Thanks! But I am not sure what has not yet been covered in the ~112 pages of this thread that I have already read.
I should have all my equipment and be ready to brew on Sunday:rockin:
Autumn Seasonal Beer Punkin' Ale
- Thread starter Reno_eNVy
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Thanks! But I am not sure what has not yet been covered in the ~112 pages of this thread that I have already read.
I should have all my equipment and be ready to brew on Sunday:rockin:
I stand corrected! I have not even started and am already in trouble
Not sure if it a big deal or not. I took a trip out to our LHBS to pick up all of my supplies. I was looking for the Hallataur and saw New Zealand Hallataur instead of a North American variety. The Alpha is 6.7%. I see the Alpha on your recipe used 4.8%. I am uncertain if I will be able to get to the LHBS to get the correct one before my planned weekend brew. Can I scale down the amount and still be ok, or could the NZ variety cause a undesired change in my beer?Also, it is in a foil vaccum wrap, but appears to be leaves instead of pellets.
Any advice?
Brewskii
Well-Known Member
ChrisL_ said:I stand corrected! I have not even started and am already in trouble
Also, it is in a foil vaccum wrap, but appears to be leaves instead of pellets.
Any advice?
This is not an issue on both counts ( not sure how you got New Zealand Hallertau though, it's one of the most common hops from one of the more obscure growing regions).
Variety trumps growing region in what makes hops taste different. You can multiply the AA number with the weight in ounces. Then divide that number by the AA of the hops you have and that should tell you how many Ounces of the hops to add.
Additionally, whole hops will bitter, weight for weight, with pellets -there is no conversion ( the exception being fresh, not dried, hops where it's about 7 to 1 due to water weight).
Also, the earlier in the boil, the less the variety matters. Up to about the 30 min mark you really are getting bittering from the AA and not character like flavor or aroma with most hop varieties (there are some exceptions to this from what I understand).
Brewskii said:
Thanks Brewsksi that makes me feel a bit better. If I don't get to brew this weekend it will be a couple of more weeks before I have time ( I love my kids but they sure soak up a lot of time).
As for pellets vs leaves, I am guessing leaves as I am under the impression the pellets are bigger ( just based on pics from the inter webs). Could this just be a pile of smaller pellets?
Brewskii
Well-Known Member
Reno_eNVy said:
+1. -(about the pellets I mean).
I have chech saaz and no hallertau, think it will be a LOT different of a beer if I use saaz instead? Any other suggestions as I cannot go to the brew store for awhile again and would like to brew this again. Brewed it before and it is fantastic for sure!!
OP
OP
Reno_eNVy
Well-Known Member
Where did you hear that? It just has a low alpha acid % so you use a little more.
And I'm pretty sure hallertauer and saaz have similar aa%
I read it actually last night right after I posted it. Something about a flavor that saaz imparts to the beer when bittering with it? I wish I would have saved the link or I wish I remembered where I read it... I don't know I have never heard that before but never bittered with it so not sure? I could always use warrior as it's a really clean bittering hop and I have that and I could then use the saaz in the later addition.
Just stick with all saaz or warrior/saaz? Thoughts?
Just stick with all saaz or warrior/saaz? Thoughts?
OP
OP
Reno_eNVy
Well-Known Member
It's up to you.... but after 60 minutes there is negligible flavor left, just hop bitterness.
Well I have not been as excited to start a hobby/project in a long while, as I have been since Homebrew and Punkin Ale came along. So I finally got all my stuff together and brewed my firs batch on Sunday. That is the good news. The bad news it did not take me long to make my first rookie error.
I totally misread Reno_Envys recipe. Where it said "24QT of 163*F water (step temp of 156)" I read that as doing a mash at 2 temps, first 156 and then 163. Being my first ever batch and doing BIAB in an effort to keep it simple I decided to just do the entire thing at 163 (on the bright side it explained the 1.080 SG that I did not understand at first).
So I have read to understand that my beer may end up pretty sweet as I may have some unfermentable sugars in there. I guess how sweet only time will tell. On the bright side I have been known to like my sugary treats
I did learn one other thing as well. I have read on these forums over and over again to RDWHAHB. This advise stinks when it is your first batch and you don't have a home brew to relax with! Luckily I am still well stocked with many comercials beers, so I stilled chilled out with a frosty beverage.
