laserghost
Well-Known Member
BACKGROUND
First time dabbling with wild yeast! Took some bark shavings from an apple tree in my back yard and put it in a 1.020 wort on a stir plate. After it showed fermentation I stepped it up a few times and then used it in a 2 gallon split batch – 1 gal IPA (1.060) and 1 gal Pale ale (1.050).
Vigorous fermentation and blow off and took a while to floc, but it's pretty clear now. It's been 6 weeks since I pitched the yeast. On the stir plate starter, it distinctly smelled like nail polish remover / acetone. Does that indicate Bret in an aerobic environment?
I've been hesitant to taste it until it's had at least a month, and today I checked the gravity and pH of the pale – 1.014 and 4.44. pH was low enough so I tasted it, and ...
It tasted great!! I was afraid that nail polish thing would have been there, but there wasn't a trace. I only smelled the nail polish in the starter, so it doesn't seem to be an issue in an anaerobic environment. Not sure what beasts I captured, but it produced a tasty Wild Pale Ale!!
Haven't check the numbers on the IPA yet, but this leads me to MY ULTIMATE QUESTION
————————————————
What do I do with it now? I typically keg 5 gallons at a time, but my instinct tells me not to run this through my standard brew gear plastic lines. Instinct tells me to bottle with some priming tablets in each bottle. But am I risking bottling too soon? If I have Brett, am I risking bottle bombs? I've never used Brett before.
It's been 6 weeks since pitching, should I leave it longer and check the gravity at 8 weeks? Should I bottle now and enjoy in 2–3 weeks?
FINALLY what do I do with my new yeast buddies?
Usually, I pour off 12 oz from my starter and save some yeast. Should I rinse this wild yeast culture and store it? No idea what I've got, but excited!
First time dabbling with wild yeast! Took some bark shavings from an apple tree in my back yard and put it in a 1.020 wort on a stir plate. After it showed fermentation I stepped it up a few times and then used it in a 2 gallon split batch – 1 gal IPA (1.060) and 1 gal Pale ale (1.050).
Vigorous fermentation and blow off and took a while to floc, but it's pretty clear now. It's been 6 weeks since I pitched the yeast. On the stir plate starter, it distinctly smelled like nail polish remover / acetone. Does that indicate Bret in an aerobic environment?
I've been hesitant to taste it until it's had at least a month, and today I checked the gravity and pH of the pale – 1.014 and 4.44. pH was low enough so I tasted it, and ...
It tasted great!! I was afraid that nail polish thing would have been there, but there wasn't a trace. I only smelled the nail polish in the starter, so it doesn't seem to be an issue in an anaerobic environment. Not sure what beasts I captured, but it produced a tasty Wild Pale Ale!!
Haven't check the numbers on the IPA yet, but this leads me to MY ULTIMATE QUESTION
————————————————
What do I do with it now? I typically keg 5 gallons at a time, but my instinct tells me not to run this through my standard brew gear plastic lines. Instinct tells me to bottle with some priming tablets in each bottle. But am I risking bottling too soon? If I have Brett, am I risking bottle bombs? I've never used Brett before.
It's been 6 weeks since pitching, should I leave it longer and check the gravity at 8 weeks? Should I bottle now and enjoy in 2–3 weeks?
FINALLY what do I do with my new yeast buddies?
Usually, I pour off 12 oz from my starter and save some yeast. Should I rinse this wild yeast culture and store it? No idea what I've got, but excited!