What's in Your Fermenter? 2016

[Otto Von Blotto]

Sweet. It's a cracker of a yeast, I didn't taste my ESB sample today but I did smell it and it's quite promising. Definitely looking forward to trying it out once it's properly ready. I also used it to ferment the stout I'm drinking now but in a beer that big, the yeast influence is pretty drowned out.

 

It went very well in my red ale though. Brought out the maltiness just enough, but finished slightly dry, so the beer is refreshing but flavourful. Neither the hops or malt dominate really, it's the perfect yeast for that recipe I think. US-05 brought the hops out too much. I then tried 1318 with it, but it finished too sweet. The 1469 is just right in the middle.

 

I'm good for base malts for a little while but next time I head down there for some, I'll be picking up one of the new MiniMill hoppers to go with my mill. Aluminium construction instead of perspex, and bigger too, so it'll hold more grain. I also need a new grain bag; my current one has a small hole in the bottom of it so that's one reason, but also the hop spider isn't any good for hop flowers. Throwing them in loose doesn't work either because they clog the tap outlet. So I'll get a new grain bag for mashing and keep the one with the small hole to use as a giant hop sock for when I use my flowers.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

[Morrie]

Sweet. It's a cracker of a yeast' date=' I didn't taste my ESB sample today but I did smell it and it's quite promising. Definitely looking forward to trying it out once it's properly ready. I also used it to ferment the stout I'm drinking now but in a beer that big, the yeast influence is pretty drowned out.

 

It went very well in my red ale though. Brought out the maltiness just enough, but finished slightly dry, so the beer is refreshing but flavourful. Neither the hops or malt dominate really, it's the perfect yeast for that recipe I think. US-05 brought the hops out too much. I then tried 1318 with it, but it finished too sweet. The 1469 is just right in the middle.

 

I'm good for base malts for a little while but next time I head down there for some, I'll be picking up one of the new MiniMill hoppers to go with my mill. Aluminium construction instead of perspex, and bigger too, so it'll hold more grain. I also need a new grain bag; my current one has a small hole in the bottom of it so that's one reason, but also the hop spider isn't any good for hop flowers. Throwing them in loose doesn't work either because they clog the tap outlet. So I'll get a new grain bag for mashing and keep the one with the small hole to use as a giant hop sock for when I use my flowers.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey[/quote']

 

I really wanted one of those hoppers when I bought my mill but they were not available back then. I made my own hopper out of perspex and some light angle from Bunnings. When I first tried it out I had a heap of grains going through uncrushed due to some bypass. I didn't know that you should only have a narrow slot in the centre for enough grains to feed between the rollers only. Anyway a quick fix with a perspex base with about a 8 or 10 mm slot. How big is your mill slot?

[Otto Von Blotto]

Never really measured it but I'd say about 8-10mm too. The key is getting the sides or ends low enough to the rollers as well, so that the grains can't escape out the wrong side of the rollers underneath the hopper.

 

Those aluminium hoppers weren't available when I got my mill back in 2012; they only had the perspex ones then, and while it works fine, it is a bit broken. A piece broke off the section that covers the gears at one point, which I've kept and just have it sitting loose in there now, and two of the screw holes are useless now too. One had part of the perspex break off it, and the other one's thread is stripped. Fortunately it's one on each side, rather than both on one side, so I can still use the thing, it's just not as good as it was. Doesn't let any uncracked grains through at least.

 

The biggest improvement to that mill was getting the fluted roller to replace one of the original knurled rollers. Before that, it was taking nearly an hour to mill a few kg of grain because the stupid thing wouldn't pull them through properly. There was also a lot of flour. With the replacement roller it gets through it in a matter of minutes and the crush is WAY better, with very little flour.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

[Waylon]

My 2x largers are nearly finished in there fermenters,

There 60%pilsner 35%vienna 5% cARapils all sazz

The other 2x 19litre batches of centennial/marris otter smashes are crash chilling day 4!

Hell I should have dry hopped one with alsorts of stuff... both left un dry hopped

 

[BlackSands]

A full brew day for me - two brews back to back!

