Evan!
Well-Known Member
So here we go---batches #34 & 35. Giddyup, this is the longest I've gone without brewing since I started. It's been 6 or 7 weeks! I can't wait. I've got an AG Rochefort 10 and a PM Imperial Scottish Porter in the gates and ready to go.
I got to use my Barley Crusher for the first time yesterday, too. Damnit, that thing is just too badass. Worth every single penny. I ruined a cordless 12v drill while grinding, though, but that was my stupid fault. For some reason, without thinking, I switched between low and high gear while the thing was running. Duh. So the gears stripped. Oh well. Took it back to Lowe's today and exchanged it for a 14.4v DeWalt XRP cordless (only $60 more), since I already have another cordless 12v at home. But anyway, the BC's factory setting crush looks great. I just put the mill over top of a kettle, pour in the grain, and grind away. Goes very quickly, too...I was surprised.
So, as for the brews...
I got my AHS shipment in the mail on Friday, and smacked the Wyeast 1762 (Rochefort) that night. It had swollen to capacity by Saturday, so I made a huge starter for it, aerated it, and pitched. That night, I saw what looked like krausen, but as of today, it's completely still and the yeast has flocculated. But I'm pretty sure it's fermented out, because when I take a whiff of the starter jug, I get that strong alcohol burn in my nasal passages.
My question on that is: since it's finished fermenting this early (I'm brewing tomorrow morning and planning on pitching before noon), should I do anything about it? It is going to be okay, having finished this far ahead of pitching into the actual wort? Should I jumpstart it with some corn sugar?
The other brew, a partial mash porter---its starter isn't doing so well. I pitched some Scottish ale yeast that I harvested and cleaned from the wee heavy, but it was harvested in February and it's been sitting in a jar in my lagerator since then. I warmed it up to room temp and pitched it into its own starter, but have yet to see any activity (and no alcohol smell). I keep agitating it and put it on a heating pad, but nothing so far. Since it's a porter, if I don't see any activity soon, I'm just going to abandon it and pitch some dry US-56.
Oh, and just so I'm clear on this---you're no supposed to send flaked barley through the mill, right?
Here are my two recipes. I don't have any hallertauer for the Rochefort (AHS was out), but I don't think it'll matter too much. The grains are already crushed for both of them, so I can't subtract anything, but I can add grains if anyone has any suggestions. I'll post them in subsequent messages. Wish me luck!
I got to use my Barley Crusher for the first time yesterday, too. Damnit, that thing is just too badass. Worth every single penny. I ruined a cordless 12v drill while grinding, though, but that was my stupid fault. For some reason, without thinking, I switched between low and high gear while the thing was running. Duh. So the gears stripped. Oh well. Took it back to Lowe's today and exchanged it for a 14.4v DeWalt XRP cordless (only $60 more), since I already have another cordless 12v at home. But anyway, the BC's factory setting crush looks great. I just put the mill over top of a kettle, pour in the grain, and grind away. Goes very quickly, too...I was surprised.
So, as for the brews...
I got my AHS shipment in the mail on Friday, and smacked the Wyeast 1762 (Rochefort) that night. It had swollen to capacity by Saturday, so I made a huge starter for it, aerated it, and pitched. That night, I saw what looked like krausen, but as of today, it's completely still and the yeast has flocculated. But I'm pretty sure it's fermented out, because when I take a whiff of the starter jug, I get that strong alcohol burn in my nasal passages.
My question on that is: since it's finished fermenting this early (I'm brewing tomorrow morning and planning on pitching before noon), should I do anything about it? It is going to be okay, having finished this far ahead of pitching into the actual wort? Should I jumpstart it with some corn sugar?
The other brew, a partial mash porter---its starter isn't doing so well. I pitched some Scottish ale yeast that I harvested and cleaned from the wee heavy, but it was harvested in February and it's been sitting in a jar in my lagerator since then. I warmed it up to room temp and pitched it into its own starter, but have yet to see any activity (and no alcohol smell). I keep agitating it and put it on a heating pad, but nothing so far. Since it's a porter, if I don't see any activity soon, I'm just going to abandon it and pitch some dry US-56.
Oh, and just so I'm clear on this---you're no supposed to send flaked barley through the mill, right?
Here are my two recipes. I don't have any hallertauer for the Rochefort (AHS was out), but I don't think it'll matter too much. The grains are already crushed for both of them, so I can't subtract anything, but I can add grains if anyone has any suggestions. I'll post them in subsequent messages. Wish me luck!
