Pressure fermenting with wlp840

[AlbertaBeer]

So getting excited to play around with my new toys, did one ale kit out of the gate to test things out and wasn’t too bad. I don’t have a kegerator/keezer or anything rigged up yet (everyone wants $1000 for a beat up old fridge!) so I’m fermenting at room temp. The ale surprisingly was drinkable, though the warmer temps I’m sure definitely had some impact on it

Somehow that first batch disappeared over the weekend so I decided to test run an all-grain batch, but this time using some wlp840 and I am pressure fermenting in the g4.

The 840 of course isn’t intended as a pressure fermenting yeast from what I can find, I’ve got the spunding valve set at 12-12.5psi and fermentation seems to be going good so far.

Just curious if anyone has pressure fermented with 840 before and at what pressure, and of course what was the outcome!

 

[IslandLizard]

Congrats with your first homebrew!
It just disappeared, huh? Can't have been all that bad then.

WLP840
FERMENTATION TEMPERATURE :
50° - 55° F
10° - 13° C

Pressure fermentation may allow using somewhat higher ferm temp, such as 10-20°F/6-11°C higher than indicated. Wouldn't push it much higher, though.

$1000 for an old used fridge is ridiculous of course. Keep on the lookout for one at a much more reasonable price. I got an upright freezer (no evap coils in the shelves) in excellent condition, and fairly new, for $100. But that was well before things got crazy.

Maybe there's a family member or friend who wants to upgrade theirs...

 

[AlbertaBeer]

No it wasn’t too bad, just had a little off flavour that I’d assume was the warmer ferment temps (and I wasn’t pressure fermenting). It actually cleared up a bit after I had kegged and refrigerated it for a couple days.

I kinda missed the boat on used appliances. Couple years ago it seemed everyone including family was getting rid of old units for free. now everyone’s got rid of the old units and the classifieds are down to just couple year old models, and they want a stupid amount of money for them

 

[IslandLizard]

the classifieds are down to just couple year old models, and they want a stupid amount of money for them

If you have time and patience the right deal will show up.
It's when in a hurry you may end up paying the piper.

You could use a (perhaps older) window-mount AC unit and build an insulated fermentation box or even a small cold room with it.

 

[AlbertaBeer]

Yea that’s why I haven’t been getting too excited about buying one yet, if I can make something half decent for now I will wait for the right deal. It’s hard to justify hacking up a fridge or freezer that’s worth that much

 

[TimLa]

Best Buy branded chest freezer, 7 cu ft, holds 4 kegs, $249 last month when I bought it new.

 

[AlbertaBeer]

Best Buy branded chest freezer, 7 cu ft, holds 4 kegs, $249 last month when I bought it new.

I have been scouting out new units and yes there are some fairly cheap ones out there but they really don’t have the best reviews, lots of failures within a year it seems

Unfortunately the local store doesn’t stock anything and they don’t have anything available other than the more expensive name brand units. Even Best Buy and a few other places that are in the nearest city don’t stock freezers for some reason, not to mention it’s a 4hr drive so that $250 freezer is going to cost a lot more than that if they did have one!