 

 

The first is an Irish Red as discussed:

 

1 x OS Draught

1 x 1.5kg pale LME

50g Roasted Barley

100g light Crystal Malt

200g CaraAroma Malt

200g Dextrose

NZ Fuggles (5 mins)

US-04

 

Made a 'faux-starter' - essentially re-hydrated the yeast in cooled wort for an hour. 14hrs later it's sitting at 17-18ºC with a big healthy krausen.

 

 

And though I'd been a little put off with my first (failed?) attempt at a lager I decided to have another go at a Kiwi Pilsner - while it's still cold! So, keeping it relatively simple:

 

Coopers OS lager

1.5kg LME

200g Carapils

200g Dextrose

20g Nelson Sauvin (10 mins)

S-23

 

Yeast went in warm but is now just starting to show visible signs (airlock) of fermention at 13ºC. I'm at the mercy of ambient temps - not ideal I know, but hopefully it'll stay this cold for a wee while longer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MarkC]

I've got a Belgian Tripel bubbling away, which I put down last Sunday, Belgium's national day.

It's based on OS Real Ale with a stack of DME, Belgian candi and a soupçon of coriander thrown in. Pitched Danstar Abbaye, which I've never used before.

Nothing happened for a day or so, then there was a thin layer of white, but on the third day a massive krausen emerged that has been happily evolving ever since.

The smell is incredible (in a good way), I'm pretty excited about what's in store when it finishes and conditions for a further week or so before I sample and bottle.

[Waylon]

Just used my last 28 litre cube of; Centennial- marris otter smash

Poured it strait on top of its 15 litre little brother to make 25 litres... 24 hours its fermenting like crazy @17 degrees...go WLP 001

 

Im going to dry hop the crap out this Brew as I didnt dry hop my last brews of it!

 

Im going to dry hop next week with maybe 120g Centennial & 15g of left over nelson sauvin...

 

 

[Scottie]

Consequences Lager, it's been there for 5 weeks, two of those at 2 degrees. I need to start thing about getting that beer of the trub but I'm undecided whether I should cube it and continue to lager or whether I should just keg it straight up next week.

 

Cheers & Beers

Scottie

Valley Brew

[Mark D Pirate]

What started as a Golden Ale has turned into a Golden XPA .....if there's such a thing ?

17 L

1.8 kg Pils

.6 Munich

.6 Rye first time i've tried Rye and almost 20 % of bill fingers crossed

.2 Caramunich

.25 LDM to correct OG

75 G of Amarillo all up and IBU around 40-45 depending how i calculate it .

 

drinking while brewing can get dangerous , spilled some spent grains on floor ,didn't zero off scales properly so every hop addition was 5g higher than expected then to top it off spilled almost a litre of precious hot wort

smells and tastes bloody good so far so might get away with it !

[porschemad911]

My pilsner has been fermenting away happily in my Cool Brewing Bag with WLP838 at about 12° C. I used one ice brick at a time to keep it at that temperature, so it looks like there is plenty of potential at this time of the year to go a fair bit lower if I ever want to.

 

WLP838 does seem to be a fairly active yeast strain, throwing more krausen than Wyeast 1469 and Safale US-05 did for me in the last few batches. It has produced a bit of sulphur as well.

 

For this batch, I'm trying out something based on Tasty McDole's fast lager method. I took a gravity sample last night, and it has fermented down to 1.020 at these colder temperatures, so last night I moved it out to warm up a bit. I'll let it get to 18° C and sit there for a day or two and then warm it up to 20° C to make sure it hits FG and cleans up any unwanted fermentation by-products. After that I'll let it sit at ambient temperatures until that dissipates.

 

The 1.020 gravity sample tasted very nice, with quite a rich malt flavour and then plenty of that unique Saaz hop flavour. Fingers crossed it goes smoothly from here.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Gotta love that Saaz. Can't wait to get my pilsner on tap again, it's patiently sitting in the keg waiting for these other three to be emptied and another two to be filled, although I do have 14 surplus stubbies as well. The lager method I use is a variation of Tasty's method too I think, similar schedule to what you've done there. I think it works quite well. Certainly happy with all the lagers I've fermented to this schedule. Only difference probably is that mine get a 2 week cold crash before packaging.

