lol]

 

Well, off if they aren't desired in the beer then. [tongue]

Yeah, I'm with you! Many people (at the brewery) find the 4VG (clove like) characteristics, thrown by a number of yeasts, to be offensive. I can see how it could be seen as a symptom from a spoilage organism if it is not meant to be in the style of beer being made. [sideways]

 

Hairy, I encourage you to make a Belgian. Just bottlled/kegged a Lemon Myrtle Witbier, using a stepped up yeast (Wyeast 3944) from a LMW bottled in Feb. The ferment went great guns - no risk of overflow when fermented in the DIY Beer FV [wink]

 

Yum, Lemon Myrtle Witbier. Do that Hairy, it will be awesome for summer

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I appreciate all the advice. I know what you mean about the conversions. My temp gauge on my fermenter is in bleedin' Celsius! :-)but seriously, thank you all. Early Tuesday morning I pitched another 7G of Cooper yeast. Early Saturday morning I pulled a vial for a gravity test, and got a 1.020 giving me a 8.7% ABV, if my calculation is right. So, rather than let good alcohol go to waste, I drank it! Much to my surprise it was awesome! Very malty and heavy bodied with a definite alcohol bite and a slightly sweet after taste. Almost no bitterness, so my UK Kent Goldings hops have been ordered and should be here for the last week in the FV. From my taste test, it seems that it should come out like a good Porter with a slight hop bitterness and a high alcohol content! [cool]

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I appreciate all the advice. I know what you mean about the conversions. My temp gauge on my fermenter is in bleedin' Celsius! :-)but seriously' date=' thank you all. Early Tuesday morning I pitched another 7G of Cooper yeast. Early Saturday morning I pulled a vial for a gravity test, and got a 1.020 giving me a 8.7% ABV, if my calculation is right. So, rather than let good alcohol go to waste, I drank it! Much to my surprise it was awesome! Very malty and heavy bodied with a definite alcohol bite and a slightly sweet after taste. Almost no bitterness, so my UK Kent Goldings hops have been ordered and should be here for the last week in the FV. From my taste test, it seems that it should come out like a good Porter with a slight hop bitterness and a high alcohol content! [cool']

 

Are you planning on boiling the hops? Because that's the only way to get bitterness out of them. Adding them straight to the FV will only add aroma

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[lol]

 

Well, off if they aren't desired in the beer then. [tongue]

Yeah, I'm with you! Many people (at the brewery) find the 4VG (clove like) characteristics, thrown by a number of yeasts, to be offensive. I can see how it could be seen as a symptom from a spoilage organism if it is not meant to be in the style of beer being made. [sideways]

 

Hairy, I encourage you to make a Belgian. Just bottlled/kegged a Lemon Myrtle Witbier, using a stepped up yeast (Wyeast 3944) from a LMW bottled in Feb. The ferment went great guns - no risk of overflow when fermented in the DIY Beer FV [wink]

 

Yum, Lemon Myrtle Witbier. Do that Hairy, it will be awesome for summer

I missed this one.

 

I will definitely be brewing a Belgian in the near future; maybe a blonde. The LMW sounds good but I prefer the Bavarian style for wheats.

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