I will be attempting my first bottle harvest and have read lots of things about it..perhaps too much!
I've read one article that says wort can be poured directly into the bottle for the first step-up (I think a BYO article). I haven't seen this anywhere else but am considering doing it considering my limited 'lab'--I only have a 500ml pyrex and a 2L flask.
So, considering that I'll have to step-up a few times throughout the process, I figured that I could use the bottle as my first 2-3 steps.
My anticipated process:
1.) make a 500ml 1.020 wort with DME and stir to aerate.
2.) add 5ml to each of the Rochefort bottles I will be harvesting from, hand stirring for the next 2-3 days (? not sure how long because of the concentration and I don't have a stir plate). After adding this small amount of wort, I was thinking of saving the 490ml leftover in a couple of sanitized bottles for step-up additions later in the week. (possible to do this without too much infection risk??)
3.) use the leftover wort to step up inside the bottle over the next week. I plan to add 25ml after 2-3 days of the first 5ml addition, then add 200ml after a few more days to get about 230ml of wort in the bottle by the end of the week. I plan on re-capping the chilled wort from the first day for these 2 step ups (concerned about the sanitation).
4.) Make a fresh 1-1.5L 1.040 DME wort in the flask and pitch (decant?) the yeast from the 2 bottles if both are viable and don't smell off. If one smells off, I will just make a 1L starter and pitch only one bottle.
Well, please chime in with any advice! Much appreciated...
I've read one article that says wort can be poured directly into the bottle for the first step-up (I think a BYO article). I haven't seen this anywhere else but am considering doing it considering my limited 'lab'--I only have a 500ml pyrex and a 2L flask.
So, considering that I'll have to step-up a few times throughout the process, I figured that I could use the bottle as my first 2-3 steps.
My anticipated process:
1.) make a 500ml 1.020 wort with DME and stir to aerate.
2.) add 5ml to each of the Rochefort bottles I will be harvesting from, hand stirring for the next 2-3 days (? not sure how long because of the concentration and I don't have a stir plate). After adding this small amount of wort, I was thinking of saving the 490ml leftover in a couple of sanitized bottles for step-up additions later in the week. (possible to do this without too much infection risk??)
3.) use the leftover wort to step up inside the bottle over the next week. I plan to add 25ml after 2-3 days of the first 5ml addition, then add 200ml after a few more days to get about 230ml of wort in the bottle by the end of the week. I plan on re-capping the chilled wort from the first day for these 2 step ups (concerned about the sanitation).
4.) Make a fresh 1-1.5L 1.040 DME wort in the flask and pitch (decant?) the yeast from the 2 bottles if both are viable and don't smell off. If one smells off, I will just make a 1L starter and pitch only one bottle.
Well, please chime in with any advice! Much appreciated...