 

My ESB is crash chilling now, it got down to 1.009 with the 1469 yeast. There was hardly any krausen on it, but the starter went berserk and made a bit of a mess on the kitchen bench . Weird behaviour I must say. Anyway, this one is due to be kegged next Wednesday at this stage, and then my Galena pale ale will go into the FV probably Friday.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

[Otto Von Blotto]

Galena pale ale went into the FV yesterday morning, got my 21 litres in there with the OG at 1.0475. It was brewed with all Super Galena hops through the boil to see what they taste like. Pitched the US-05 yeast into it straight out of the fridge as per my normal procedure now. Wort was around 18.5-19C at pitching time, with the fridge set to maintain 18C for a few days before I bump it up a bit. Dunno what the lag time was but this morning it had a layer of krausen on top of it, so things are underway at least. I'll dry hop it with some more of those hops after fermentation finishes.

 

Should be ready to be kegged in about 2 or 2.5 weeks time. Probably won't have emptied the stout keg by then, so this one plus the ESB and Bo Pils will have to wait a little while before going in to chill down and be carbed up.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

[Scottie]

Steiermark Ale

 

An ESB. The Notto was up and running in 14 hours. Full Krausen after 24 hours, this one is fermenting at 20 degrees.

 

Cheers & Beers

Scottie

Valley Brew

[BlackSands]

Simple Kits n Bits - Nth English Brown Ale:

 

1 x OS Draught

1 x 1.5kg Maltexo LME

100g Med Crystal Malt

200g Light Crystal Malt

100g Choc Malt

20g Fuggles (5mins)

 

OG=1.044

150ml of S04 slurry showed first signs of life in less than an hour at an initial 22ºC.

[porschemad911]

Tonight I made up the 2016 ESVA recipe pack. Everything went smoothly and it's now sitting at 20° C in my Cool Brewing Bag with a couple of ice bricks to hopefully bring it down to 18° C overnight.

 

Interestingly the Coopers instructions say to pitch 3 packs of yeast (~25g total) - the supplied US-05 plus both of the kit yeasts. To me that seems like a lot of dried yeast for 21 litres of ~1.060 beer. I guess this plus the instruction to ferment at 18° C are aimed at a fast fermentation with minimal ester production.

 

Of course, I made sure I enjoyed a commercial ESVA 2016 after the cleanup

[Otto Von Blotto]

It's probably a perfect amount of yeast depending on who you believe on how many cells per gram dry yeast contains. If it's around 10 billion per gram, then you've got about 250 billion cells there - which from the sounds of the batch size and OG is about what you'd want to be pitching.

 

As mentioned in another thread, it looks as if my Galena pale ale is practically done fermenting. The 9th generation US-05 has ripped through it in about 3-4 days, although I have learned recently that this is to be expected if optimal conditions are met. Will take another sample on Friday and also Sunday to make sure it's done, although being keg only it doesn't matter too much, then it can have a week or so CCing before going into the keg. And my XXXX Bitter rip off muck about batch can go into the FV.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

Put a Coopers Pale Ale knock off into my fermenter last night. Mash and boil done on Monday and no chilled to tuesday. Has actually turned out a Mild ale as my efficiency was a pathetic 55%. Had all sorts of trouble milling the grains and I think way too many went through uncracked. Anyway live and learn I suppose. OG of 1034 using CCA yeast. Should finish around 3.5%. One for the people having to drive I guess.

[Otto Von Blotto]

What sort of mill do you have? What went wrong with it?

 

I dry hopped my pale ale just before with 40g of Super Galena, I expect I'll be cold crashing it on Sunday and kegging it the following weekend or on the Monday in my work break. That will make it just over 2 weeks in the FV. Be nice if they all were that bloody quick, would make it a lot easier to get this stockpile of kegs happening!

[Phoenix76]

Well just jumping back to the thread title, I gotta say that there s just clean air in my FV's at the moment. But That is about to change.

 

Come Saturday I will be putting down three brews -

 

Fruit Salad Ale, SMOTY Ale and a Golden Mead Ale.

 

Haven't had the resources to order online for some of my ingredients so am relying on our local HB shop. Being in the sticks like we are, they don't carry a lot of things. Like they don't carry grain, or S-04 or US05 etc etc. Lady told me today when I rang to check out what stock they have, they don't have much or any demand for these things. They will get them in no problem but I gotta get brewing this weekend.

