Otto Von Blotto Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 Yeah, it's almost guaranteed to result in crap if you use 1kg of table sugar and ferment it in the mid-high 20s like most of the kits advise. Any wonder so many get turned off by it. My current brew is sitting at about 20C now, up from 18C that it started at. It's been in there for about 3 and a half days now, expecting it to finish fermenting in the next day or two. Hydrometer sample tasted good despite there still being about 14-15 points left to ferment out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImaginativeName Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Yeah' date=' it's almost guaranteed to result in crap if you use 1kg of table sugar and ferment it in the mid-high 20s like most of the kits advise. Any wonder so many get turned off by it. My current brew is sitting at about 20C now, up from 18C that it started at. It's been in there for about 3 and a half days now, expecting it to finish fermenting in the next day or two. Hydrometer sample tasted good despite there still being about 14-15 points left to ferment out. [img']happy[/img] I'm wondering now, if my "vegemite ale" may have been too warm to begin with? Like you mentioned, I'm sure the can stated that 18-28C was acceptable..... I really would have taken more care to get it lower if I knew this was going to be a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 It's acceptable purely in terms of fermentation. The yeast themselves love high temps like that. Unfortunately for the yeast, we don't like the flavours they produce at those temps so we make them work in cooler environments. Basically, the lower the temp, the cleaner the flavour - just don't go too low or the yeast will go to sleep. 18-20 is optimal for most ales. English ales can go up to 22ish without issue, this just promotes a few more esters common in those styles. Saison yeasts are good for ambient temp brewing in summer. I've never used one but I also haven't tried a saison yet to see if I even like it, so it'd be a bit of a case of putting the cart before the horse. Could be a good option for a quick keg filler if needed, since I can only fit one fermenter in my fridge. Will have to try some commercial examples on my holidays. I think that vegemite aroma was just due to the fermentation process. I noticed in that thread that you said it was tasting good now - that's all that matters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImaginativeName Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 It's acceptable purely in terms of fermentation. The yeast themselves love high temps like that. Unfortunately for the yeast' date=' we don't like the flavours they produce at those temps [img']tongue[/img] so we make them work in cooler environments. Basically, the lower the temp, the cleaner the flavour - just don't go too low or the yeast will go to sleep. 18-20 is optimal for most ales. English ales can go up to 22ish without issue, this just promotes a few more esters common in those styles. Saison yeasts are good for ambient temp brewing in summer. I've never used one but I also haven't tried a saison yet to see if I even like it, so it'd be a bit of a case of putting the cart before the horse. Could be a good option for a quick keg filler if needed, since I can only fit one fermenter in my fridge. Will have to try some commercial examples on my holidays. I think that vegemite aroma was just due to the fermentation process. I noticed in that thread that you said it was tasting good now - that's all that matters! Very true Kelsey, even if it looked like bin juice, my concerns would be somewhat alleviated by good flavour, I'm just mildly concerned about ending up with a very mild paint stripper, and I can't help but think about some home made vodka I had earlier this year, that smelled very....industrial. I'm still here, I guess it can't have been too bad? Gave the bottle good nudge too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 I think if it was gonna exhibit those flavours, you'd be tasting them already so it should be ok. My SG sample that I took today even has its own little krausen on it steadily dropping too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImaginativeName Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I think if it was gonna exhibit those flavours' date=' you'd be tasting them already so it should be ok. My SG sample that I took today even has its own little krausen on it [img']lol[/img] steadily dropping too. looks good. I've noticed both of my brews never really developed a sizeable krausen, or I should say, I never witnessed a sizeable krausen. From memory, I didn't bother looking in the cupboard for the first couple of days, maybe I just missed it? Would it be unusual to not develop a sizeable krausen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaffeinatedSentryGnome Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 What's in my FVs: Lookout IPA Chubby cherub Beer O'Clock session IPA Pacific summer ale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joolbag Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 This US-05 built up in a starter has gone off like a rocket! Definitely doing it again as it doesn't cost much more, doesn't take much time, just have to be prepared and plan in advance. I didn't check first thing this morning as I had daycare drop off, but I came home and checked and the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale had a 30mm krausen, big thick white bubbles, etc. Never had it happen this fast (20 hrs) for a thick, fluffy krausen. Usually by 24 it's just forming. Will be so keen to taste this one given my last experience with US-05. I've done everything possible to help it along - yeast calculator, starter, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fancy a Cheeky Pint? Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Hope it works out' date=' makes me feel a little ill thinking about beer going down the sink.[/quote'] Regardless of the final outcome they won't be going down any sink, drain, toilet or spread on garden to feed the Lemons or Mandys! I will put them to good use and drink the lot! With these latest Brews, I've reached the milestone of 100 Brews without any failures, so I'm certainly not letting these spoil the record. Bloody Weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImaginativeName Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Hope it works out' date=' makes me feel a little ill thinking about beer going down the sink.