Black_Sails
Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2014
- Messages
- 24
- Reaction score
- 6
Don't dump those brews!
So I have been brewing for about 1 1/2 years now. I started with 1 gallon extracts, progressed to 5 gallon extracts, and am now capable of 10 gallon all-grain batches.
I love Anchor Steam, among other beers, and looked forward to this batch for months. I really felt I had my system down and my process.
Enter my new fermentation chamber a la BrewsbySmith :rockin:
The brew day went very well and I was happy for the most part with my targets. I feel my Achilles Heel was with the fermentation. Not with controlling temps, but mold and sour rotting water in my blow-off pot.
The beer sat for almost 2 weeks before I lifted the lid on the fridge and I instantly thought this would be my first batch to go to the drain. However, I pulled the lid on the bucket and the beer looked and smelled fine. So I threw on an airlock, cleaned the chamber, and let it sit for another couple of weeks - while keeping a closer eye on the humidity in the chamber.
Probably 2 weeks later I did some testing and the numbers looked good. But the taste was certainly "off". I didn't write it down but I remember sharp, acidic, plastic type tastes and was worried. Plus it stunk. But I said "screw it, HBT would tell me to chill and let it sit"...so I did. I had some more issues with carbonation once it was kegged. I just couldn't get it to stay in the 10 psi range. I'd set it at night and in the morning it would be around 20. Vent at the Co2 regulator and try to reset at 10.
Finally I vented the keg fully, and that seemed to get it working as it now holds at 10'ish.
There was at least 3 occasions when I almost dumped this batch, based and various tastes and smells, but let it go as an experiment. And am very happy that I did.
Tonight we tasted it. I had my wife go first (her facial expressions tell me a lot :cross
.
All she said was "mmm Cinnamon".
It's weird, it has a suttle cinnamon taste which is great for the season. And its about 4.9%:rockin:
It's no Anchor Steam, but it tastes great, and was very cool to have it save itself.
Thanks to this community and all the advice I have gleaned lurking it this past year. Cheers!
So I have been brewing for about 1 1/2 years now. I started with 1 gallon extracts, progressed to 5 gallon extracts, and am now capable of 10 gallon all-grain batches.
I love Anchor Steam, among other beers, and looked forward to this batch for months. I really felt I had my system down and my process.
Enter my new fermentation chamber a la BrewsbySmith :rockin:
The brew day went very well and I was happy for the most part with my targets. I feel my Achilles Heel was with the fermentation. Not with controlling temps, but mold and sour rotting water in my blow-off pot.
The beer sat for almost 2 weeks before I lifted the lid on the fridge and I instantly thought this would be my first batch to go to the drain. However, I pulled the lid on the bucket and the beer looked and smelled fine. So I threw on an airlock, cleaned the chamber, and let it sit for another couple of weeks - while keeping a closer eye on the humidity in the chamber.
Probably 2 weeks later I did some testing and the numbers looked good. But the taste was certainly "off". I didn't write it down but I remember sharp, acidic, plastic type tastes and was worried. Plus it stunk. But I said "screw it, HBT would tell me to chill and let it sit"...so I did. I had some more issues with carbonation once it was kegged. I just couldn't get it to stay in the 10 psi range. I'd set it at night and in the morning it would be around 20. Vent at the Co2 regulator and try to reset at 10.
Finally I vented the keg fully, and that seemed to get it working as it now holds at 10'ish.
There was at least 3 occasions when I almost dumped this batch, based and various tastes and smells, but let it go as an experiment. And am very happy that I did.
Tonight we tasted it. I had my wife go first (her facial expressions tell me a lot :cross
.All she said was "mmm Cinnamon".
It's weird, it has a suttle cinnamon taste which is great for the season. And its about 4.9%:rockin:
It's no Anchor Steam, but it tastes great, and was very cool to have it save itself.
Thanks to this community and all the advice I have gleaned lurking it this past year. Cheers!