 

Wanted some Citra hops to do a Pale Ale but will have to wait til she gets them in. Gotta get a good online supplier. As I've said elsewhere, I wish Coopers would expand the ingredients they have available. I mean they can obviously get the stuff coz they include it in their ROTM's.

 

Anyhow, that's what is going into the FV's this weekend. Great now that I've got 6 FV's. With 2 I struggled to keep up my supplies. I figured 4 FV's would work but this is even better. Got This extra gear from a deceased estate (friends).

 

Cheers boys and girls, drink up and be merry.

[bollus]

Hey Phoenix76

 

I think i recall from a previous post that your are a fellow Qlder. I currently reside in Adelaide but have used this mob for a lot of my hops. http://craftbrewer.com.au/shop/products.asp?store=CB

Not pushing them over anyone else but as they Qld based I thought they might suit.

 

I by a lot of my hops from them as they appear to have a bigger range than my LHBS. Check them out and see if they work for you.

 

 

[Phoenix76]

Hey Bollus, thanks for that mate. I like to support the locals where I can, you know its a country thing. But sometimes you just gotta go elsewhere. Anyhow's the mob you're suggesting are at least Qld, so will check them out. Cheers mate

 

Just had a look at their site. Certainly got most of what I would need. Except, out of stock of Citra Hops (perhaps understandable) and don't list Saaz hops which believe it or not I can get locally. But there you go, certainly a good supplier going by their range and price. Cheers

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

Saaz is listed under Czech Saaz on the CB site. They generally always have them in stock. They're a decent mob there, I go there for pretty well all ingredients, ironically except hops (unless I have a specific recipe that only needs a small amount). I usually get my hops from Yakima Valley as their prices are somewhat cheaper.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

What sort of mill do you have? What went wrong with it?

 

I dry hopped my pale ale just before with 40g of Super Galena' date=' I expect I'll be cold crashing it on Sunday and kegging it the following weekend or on the Monday in my work break. That will make it just over 2 weeks in the FV. Be nice if they all were that bloody quick, would make it a lot easier to get this stockpile of kegs happening![/quote']

 

Hi Kelsey,

 

Its this one.

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Malt-Muncher-STAINLESS-STEEL-Grain-Mill-With-Base-Plate-Home-Brew-RLRMWH-/282114350483?hash=item41af535d93:g:S~cAAOSwtnpXmECH

 

The roller not powered by the cordless drill seems to clog up after a while and doesn't turn. When it clogged though it tended to let through some whole grains. Didn't look that much to me but seems to have made a difference. I think I have to be hands on and feed it bit by bit with a cup. I did cheat and fill up the hopper a bit so I could watch some of the footy on Monday night so the concentration factor wasn't there either.

 

Greeny

[Morrie]

Hey Bollus' date=' thanks for that mate. I like to support the locals where I can, you know its a country thing. But sometimes you just gotta go elsewhere. Anyhow's the mob you're suggesting are at least Qld, so will check them out. Cheers mate

 

Just had a look at their site. Certainly got most of what I would need. Except, out of stock of Citra Hops (perhaps understandable) and don't list Saaz hops which believe it or not I can get locally. But there you go, certainly a good supplier going by their range and price. Cheers

[/quote']

 

Phoenix -

I have used both CraftBrewer and National Home Brew. NHB are in Hervey bay QLD. They are both excellent to deal with and their response with freight is very fast. If you're looking for Citra, I got some from Bulk Brewing Supplies LINK... in Perth. They were very fast and I live in NQ.

[Otto Von Blotto]

The roller not powered by the cordless drill seems to clog up after a while and doesn't turn. When it clogged though it tended to let through some whole grains. Didn't look that much to me but seems to have made a difference. I think I have to be hands on and feed it bit by bit with a cup. I did cheat and fill up the hopper a bit so I could watch some of the footy on Monday night so the concentration factor wasn't there either.

 

Greeny

 

Apparently that can be a problem with non geared mills like that. The Mashmaster ones are geared so both rollers turn when the drive roller turns. I have a hybrid one; it has one knurled roller and one fluted roller. These aren't for sale, originally it had two knurled rollers but the non drive one was replaced last year due to the mill not feeding the grains through very well. The new ones come with two fluted rollers. It works really well, great crush, and mills a few kg of grain in a few minutes. Might be worth looking at if you keep having issues with that one.