Advice on two batches for tomorrow

santacruzbob · 08-22-2009, 01:23 AM

A couple friends and I are making a 10 gallon batch to ferment in a keg we got and a 5 gallon batch we're going to do in bucket primary/carboy secondary and I'm looking for advice to make these outstanding brews.

The 10 gallon batch will be boiled in 2x7.5g pots and mixed together in the keg once cooled before pitching yeast. The recipe is as follows (this is for one 5 gallon batch.. we'll be making two of these):
9lb liquid pale malt extract
1/2lb crystal 20L
1/2lb crystal 40L
1oz chinook for the entire boil (60min)
1oz cascade @ 30min remaining
1oz cascade @ 15min remaining
cool down to ~75, mix the two batches in our keg fermenter then pitch yeast (made a 2 gallon starter on wed of 2lb DME and 1 vial white labs california ale). I intend to use about half of the starter yeast in this batch.
1.066 OG, 1.015 FG, 58.8 IBU, 0.896 IBU/SG, 6.65% ABV

The 5 gallon batch will be a full boil as following:
12lb liquid pale malt extract
1/2lb crystal 20L
1/2lb crystal 40L
2oz chinook for the entire boil (60min)
1oz cascade @ 15min remaining
1oz cascade @ 0min remaining
cool to 75, rack into primary bucket and pitch the other half of the starter yeast.
1.087 OG, 1.019 FG, 78.2 IBU, 0.987 IBU/SG, 8.90% ABV

My starter isn't fermenting as vigorously as I had hoped but I'm thinking this is probably due to the small volume of sugar (this is my first starter) as compared to a 5 gallon full batch. I hope it'll be enough to ferment both these batches thoroughly. I've never made a high gravity beer before.. any advice so we don't end up with 5 gallons of sweet, flat beer? Any advice on changing the hops schedules at all or just general critique? Thanks a lot -Bob

**Pappers_** · 08-22-2009, 01:27 AM

Bob -

I think both of these qualify as higher gravity beers (anything over 1.06 I think is what White Labs uses). So, if you're concerned about your starter, maybe you need to add a couple more vials (this isn't as good a solution as making a bigger starter, but it sounds like you don't have time for that?)

Good luck!

santacruzbob · 08-22-2009, 01:40 AM

Pappers,

Thanks for the quick reply. We're trying to keep the costs down a little bit.. one of my friends has a pack of some champagne yeast we were considering pitching into the 5g batch. Would it be a mistake to pitch some dry yeast in at the same time we pitched our starter? The starter has a good layer of yeast on the top maybe ~2" today that wasn't there yesterday so I think the yeast is actually doing alright and perhaps the airlock isn't as active as I'm used to simply due to the smaller volume? We're gonna have a 0.5 micron air stone so we can bubble some pure O2 into the wort this time and I'm hoping this will give the yeast the boost it needs to ferment all that extra maltose. Still, if you think we're gonna be short on yeast and miss our FG by a lot I'd rather spend an extra $15 on yeast and make 15 gallons of good beer than skimp out.. Thanks again. -Bob

**Pappers_** · 08-22-2009, 01:47 AM

Sorry, I have no idea, really - if you think the starter is going great, then it will probably be fine. There is a starter calculator at the Mr. Malty website, if you wanted to try to use it to figure out how big a starter you need to divide it up.

And I don't think its an issue of the yeast not doing the job if you underpitch, but rather taking some time to mutliply before it starts doing the job.

Also I've never used champagne yeast, but I think it is very highly attenuated, leaving you with an extremely dry beer. But others here might be able to give you a definitive answer.

Have fun tomorrow!

santacruzbob · 08-22-2009, 04:20 AM

thanks again Pappers.

so.. bad news (?) my starter has completely stopped bubbling.. about 50 hours total time. I lifted the lid to check and all of the yeasty foam on top is gone. Still ok to use for a starter?

Blender · 08-22-2009, 05:04 AM

Starters can be done in 50 hours or less so you might be alright with it. My guess is that you might be a bit short if you are going to split it between the batches. Can you get some US-05? A couple of packets ought to do the 10 gallon batch pretty well.

santacruzbob · 08-22-2009, 04:47 PM

Blender,

First, I love Santa Cruz. Second, I'm not sure if I can get safale US-05 but if I can (or a suitable replacement) do I just pitch it straight out of the packet into the wort or do I need to make a starter with those also?

**Pappers_** · 08-22-2009, 08:44 PM

Straight into the wort - easy peasy! No need to make a starter, because dry yeast has a much higher cell count than liquid yeast.

Gremlyn · 08-22-2009, 08:55 PM

Starters don't usually bubble as much as a full batch. You just don't have as much yeast as a 5 gal batch will at it's peak. If you have a good layer of yeast, I bet it will be just fine. Maybe upload a pic?

Blender · 08-23-2009, 01:43 PM

santacruzbob
How did everything go? I was out of town yesterday so couldn't reply.