I totally misread Reno_Envys recipe. Where it said "24QT of 163*F water (step temp of 156)" I read that as doing a mash at 2 temps, first 156 and then 163. Being my first ever batch and doing BIAB in an effort to keep it simple I decided to just do the entire thing at 163
(on the bright side it explained the 1.080 SG that I did not understand at first).So I have read to understand that my beer may end up pretty sweet as I may have some unfermentable sugars in there. I guess how sweet only time will tell. On the bright side I have been known to like my sugary treats
I did learn one other thing as well. I have read on these forums over and over again to RDWHAHB. This advise stinks when it is your first batch and you don't have a home brew to relax with! Luckily I am still well stocked with many comercials beers, so I stilled chilled out with a frosty beverage.
ChrisL_ said:Well I have not been as excited to start a hobby/project in a long while, as I have been since Homebrew and Punkin Ale came along. So I finally got all my stuff together and brewed my firs batch on Sunday. That is the good news. The bad news it did not take me long to make my first rookie error.
I totally misread Reno_Envys recipe. Where it said "24QT of 163*F water (step temp of 156)" I read that as doing a mash at 2 temps, first 156 and then 163. Being my first ever batch and doing BIAB in an effort to keep it simple I decided to just do the entire thing at 163
So I have read to understand that my beer may end up pretty sweet as I may have some unfermentable sugars in there. I guess how sweet only time will tell. On the bright side I have been known to like my sugary treats
I did learn one other thing as well. I have read on these forums over and over again to RDWHAHB. This advise stinks when it is your first batch and you don't have a home brew to relax with! Luckily I am still well stocked with many comercials beers, so I stilled chilled out with a frosty beverage.
OK, I am looking for some advice/feedback. I know I need to be patient with my beers but am curious about something. I thought most fermentation was done in the first few days? My SG was 1.080 and I checked today and it was still at 1.040. Should it have gone down more by now, or do I just need to wait?
Some additional details:
1. Including fowl ups listed above I also think my boil was too vigorous and I boiled off too much. I ended up with 2.4 gal in the fermenter when my target was 3.
2. I did a 2.5G batch and pitched an entire package of SF05. Ambient temp was mostly around 60-63F in my basement.
3. Fermentation looked vigorous for a couple of days and then slowed right down.
4. It was my first ever taste of freshly fermented beer, so I am not totally sure about the taste, but it seemed ok other then pretty sweet and having what I think is the "green" flavor of a young beer.
Any thoughts? I am correct that the gravity should have been lower by this point?
Thanks,
Chris
How long total since you pitched yeast? That's a big beer. Give it at least three weeks
Sorry, I thought I typed that. The yeast was pitched 2 weeks ago.
What yeast? It's in the presence of higher alcohol now which can affect it, too depending on strain
Dukeman9988
Well-Known Member
What did you use to check the gravity?
It was a full pack of SF05 on a 2.5 gallon batch, pitched dry.
I used a Hydrometer for both SG and current Gravity.
My concern is that I totally blew the mash temp (rookie first batch error) and had it at 162F. A brewing friend told me I would end up with many unfermentables in my wort. So I wonder if the 1.040 could end up being my FG (I'll know in a day or 2 when I do another reading).
I can put that in the fermenter? Would that help reduce the unfermentables I have in there due to messed up mash temp?
Yes and yes. Just start with a few drops and wait a few days. Too much and you'll have hot, cidery beer
Thanks for the tip. I had not heard of that product before.
I will give it another week and see if it is in fact stopped fermentaion and maybe add the enzymes then. One other thought I had, since I boiled off more then expected I thought I could maybe make my priming solution with extra water to dilute the entire batch.
Any thoughts on that idea?
Thanks again.
personally I'd go with the enzyme. The balance of the beer is at stake, ya know?
Thanks for the feedback. On the advise of a friend, I moved my fermenter to a warmer place (up to 66F from 62F) and gave it a small swirl and seem to have a bit more activity going again. So I plan to wait a week and see how it goes.
