I need some advice for my first "big" (bigger?) beer, the Bourbon Barrel Old Ale from Midwest. Per instructions, the SG is 1.070 - 1.072. I need a few questions answered....
1) Mr. Malty's pitching rate calculator recommends a starter of something like 3.2 liters, which sounds HUGE to me. Does this sound right? Would it be better to make the starter, ferment it out, chill, decant starter wort and pitch the slurry.
2) Instead of liquid yeast, I was thinking of using dry (S-04). Any thoughts on dry yeast and s-04 in particular, in this beer? I have 2 packs sitting around, and the pitching rate calc recommends 1.2 packs, roughly 14 grams.
3) There are some bourbon soaked oak cubes that go into the beer. Midwest recommends adding them in a secondary, however I would like to do this in the primary as primary fermentation starts to wind down--leave them in until ready to bottle after 3-4 weeks total in the primary. Do you think this would be ok? Does the Oak need more (or less) time in the beer?
Thanks for the continued great advice....
1) Mr. Malty's pitching rate calculator recommends a starter of something like 3.2 liters, which sounds HUGE to me. Does this sound right? Would it be better to make the starter, ferment it out, chill, decant starter wort and pitch the slurry.
2) Instead of liquid yeast, I was thinking of using dry (S-04). Any thoughts on dry yeast and s-04 in particular, in this beer? I have 2 packs sitting around, and the pitching rate calc recommends 1.2 packs, roughly 14 grams.
3) There are some bourbon soaked oak cubes that go into the beer. Midwest recommends adding them in a secondary, however I would like to do this in the primary as primary fermentation starts to wind down--leave them in until ready to bottle after 3-4 weeks total in the primary. Do you think this would be ok? Does the Oak need more (or less) time in the beer?
Thanks for the continued great advice....
