Beer_Guy
Well-Known Member
First, I wanted to thank you guys for all the good advice and calming words I have read here. But especially my Sergeant in the Army years back for the CYA (Cover You’re Ass. ) recommendation. (Oh and lest I ever forget, his CYBA comment also. “Cover your Buddies Ass.”
I received the AHB 1554 Clone kit in May as a B-day present from my wife. (Gotta love a woman like that.) I had been planning to brew on Saturday. I made my starter around Friday noon and by noon Saturday it still had no action in it AT ALL.
I told the wife about it and she said to wait and brew Sunday. Ok, so RDWHAHB. Then I remembered the LHBS is closed on Sunday, so off I go to CYA. He was out of the recommended Southern German Lager Yeast WL838, but he suggested the German Bock Yeast WL833. (I also picked up 3 different hops to use in test batches.) BTW; this is to be fermented at Ale temps.
By Sunday morning the starter was just starting to show some action, so I relaxed a little bit. Of course the new Bock starter was still busy making little yeasties and quiet.
Long story short, I now have 2.5 gallons bubbling nicely in one bucket and 4 small jugs with a growing Krausen layer. I used the recommended German Lager Yeast in the big bucket and did 1 small jug (0.7 gallons) with the German Bock Yeast. When I brewed up the other 3 small batches I left out the Paradise Seeds used in the kit as Flavoring hops and used the 3 different pellet hops. (Kent Goldings, Tettnang and Willamette) I also hopped these 3 jugs just before pitching the yeast. (I used 0.10oz for 10 minutes and 0.02oz at pitch time in the 0.7 gallon batches.)
Now the hard part, WAITING!!!
Moral: CYA can be a good thing. I do like the 1554 and just about any Bock I have ever tried so I am really hoping the Bock yeast makes a nice 1554 style brew. I would have never tried the Bock yeast if my starter had not been so slow starting.
I will of course report my results.
I received the AHB 1554 Clone kit in May as a B-day present from my wife. (Gotta love a woman like that.) I had been planning to brew on Saturday. I made my starter around Friday noon and by noon Saturday it still had no action in it AT ALL.
I told the wife about it and she said to wait and brew Sunday. Ok, so RDWHAHB. Then I remembered the LHBS is closed on Sunday, so off I go to CYA. He was out of the recommended Southern German Lager Yeast WL838, but he suggested the German Bock Yeast WL833. (I also picked up 3 different hops to use in test batches.) BTW; this is to be fermented at Ale temps.
By Sunday morning the starter was just starting to show some action, so I relaxed a little bit. Of course the new Bock starter was still busy making little yeasties and quiet.
Long story short, I now have 2.5 gallons bubbling nicely in one bucket and 4 small jugs with a growing Krausen layer. I used the recommended German Lager Yeast in the big bucket and did 1 small jug (0.7 gallons) with the German Bock Yeast. When I brewed up the other 3 small batches I left out the Paradise Seeds used in the kit as Flavoring hops and used the 3 different pellet hops. (Kent Goldings, Tettnang and Willamette) I also hopped these 3 jugs just before pitching the yeast. (I used 0.10oz for 10 minutes and 0.02oz at pitch time in the 0.7 gallon batches.)
Now the hard part, WAITING!!!
Moral: CYA can be a good thing. I do like the 1554 and just about any Bock I have ever tried so I am really hoping the Bock yeast makes a nice 1554 style brew. I would have never tried the Bock yeast if my starter had not been so slow starting.
I will of course report my results.