Hello HBT.
I am a commercial brewer and as such apply a similar approach to my home brewing. In the professional world I meet people who range from like myself to letting things take their time. I love the language of things like - the yeast will tell you when it is done - or - patience is a virtue which will be rewarded - and so on ... but I was trained to bang beer through with a heavy production focus. As a result home brewing where things spend weeks in primary, secondary even is another world. Obviously certain strains and styles reward patience and time is required for correct flavour development, but there is no magic, just correct flavour development, for me a week to 10 days before packaging is just ... well most things get a week to 10 days, keg and can get 10 days to two weeks unless it is part of an mixed culture, barrel program or something it requires serious justification.
ANYWAY. I've just checked my pilot RIS brewed on sunday. SG 1.112, pitch rate at 1x10^6 per ml per degree plato so 400ml of slurry at approx 2x10^9 cells per ml in 30L. It is at 1.024. This was a 19C pitch, free rise to 20C, held at 20C until hour 72/two thirds attenuation then allowed to rise to 21C, typically I'd allow a rise to 23C with this strain to insure it is fully attenuated and there is complete VDK reduction, but there are fruit and other additions at this point so I'll hold it at 21C for another 24 hours before allowing the final rise. I only expect another point or two. I'll hold it at 23C over the weekend and probably chill it sunday night, keg monday or tuesday so 8-9 days turn around.
Is this normal? Do other people work like this? Am I completely missing the point? I talk to home brewers and they leave big beers in primary for weeks... they talk about the yeast cleaning up... I'm like ... clean up what?
If anybody is interested in the recipe.
extra pale malt 70%
dark crystal 4%
flaked torrified oat 6%
special carafa III 11%
chocolate malt 9%
60m mash at 67C. 180ppm chloride, 80ppm sulphate, salts in the boil not mash to keep pH in range, sparge liquor acidified but mash liquor left untreated due to fairly healthy sparge, sodium carbonate direct to mash on test to ensure mash pH 5.3.
50 IBU's of whatever at whenever for a boil of whatever to hit your volumes. I perform a continuous sparge and when doing huge beers collect more than is needed and have to concentrate it through an extended boil so I was boiling for approx 45m before starting a 60m boil and my first hop addition. Equally you could reduce the sparge and efficiency?
6 points of lactose at flame out.
8g a litre of toasted cocoa nibs close to end of fermentation
50g a litre of sour cherry ditto (I use concentrate at 3 fold)
120ul natural vanilla extract a litre on pack
4g a litre of american oak soaked in a 0.5% abv bourbon addition, oak with nibs, reserve bourbon for pack
I am a commercial brewer and as such apply a similar approach to my home brewing. In the professional world I meet people who range from like myself to letting things take their time. I love the language of things like - the yeast will tell you when it is done - or - patience is a virtue which will be rewarded - and so on ... but I was trained to bang beer through with a heavy production focus. As a result home brewing where things spend weeks in primary, secondary even is another world. Obviously certain strains and styles reward patience and time is required for correct flavour development, but there is no magic, just correct flavour development, for me a week to 10 days before packaging is just ... well most things get a week to 10 days, keg and can get 10 days to two weeks unless it is part of an mixed culture, barrel program or something it requires serious justification.
ANYWAY. I've just checked my pilot RIS brewed on sunday. SG 1.112, pitch rate at 1x10^6 per ml per degree plato so 400ml of slurry at approx 2x10^9 cells per ml in 30L. It is at 1.024. This was a 19C pitch, free rise to 20C, held at 20C until hour 72/two thirds attenuation then allowed to rise to 21C, typically I'd allow a rise to 23C with this strain to insure it is fully attenuated and there is complete VDK reduction, but there are fruit and other additions at this point so I'll hold it at 21C for another 24 hours before allowing the final rise. I only expect another point or two. I'll hold it at 23C over the weekend and probably chill it sunday night, keg monday or tuesday so 8-9 days turn around.
Is this normal? Do other people work like this? Am I completely missing the point? I talk to home brewers and they leave big beers in primary for weeks... they talk about the yeast cleaning up... I'm like ... clean up what?
If anybody is interested in the recipe.
extra pale malt 70%
dark crystal 4%
flaked torrified oat 6%
special carafa III 11%
chocolate malt 9%
60m mash at 67C. 180ppm chloride, 80ppm sulphate, salts in the boil not mash to keep pH in range, sparge liquor acidified but mash liquor left untreated due to fairly healthy sparge, sodium carbonate direct to mash on test to ensure mash pH 5.3.
50 IBU's of whatever at whenever for a boil of whatever to hit your volumes. I perform a continuous sparge and when doing huge beers collect more than is needed and have to concentrate it through an extended boil so I was boiling for approx 45m before starting a 60m boil and my first hop addition. Equally you could reduce the sparge and efficiency?
6 points of lactose at flame out.
8g a litre of toasted cocoa nibs close to end of fermentation
50g a litre of sour cherry ditto (I use concentrate at 3 fold)
120ul natural vanilla extract a litre on pack
4g a litre of american oak soaked in a 0.5% abv bourbon addition, oak with nibs, reserve bourbon for pack