Hello everyone. Just wanted to solicit some advice/suggestions on an upcoming brew that I've been "designing" for the better part of 2 weeks. I'm also using this thread as a method of documentation for this involved long-term beer. As the title mentions, this grain bill is that of a clone for Surly Brewing's Pentagram. Some basic numbers first...
Grain Bill
11.5# Pale Ale malt
1# Belgian Crystal 10L
0.37# Dark Munich
0.37# Chocolate malt
Hops
0.40 oz Columbus (AA 15%) 60 minutes
Mashing
0.31 gallons/pound
4.1 gallon strike at 168-169F for 60 min mash at 155F
7 gallon boil for 5 gallons wort
Target OG 1.066
Estimated pre-boil SG of 1.047
target FG 1.022
Bugs
Partial grain Lacto kettle sour
Heady Topper Conan yeast for primary
Omega All the Bretts (OLY218) and stepped up Draai Laag K2 dregs in secondary
Schedule...
Day -3:
Sour starter: 0.5L of 1.040 DME mixed with 200ml apple juice and 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient. Added 1 cup of grains and some seltzer water to drive off oxygen. Covered with sanitized foil and incubate in small cooler and heat blanket around ~110F until Day 0 (total of 72 hours). Will verify LAB inoculation via pH strips.
Conan starter: 1L starter, 100g DME to 1L water with yeast nutrient.
Day -1:
Step up Conan starter to 2L (~200b cells?)
Mash half of grain bill (with no hops), 60 minutes @ 155F. Cool to ~110F and pitch sour starter. Incubate at ~110F for 24 hours.
Day 0 (Brew day):
Mash 2nd half of recipe.
Combine both halves, boil full batch with hops.
Cool to ambient, pitch Conan starter.
Ferment "clean" wort in primary (bucket) for 1 week.
Day 7:
Rack to secondary (glass carboy) and pitch OLY-218 and stepped up starter of Draai Laag K2.
I believe Draai Laag is a mixed culture of brett/lacto/pedio (possibly sacc?) and that will help sour the beer during a long secondary.
~Day 100:
Add 0.3 oz toasted and boiled American Oak cubes that have been soaked in red wine for the entirety of the fermentation (likely 100 days).
Whenever FG stabilizes for a month, I'll look to bottle with low to moderate carbonation.
I welcome any feedback or suggestions from anyone. And I'll be sure to update this thread along the way!
Cheers!
Grain Bill
11.5# Pale Ale malt
1# Belgian Crystal 10L
0.37# Dark Munich
0.37# Chocolate malt
Hops
0.40 oz Columbus (AA 15%) 60 minutes
Mashing
0.31 gallons/pound
4.1 gallon strike at 168-169F for 60 min mash at 155F
7 gallon boil for 5 gallons wort
Target OG 1.066
Estimated pre-boil SG of 1.047
target FG 1.022
Bugs
Partial grain Lacto kettle sour
Heady Topper Conan yeast for primary
Omega All the Bretts (OLY218) and stepped up Draai Laag K2 dregs in secondary
Schedule...
Day -3:
Sour starter: 0.5L of 1.040 DME mixed with 200ml apple juice and 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient. Added 1 cup of grains and some seltzer water to drive off oxygen. Covered with sanitized foil and incubate in small cooler and heat blanket around ~110F until Day 0 (total of 72 hours). Will verify LAB inoculation via pH strips.
Conan starter: 1L starter, 100g DME to 1L water with yeast nutrient.
Day -1:
Step up Conan starter to 2L (~200b cells?)
Mash half of grain bill (with no hops), 60 minutes @ 155F. Cool to ~110F and pitch sour starter. Incubate at ~110F for 24 hours.
Day 0 (Brew day):
Mash 2nd half of recipe.
Combine both halves, boil full batch with hops.
Cool to ambient, pitch Conan starter.
Ferment "clean" wort in primary (bucket) for 1 week.
Day 7:
Rack to secondary (glass carboy) and pitch OLY-218 and stepped up starter of Draai Laag K2.
I believe Draai Laag is a mixed culture of brett/lacto/pedio (possibly sacc?) and that will help sour the beer during a long secondary.
~Day 100:
Add 0.3 oz toasted and boiled American Oak cubes that have been soaked in red wine for the entirety of the fermentation (likely 100 days).
Whenever FG stabilizes for a month, I'll look to bottle with low to moderate carbonation.
I welcome any feedback or suggestions from anyone. And I'll be sure to update this thread along the way!
Cheers!