Brewing this afternoon- liquid yeast?

I've got all my stuff ready for brewing today when I get home from work at noon. I'm using a liquid yeast. I did not make a starter- is it too late? Could I just quickly mix up some of that yeast and DME? I took it out of the refridge a little while ago. I'm making the famous "Boom Boom" caramel cream ale, but I think I'll use less vanilla.

Thanks for any input!

Lorena

lorenae said:

I've got all my stuff ready for brewing today when I get home from work at noon. I'm using a liquid yeast. I did not make a starter- is it too late? Could I just quickly mix up some of that yeast and DME? I took it out of the refridge a little while ago. I'm making the famous "Boom Boom" caramel cream ale, but I think I'll use less vanilla.

Thanks for any input!

Lorena

Click to expand...

FWIW, I didn't use starters. Are you making the version 1 or the version two (boom boom)?

I'm making this one- (I believe it's your version #2, right?)


Malts
3 pounds extra light DME
3 pounds light wheat DME
1 pound Caramel 60L (steeped for 45 minutes at 150'-165')

Hops
1oz Cascade for bittering (60 minutes)
.5oz Saaz for flavor (20 minutes)
.5 oz Tettnang for aroma (end of boil)

Yeast
Wyeast German Ale (they don't carry White Labs)

Extras
1 tsp Irish Moss (10 minutes)
4oz Lactose @ 15 minutes
2 oz real vanilla extract (too damned expensive to use more)


Priming
>1cup Lactose
4oz vanilla
1.5 cups light DME



I'm really looking forward to this one! My only concern is the amount of vanilla. I trhought I'd do it as written except for the priming with the 4 oz of vanilla. I'll taste it and see if I like it without all that "extra" vanilla. I want a creamy caramel ale, not necessarily with much vanilla flavor. This topic has been on this board for a year, so I'm figuring it's got to be a favorite!

Lorena

lorenae said:

I'm making this one- (I believe it's your version #2, right?)


Malts
3 pounds extra light DME
3 pounds light wheat DME
1 pound Caramel 60L (steeped for 45 minutes at 150'-165')

Hops
1oz Cascade for bittering (60 minutes)
.5oz Saaz for flavor (20 minutes)
.5 oz Tettnang for aroma (end of boil)

Yeast
Wyeast German Ale (they don't carry White Labs)

Extras
1 tsp Irish Moss (10 minutes)
4oz Lactose @ 15 minutes
2 oz real vanilla extract (too damned expensive to use more)


Priming
>1cup Lactose
4oz vanilla
1.5 cups light DME



I'm really looking forward to this one! My only concern is the amount of vanilla. I trhought I'd do it as written except for the priming with the 4 oz of vanilla. I'll taste it and see if I like it without all that "extra" vanilla. I want a creamy caramel ale, not necessarily with much vanilla flavor. This topic has been on this board for a year, so I'm figuring it's got to be a favorite!

Lorena

Click to expand...

this is version 1, which might be my favorite of the two. Version two uses more hops and less vanilla. The amount of vanilla to use has been debated on both sides, so I'm going to leave it up to you to determine how much you'd like. Perhaps you should just stick with the 2oz in the primary and decide at bottling time whether or not you want to add more. The LHBS guy I gave a sample to immediately said "Cream Soda!" when I gave him a sample.

To achieve a nice caramel flavor, leave your pot boiling when you dump in the DME, but stir right away. This will cause some of the sugar to caramelize.

Enjoy, and post your modifications and your review.

When I use liquid yeast I let it sit at room temp for 24 hours (after breaking the inner seal) before I pitch.

If it's a smack pack pop it at least 3hrs before you plan to pitch... I never make starters with the smack packs...

lorenae said:

I've got all my stuff ready for brewing today when I get home from work at noon. I'm using a liquid yeast. I did not make a starter- is it too late? Could I just quickly mix up some of that yeast and DME? I took it out of the refridge a little while ago. I'm making the famous "Boom Boom" caramel cream ale, but I think I'll use less vanilla.

Thanks for any input!

Lorena

Click to expand...

To answer your question in regards to making a starter. Yes, It is too late. Your yeast won't have nearly enough time to multiply by the time you are ready to pitch. I typically get a starter going 24-48 hours prior to my brew session.

Just to chime in, take the pack out of the fridge if it's still there when you get home & smack it. By the time you're done everything it'll be about 3 hours later and it'll be swelled (swollen?) & ready to pitch.

What I normally try to do is if I know when I'm going to brew I break the smack pack the day before and sit it on the counter. Then the following day it's swelled with goodness and I pitch when my wort is cooled.

I've never popped my smack pack more than 6 hours before I pitched. I always see activity in the airlock within 2-3 hours.

Yes, if it's a smack, just hit it and pull up quick to get wit' it... sorry, had a Sir Mix-A-Lot moment there...

3 hours of warming up and swelling is porbably the most it needs; I get by well enough in 2 hours. Just take it out of the fridge, slap it silly, and clean/prepare your stuff. It'll be ready right on time.

lorenae said:

Priming
>1cup Lactose
4oz vanilla
1.5 cups light DME

Lorena

Click to expand...

If you please, is that extract, and in addition to the vanilla used in the boil? Sounds like a good recipe to try.

Yes to both of your questions. Real vanilla extract and it is in addition to the boil. Many have commented that you should taste it before adding the additional vanilla though as it may be too strong to your liking.

I should be brewing this tomorrow if all goes to plan.

I was going to start a new topic but this one seems to have the answers I was going to seek for. I am on my second brew but with liquid yeast this time around (Wyeast Trappist Ale #3787). Package instructions say to use "starter" wort after initial three or more hours of swelling. And starter would require 24-48 hours incubation before pitching. Also, starter directions require dried malt extract which I don't have.
Midwest catalog's general guideliness say, break it and wait 24-48 hours but doesn't mention starter. I was going to brew today but got confused now after breaking the activator in the package. If I cannot do it today, can I palce the swollen package back to fridge for two days and bring to the room temp in two days to brew then? I kind of have an answer to this from Midwest's warranty disclosures; they say if you receive the package already activated to place in the fridge but use it before two weeks. PLease help me to get confused a bit more... And sorry for intruding into the topic.
Cheers.

If you have the old "gold pack" Wyeast, then I would recommend a starter. If you are using the "Activator" blue packet, you can pitch it directly from the packet.


That being said, I've pitched both directly from the packet (always FULLY swelled) and have never had a problem with lag time. Just make sure to aerate your wort well before pitching.


Cheers!

I didn't make a starter (see the original post), and used liquid yeast, not a smack pack. I just took a s.g., then poured the yeast from the vial (after mixing it up well). It took a whole day to get going, but then BOOM! I've changed the sanitizer in the container for the blow off tube 3 times because of the violence of the fermentation. It's starting to slow a bit now, just gurgling, but I'm not using a regular airlock until it goes into secondary.

I'm really looking forward to this one!

Lorena