Toronado Kolsch

[jsb]

Okay, it is going to be whatever it is going to be, but I have to ask:

I have a Kolsch in the primary, and using my chilling rig, I managed 4 solid days of active fermentation at close to optimal temp (65 deg F) Then the April tornados struck here in Alabama. I have been without power (until last night) for the last 5 days. Fermentation was vigorous and appeared to have slowed considerably before the power loss. Subsequently, I have been able to maintain about 73 deg F. Should I expect the off flavors associated with higher ferm temps, or will I be ok as the bulk of the fermentation was done at ideal temps for the yeast?

 

[jsb]

The subject should be Tornado, not Toronado! Sigh...

 

[jar1087]

You should be fine. Like you said, the bulk of the fermentation was done at the right temps, and, even more importantly, the critical growth stage of the yeast was at the correct temperature.

 

[Shaneoco1981]

I am guessing you are ok. For the most part for me, the primary fermentation is done by day 4. If it is still going for me, it is REALLY slow. I am going to say RDWHAHB. Secondly, how did you make it out of there? Any damage to your house, short of being out of power for a while?

 

[jsb]

Well I lost a big tree in the back yard, and 5 more at the river, and I have nothing to complain about. A few days without power, before the generator for essentials, and more cold showers than I wanted, but life is good. There are many folks within 2 or 3 miles of me that have vacant lots where there homes used to be. Alabama had 150 tornados that day, and none of them got me or my family. It would be disingenuous to complain.

 

[Patrick604]

Glad to hear you, your family and your beer made it through okay. Something like that can really make you count your blessings. Sounds like you have a great name for that beer, unless of course you were referring to the Oldsmobile.

 

[jsb]

I have a strict policy about naming beers after Oldsmobiles...

 

[android]

the beer will be fine! glad to hear you are ok.

 

[Ell]

Similar experience here - in Tuscaloosa. I had my DFH 60 minute clone cold crashing... then no power for 4 days. I also had 2 other fermentors working in my back bedroom - they wound up in the high 70s before it was all said and done.

I kegged it last night and it smelled so good I wanted to drink it flat.

Even in the unlikely event I wind up losing 15 gallons of homebrew, I'm still going to drive a mile from here, see the abject destruction and go back home and drink commercial beer until my next batch is ready.

Hope your beer turns out, sir.

 

[Ell]

And re-reading this, I sound a little *****ey about in my answer. I certainly don't mean to imply that you shouldn't worry about your homebrew, or that your concerns are silly in the face of all the **** that hit the fan.

I don't at all - I've been advocating to everyone I know that we push as hard as we can to get back to normal around here. That's the only way we can get through this insanity with our sanity still intact.

In short, as always, RDWHAHB. Sounds like you're going to be fine.

 

[jsb]

It didn't sound *****ey at all. And I understand your comment about abject destruction. I have never seen anything like it, and it is quite sobering (No pun intended). In no way did I want to seem worried about my beer. More curious than anything. I have friends and acquaintances, left with only what will fit in a pick up truck. I have no right, or desire, to complain.

 

[Ell]

I hear you man - glad it didn't come off that way - wasn't what I meant at all.

I rode out the storm in my closet, and I could hear the tornado really well as it passed. LOUD.

After my hands stopped shaking, I sat reading about the devastation on my iPad. Just reading about the horror, I had no choice. Went into the dark fridge and popped open a homebrew (or 4).

A week or so later, it's still horrifying.

 

[jsb]

Just an update. I have been drinking this kegged Kolsch for the last week, after a month in the primary. It turned out pretty good, I think. Crisp and mostly clear. Somewhat reminiscent of a Heineken, just more full-bodied. Having never had a Kolsch before brewing one, I am not really sure if that is what it was supposed to taste like, but I am managing to choke it down.