I want my beer to have as few off-flavors as possible - help me out!

[jakehoodlum]

I am brewing this blonde ale I found in the recipe section of the site and want to make it with as few off-flavors as possible. I am mainly concerned about diacetyl, acetaldehyde, and oxidation.

I am not so much worried about other off flavors as I was very liberal with my star san, a nice rolling boil, and 20 minute chill to pitch temp after the boil with my immersion chiller. I am fermenting the 1.044 blonde ale per the recipe at 67F and want to know how long to keep it in the primary before cold crashing to make sure there are as few off flavors as possible.

I plan on cold crashing and using gelatin before racking into my keg, but I do not plan on measuring FG to make sure it is fully attenuated -- I don't want to open the bung and risk oxidation or contamination. Any thoughts? Thanks!!!

 

[Rockn_M]

If you are using Nottingham Ale yeast, I wouldn't worry about diacetyl. The best way to avoid off flavors is to control temperatures during fermentation. You want them on the lower side of the range. As far as how long until cold crashing, you'll need to take hydrometer readings to determine if you have reached FG. If you are careful when pulling a sample you will not oxidize the beer and the risk of infection is pretty negible if you use star san on anything that touches the beer.

I've made this recipe many times and it was a house favorite. Take your time and it'll turn out great.

 

[Gavin C]

I am fermenting the 1.044 blonde ale per the recipe at 67F and want to know how long to keep it in the primary before cold crashing to make sure there are as few off flavors as possible.

Leave it in the primary till ferment is complete. Not to be a smart-alec but I would take a sample to verify this when all visible signs of ferment have ceased prior to crashing. Your going to get more problems packaging a beer that's not fully fermented than you are worrying about the other stuff I reckon.

Just seems like your over thinking it a hair. What does the author of the recipe list as an anticipated fermentation time? Very often they have done the work for you and will list it. If it's a tried and true recipe who am I to disagree with their timeline.

Edit: Go with Biermucher. A 9 day ferment at the desired temp. Verify your FG with hydrometer.

 

[BigFloyd]

Precise temp control is the number one thing you can do to consistently avoid off-flavors (as is pitching enough viable yeast cells).

I like to get the wort chilled to a few degrees below the low end of the optimal range for the yeast being used and let it rise on it's own into low-middle optimal range. I'll hold it there until fermentation noticeably slows then start bumping the temp a couple of *F every day or two until it's into the upper end of the optimal range to facilitate the yeast consuming/converting the natural by-products of fermentation.

Some beers benefit from extended conditioning times well beyond the typical three-week bottle carbing.

If you cold-crash the primary well (I usually do a week at 35*F), you won't need to use gelatin unless you're sending it off to a comp or desire uber-clear beer.

 

[madscientist451]

Don't follow any predetermined time schedule. Don't take any gravity readings until fermentation activity stops. Do take a reading before racking to the keg, in fact take two readings 3-4 days apart to make sure its not still fermenting. Use a wine thief sanitized with star san and it will be ok. Give the carboy a shot of c02 before you put the stopper back in. Don't pour your gravity sample back in, but you should taste it.
Be careful not to splash the beer when racking to the keg.
If you get any off flavors, post the results here, someone will help figure it out. Cheers!