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05-29-2009, 06:40 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 102
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Leaving beer in primary
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Hi everyone, I'm on my 2nd AG batch of beer and I ran into some issues.
Background:
Brewing an Arrogant Bastard clone- Target OG 1.084, Actual OG 1.074
I brew at a friends house and stayed there overnight. My fermentation started WAY too hot, at about 80 degrees in the morning when I checked on it (about 8 hours after pitching) It was going nuts, I had to transport it from where I brewed to my apt, which agitated the fermentation and got it going nuts. When I got it to my apt, I cooled it down to about 72 degrees and acitivity in the airlock slowly subsided. After about 2 days, I was seeing no activity at all, and no foam krausen on top of the beer. I took a hydrometer reading and it appeared as though I still had some sugar left, so I added some yeast re-energizer and gave it a good stir to try and get the yeast back into suspension.
2 days later and the beer is producing what smells like a very alcoholic scent. Before adding re-energizer, the smell was distinctly hoppy. There are some bubbles on top so I think there MAY be some activity, I want to give it a few days before I take my 2nd hydrometer reading.
Ok so here's my question- I've heard/read varying things in regards to leaving beer sit on a yeast cake when its done fermenting. I'm thinking of leaving it on there for a week or so because I've heard that it can clean out some of the unwanted byproducts of fermentation. However, I've also heard that you risk off flavors resulting from autolysis.
How do I know where I stand?
Thanks for any help guys!
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05-29-2009, 06:44 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 995
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as I have read in how to brew, it takes like 6 months in primary to produce off flavors
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05-29-2009, 06:48 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 102
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Right, I saw a quote on a thread in here somewhere that leaving your beer on the yeast can help clear up some off flavors and improve clarity. Any idea where this alcohol scent might be coming from? Probably because of a rapid fermentation right? I know you risk other types of alcohol being produced. Are these the types of things that would be cleared up by leaving the beer in primary?
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05-29-2009, 06:50 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Diego
Posts: 1,153
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Dont worry about autolysis there's mulitple threads on it and at the homebrew level it isn't something to loose sleep over.
With such a high OG I would let it sit in primary for 2-3 weeks. Keep your temps around 68 as much as you can. With such a high OG time is going to be your friend.
__________________
Worthless Brewing Co.
The name says it all
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05-29-2009, 06:52 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Milton, De
Posts: 2,140
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autolysis is pretty much the boogeyman of brewing- people barely see it. Leave it on the cake for a while (a month total)- its a big beer and the yeast need time to clean up. Fermentation that hot will produce alot of fussel alcohols which will need time to mellow. Most of my primarys which are higher gravity sit for a month in primary and the flavors are much better. If you leave it for a month you will have a much clearer beer at bottling time!
__________________
On Hiatus: Brewing at work....
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05-29-2009, 06:52 PM
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#6
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Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: "Detroitish" Michigan
Posts: 36,054
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THere's at least one thread a day on this topic....if you do a search for "long primary" or "no secondary" you will find the info....
Here's one of the many discussions, http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/racking-secondary-questions-119918/
And this post discuss the autloysis bogeyman http://www.homebrewtalk.com/1334844-post25.html
Rather than re-invent the wheel again today, take a read.
__________________
Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman
I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew
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05-29-2009, 07:02 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 102
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Thanks everyone! Much appreciated
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05-29-2009, 07:13 PM
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#8
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Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: "Detroitish" Michigan
Posts: 36,054
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Man I love me some Arrogant Bastard Ale...Haven't done a clone of it yet.
Have you considered splitting the batch after fermentation and oaking half of it in secondary? I love AB...but I would MARRY Oaked AB, if it had bewbies!
__________________
Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman
I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew
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05-29-2009, 07:17 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 2,513
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Revvy
Have you considered splitting the batch after fermentation and oaking half of it in secondary? I love AB...but I would MARRY Oaked AB, if it had bewbies!
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+1 BILLION!!!!! I have had the oaked bastard right from Stone on tap and it is INCREDIBLE. And it'll **** you up quick 
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yooper
I'm a fan of "getting it in the can"!
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05-29-2009, 07:31 PM
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#10
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Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: "Detroitish" Michigan
Posts: 36,054
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gremlyn1
+1 BILLION!!!!! I have had the oaked bastard right from Stone on tap and it is INCREDIBLE. And it'll **** you up quick |
OH, you've had it on tap?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Someday, I'll be so lucky!!
__________________
Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman
I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew
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