[/quote'] Regardless of the final outcome they won't be going down any sink, drain, toilet or spread on garden to feed the Lemons or Mandys! I will put them to good use and drink the lot! With these latest Brews, I've reached the milestone of 100 Brews without any failures, so I'm certainly not letting these spoil the record. Bloody Weather. Yes, no sense in tipping it unless it's going to kill you I've been thinking about what Kelsey said in regards to leaving the hydrometer sitting in the sample, and I'm wondering why you couldn't just leave it in the wort? I assume there is a good reason for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 Because you can't read it properly for one thing. You'd have to keep removing the lid, i.e. inviting infections. The other problem is that the krausen would get in the way of it so even if you could see through the FV you still couldn't read the hydrometer properly. I also think krausen muck sticking to the hydrometer would cause false readings. There are some fancy gadgets available now that have a hydrometer type thing that sits in the wort and relays information to a computer program so you can track the fermentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImaginativeName Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Because you can't read it properly for one thing. You'd have to keep removing the lid' date=' i.e. inviting infections. The other problem is that the krausen would get in the way of it so even if you could see through the FV you still couldn't read the hydrometer properly. I also think krausen muck sticking to the hydrometer would cause false readings. There are some fancy gadgets available now that have a hydrometer type thing that sits in the wort and relays information to a computer program so you can track the fermentation. [/quote'] Of course, I guess I'm tired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylon Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Ive got a basic Allgrain Lager in the spare fermenting fridge with White Labs San Francisco Lager yeast cold crashing a 32 litre batch... tuch wood its nice and clean it started @14 degrees for a week before raising to 18, Ive recultivated this yeast successfully for 4 months time to try something different The other 2 fermenters are a 21 litre and 10 litre batch of ESB I brewed... just dry hopped today with styrian goldings 25g in the 10 litre and had 50g of dry hops in the 21 litre batch... . My ESB was bittered with Northern Brewer, flavour was Goldings and fuggle as was flame out using WLP 002 The gravity OG was 1051 before dry hop was 1017... never tried styrian goldings as yet Hope it finishes down @1012 as activity is realy active 6 hours after dry hopping Hope I like the styriAN, if not still have a cube of 28 litres left of this ESB left to try something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porschemad911 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Hope I like the styriAN' date=' if not still have a cube of 28 litres left of this ESB left to try something else[/quote']I challenge anyone not to like Styrian Goldings, they are such a tasty hop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylon Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Yeh hope so John! Im already planning a styrian-vienna smash with kolsch yeast something around 30IBU with a good dry hop! Should be interesting HEY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 It's next on my list of hops to try in English ales once I use up the current stocks of Goldings and Fuggles. I've had a couple of commercial examples that use it and it is very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morrie Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 I love Stryian Goldings. I add 40 grams at flameout to my TTLA clones. I really enjoy this ale and it is what we predominantly consume here so I guess you could call it our house beer. Kelsey - you can use it with your EKG and Fuggles. That's what's in the TTLA recipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 True, but I need to use up some of the hops in the freezer to make room for more first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 I took an SG sample of my Citra pale ale earlier today, and it was sitting at 1.012, after 5 days in the FV. Predicted FG is 1.011 so it should easily be done by probably tomorrow even, which will allow me to drop the temp on the STC to 0C on Sunday as I'd hoped. Tasted good too, nice and citrusy. Will throw in the 40g dry hop tomorrow too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joolbag Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Hey Kelsey, I drew off a sample when I bottled by Citra Pale Ale on Monday. Tasted really promising, the flavour was reminiscent of some of the heavily-hopped pale ales on the market today. Very much looking forward to sampling a bottle. Christmas is at my place this year, and when it rolls around they will be 13 days in the bottle. Hmmm, likely to be a bit green, but will certainly be carbonated. I'll try one before guests arrive, if it's good I'll bring 'em out. Otherwise it will be the pilsner that I will serve. It is drinking well now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morrie Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 At 13 days they're gonna be nice and fruity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 I agree, I reckon they'll be pretty good even as early as 13 days. They may benefit from another week or two though; I do find my bottled ales improve with a little more time than just carbonation time. I'm looking forward to seeing how this Citra pale ale does turn out. I'm not sure when it will be kegged/bottled though seeing as Xmas day falls on a Sunday.. and I won't be here for at least a couple of days after that. I dunno.. something will get worked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted December 16, 2016 Author Share Posted December 16, 2016 I took the second FG sample of my Citra pale ale earlier, and it's sitting at 1.0104, half a point under the predicted FG. Works out about 4.9% ABV in the keg and 5.3% in the bottles. Flavour is very promising, the hops definitely appear to stand out more in this batch. I added 11g gypsum to the strike water for this purpose and it's worked as far as I can tell from an FG sample... will know properly once it's in the glass. I'll drop the controller to 0C on Sunday and keg it well... not sure when, maybe Xmas eve will be my best chance. Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 A couple of brews going at the same time atm. A Nelson's Light for my father that I have just put into cold crash in preparation for bottling later in the week, & a Saison I have brewed under ambient conditions, & have just tossed in 30gms of Ella as the dry hop. I plan to keg the Saison & this presents a small dilemma for me as I've not kegged one before, I've only bottled them in the past. Much of the flavour of the Saison is in the yeast & I was advised rightfully so by PB2 NOT to cold crash this beer prior to bottling when I first asked the question on the forum a few years ago, as to retain more of the yeast character during transfer. Given I'm kegging it this time, I was wondering if the best approach is to fill the keg at ambient temperature, then chill & carbonate, as opposed to crash chilling, then transferring to keg & carbonating? And will all this extra yeast make a mess of my keg? Advice welcomed. Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Pirate Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 keep that keg at the front of the kegerator , may need a shake to rouse the yeast rather than settling around the dip tube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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