Recent content by wbuffness

I just brewed a beer called The Number Eight. It is a belgian strong dark ale. OG 1.080. FG 1.010 after 3.5 weeks. Could I add 1 lb. Dark Belgian candi syrup to the fermenter now and have it ferment more? I know the beer is already at 9%... but I was just wondering if adding the candi syrup...

I have 4 gallons of sour beer that finished at 1.004. It's now at 68F. If I add some safale dry yeast and 2.5oz corn sugar, what can I expect when bottling? Will I have a risk of bottle bombs if I don't cold crash my beer? Tips or advice for bottling? This beer is almost a year old and I...

Might have to!!! Thanks for the idea!

Thanks all for your input. I was wondering if I should taste after 3 months. But after reading all your comments, I know I am in it for the long haul. I just CAN'T WAIT to try my first 2 sour beers. I hope for the best and a year seems like eternity. Since I brewed in January, I will probably...

How long did it take to sour? I have 2 brews going (5 gal ea) with it since January and just wondering when I should start checking them. One is a Brown Ale and the other is a Tart of Darkness clone.

Bummer! Thanks Calder. I will keep that in mind when adding fruit.

No I didn't take a reading right after adding the fruit. Bummer. So I guess I will never know the actual ABV. That formula does make sense though. I will have to remember that the next time I make a late addition of fruit or other sugars. Thanks for your response! I was just reading online...

So I brewed a barley wine last year and it ended at 1.095 OG. Then 3 weeks later the gravity was 1.028 and I added 7.5# frozen (thawed) cherries and 4# dark sweet cherries (canned in syrup and drained). I waited another month in the secondary and took a reading of 1.020 FG. What's the process of...

In one of my brewing books, the author and owner of Dogfish Head will occasionally ferment a strong beer to a somewhat low gravity (~1.030) and then add more sugars to the fermenter in the form of syrups or fruit. 1. Why is it done this way rather than all at once? Flavor? Will this new...

1. If I pitch ECY20 into a brown ale with no other yeast, what will it be? Saison? Sour brown? 2. If I use 1/2 the bottle of ECY20 without a starter and have a OG of 1.050 brown, will it ferment correctly? 3. Will it follow the same rules as regular yeast and be around a 5% beer?

If I use the extract recipe, would I still steep the other grains like I would any other extract recipe? I was just thinking that I've never steeped flaked oats before. Is this correct?

Thanks a bunch for the answers! So for sours I should always pitch a Belgian yeast and then pitch the ECY or other bugs after 1 week when I rerack?

1. What temperature is best for the different bacteria at each fermenting stage of sours? As I understand (Information taken from a chart originally published in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing 83, pp.356-360 (1976) (and these are all approximations)): Months 1-2: Entero bacteria...

How many beers can you pitch a single vial of ECY20 into? If I brew 5 gallons of each; porter, brown and saison can I split it in thirds?

I love the taste of sour beers. I have been a homebrewer for 7 years but I've never tried to brew a sour beer. I have decided to take the plunge. What are some good books to educate myself on the procedure to make a sour beer? Best guides on the internet? Link to great sour beer recipes that...