If I do get the AA, I will be careful with it, but currently at 1.040 I have some points to give. But thus far I am having trouble getting it. My LHBS is about 1 hour away. They have a 2 ounces portion for about $3, which is fine but the $12.50 for shipping is not so good.
I'll kick back with a few colds ones this week and see how it goes.
Right, which us why I said just a few drops. It's volatile
Just a quick update. After another full week of no movement on the gravity (still at 1.040 and not drinkable), I finally went to my LHBS and picked up the Alpha Amylase Enzyme. I used some other posts I found where people stated how much they used and how many points it changed their gravity to calculate an amount. I dropped it in when I got home around 6:15 and by 7:30 there is a new kraussen forming already.
I really enjoyed this beer when I had the version a friend had brewed, I really hope this turns out.
I really enjoyed this beer when I had the version a friend had brewed, I really hope this turns out.
I read someone had used 2 teaspoons (it was a powder form I found) and brought down the gravity 8 points. I did only a 2.5G batch, but also need to drop the gravity about 23 points. So I went with a pinch over 2 teaspoons.
It was undrinkable, so it is worth the risk and seems to be bubbling away nicely right now. Hopefully I guessed the correct amount and it stops somewhere in a drinkable range.
I will taking readings this weekend and post back the result for you info.
Thanks,
Chris
OK, fermentation has stopped and I am quite happy. It ended up a little low at 1.013.
So my final numbers look like this:
OG: 1.069
FG: 1.013
ABV: 7.7%
So as far as the AA goes, I was stuck at 1.040 with just over 2G of beer/wort. So based on one other report of how much AA was used, I added just a pinch over 2 teaspoons and dropped the graviy 27 points.
I don't think there is sufficient evidence yet to determine if the releationship is in fact linear, but my calculations did end up pretty close.
So if anyone reading this needs to try Alpha Amylase to deal with unfermentables during fermentation it looks like 1 teaspoon per gallon of beer will eat up about 27 gravity points.
As stated by Reno_eVNy AA could be dangerous, but if you are in the situation I was in and have an undrinable beer it is certainly worth a shot.
PS, I was unable to taste the pie spices when I was stuck at 1.040, but they have been uncovered now that the gravity has dropped to 1.013. I was a little down about this beer but am excited once again. I will be bottlling in the next couple of days and will wait 3 weeks to drink my first ever bottle of homebrew
Thanks for Reno_eNVy and tre9er for your help and advice.:rockin:
OP
OP
Reno_eNVy
Well-Known Member
Nice! Good stuff.
And given the OG, you might not get full carbonation after three weeks. More like four to six weeks. I haven't gone back to check but I feel like a large-handfull of posts on this thread involved either "it's not carbed" or "I ended up waiting longer than three weeks."
Also worth noting, this beer really doesn't hit its stride until about 6-8 weeks. Yes, it's a long time but it makes a world of difference. Try to at least save a six-pack until the 8 week mark, you won't regret it.
And given the OG, you might not get full carbonation after three weeks. More like four to six weeks. I haven't gone back to check but I feel like a large-handfull of posts on this thread involved either "it's not carbed" or "I ended up waiting longer than three weeks."
Also worth noting, this beer really doesn't hit its stride until about 6-8 weeks. Yes, it's a long time but it makes a world of difference. Try to at least save a six-pack until the 8 week mark, you won't regret it.
8 weeks? Your killing me
I will wait as it will be worth it. Besides, I have a project to keep me busy for the next littlie while as I plan to drink several Hacker Pschorr Weisse beers that come in the 500ML swing top bottles as I will need them to bottle my next batch
Well I am saving most of it for the the 8 week mark when it is fully matured, but at almost 5 weeks I had to try my first ever homebrew. It will not win any awards, but I have to say not too shabby for my first attempt.
OP
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Reno_eNVy
Well-Known Member
thiessenace
Well-Known Member
How pumpkiny is it? Do the spices stick out alot¿
thiessenace said:
The spice level was nice. It definitely says pumpkin pie, but is not overkill. One issue for me was that I was only able to get no name spice mix. It is ok but not my favourite.
For my next batch I may get the SWMBO to make me a mix from fresh spices.
