Quick fermentation

[Rippt530]

Mash in 15lb 2 row 127.7F with 15qt 16:45:00 4/7/2011
Also began heating 5 gal water in brewpot for mash 6.5" of liquid = 6.5 gal
Add 1 Saffale US05 to 100.5F water approx 10 oz. 17:00:00 4/7/2011 And some sugar 2 tsp?
Stirred Mash temp 128.0F 17:05:00 4/7/2011 Leads me to believe my first temp was higher?
Added 2gal water to bring temp up to 150.5F 17:15:00 4/7/2011 Couldn't add enough to get to 154...
Begin Sparge 18:00:00 4/7/2011 ran off 64oz and poured on top added 6 c water @179F and ran out then poured liquor over grains and repeated Added about 1 gallon on top of this amount sparged off until ran to 1.011
Finish Sparge 18:45:00 4/7/2011 6.5 gal wort collected
Bring to boil 19:16:00 4/7/2011 added .66 oz centenial
Add hops 19:46:00 4/7/2011 added .66 oz centenial
Add hops 20:01:00 4/7/2011 added .66 oz centenial
Flame out 20:06:00 4/7/2011
Cool down wort 20:45:00 4/7/2011 cooled using 2 sink method
Pitched 20:49:00 4/7/2011 1.060 measured at 5.5 gal 81.7F 1.062 actual OG
FERMENTING 4/8/2011
Checked fermentation 5:15:00 4/8/2011 Little to no activity no reading
Checked fermentation 12:45:00 4/8/2011 Full activity no reading
Checked fermentation 8:15:00 4/10/2011 No activity; clogged airlock; took reading; cleared airlock; 2" foam on top of beer with small to medium bubbles 1.009 reading @ 65.7F 1.010 ActuAL

Sorry for that ugly recipe, for right now I'm using google docs.
Anyways, you will notice from the last few lines it has gone from 1.062 to 1.010 in 2.5 days. I don't know what happened, as airlock seemed normal, and it fermented in 65.7F basement. I'm going to leave it go for the krausen to drop.

 

[shaynm]

Just leave it. I have seen the yeast eat the sugar at alarming rates as well. I would still leave it in fermentation for a few weeks. I have bottles beer after 2 weeks and I think an extra week in fermentation clear up the flavors.

 

[Rippt530]

Yeah, I didn't think anything is going wrong. It dropped to 1.005 and still a lot of bubbles on top. It is much thicker, and more junk (hops and such) is attached to it. I just haven't had 05 drop on me that quick.
I did just change my recirculation/mash technique and it may just be more fermentable now.

 

[beerkrump]

Your mashing 15# of 2-row at 150.5° F will give you a lot of fermentable sugar and a very dry beer.

I have a couple questions. Why just 15# of 2-row and no other malt? Seems like a bland beer.
And, why the step mash? Modern 2-row is highly modified and just needs a single step mash.

 

[o4_srt]

Your mashing 15# of 2-row at 150.5° F will give you a lot of fermentable sugar and a very dry beer.

I have a couple questions. Why just 15# of 2-row and no other malt? Seems like a bland beer.
And, why the step mash? Modern 2-row is highly modified and just needs a single step mash.

Not bland at all, looks like a SMaSH recipe. Kilmer malts aren't necessary. Perfectly good beer can be made by just using base malt

 

[beerkrump]

I know it's a SMaSH (Single Malt and Single Hop for those who aren't eacs).

I was trying to see what the OP was shooting for in his recipe. Mashing just 2-row at that temp is going to create very little in residual sugars to contribute to the beer's flavor and body, hence "bland."

 

[Rippt530]

Just trying to get a taste for the hop blend and new equipment. 2-row is a very neutral grain, so we'll see how bland it comes out. It is tasting pretty OK so far. I have no idea if it is going to be a 1 and done, or something I can down 3 or 4 in a night.

I just converted a 10 gallon igloo cooler and a 15 gal boil pot. This was just trying to hit temps, and see where it takes me.

Also, it looks like at 1.005 I am at a 92% attenuation? Is this correct? 100%*(1.062 - 1.005)/ (1.062 - 1) = 100% *(.57)/(.62) = 91.93%.

I have had some bad experiences with AG, as I started with AG no extract, so I was just working with technique.

 

[Rippt530]

I can also just do some dry hop with some more centenial and turn it into a IPA hop bomb if it feels too thin. People seem to like that, and I can just dole it out to my friends that are into the style. I am considering splitting the batch and doing 1/2 no dry, 1/4 small dry hop, 1/4 lots of dry hopping.

 

[beerkrump]

I'd expect that kind of attenuation at that mash temp.

Why the protein rest (mashing at 128°)? 2-row is already highly modified and doing a protein rest will thin the body and reduce head retention.

Have you read How to Brew? <-- the link is to the online version of the book.

 

[Rippt530]

Yeah, I failed to read the end of the page before I started. Rereading the pages in full before starting would have helped.
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14-4.html
"The use of this rest is only necessary for brewers incorporating a large amount (>25%) of unmalted or flaked wheat, rye or oatmeal in the mash."

Yep, no reason to do that for this beer. Hopefully it doesn't get too thin as it cleans up and I bottle it.

 

[Rippt530]

Krausen dropped between 8PM EST 4/12 and 2PM 4/13 EST. Letting it ferment a bit longer.

 

[Rippt530]

Just went to bottle today, I will make my final post in 10-14 days.

 

[Rippt530]

I know its a dead thread but it is mine so the beer was to that point the best I had made. a little thin but it was great even 4 months old. this was a beer to be drunken young. I have since done one with simcoe that was as good if not better.

The simco I just did a straight 150F mash @ 1hr