3 FLoyds Zombie Dust attempt. Help/info requested

[MNSmitty]

Cracked into mine this weekend.
Its a great beer. Having no reference for what the real thing is like, I can only say that its a a solid beer by itself. I would have liked it to be a bit maltier, and have a little more mouthfeel, but those problems could have been a result of my brewing process.
The initial smell is sweet, with a strong mango scent. The taste is hoppy, but not overpowering. With 8oz of hops in it, I expected something much more dry and acidy.

It was a hit at the little BBQ get together I had this weekend. I had a fridge full of other store bought beers (still quality craft beers), hardly any of those were touched.
I will definitely give this one another try and work it to where I want it to be.

 

[ArthurDigbySellers]

Just had a sample after only one week in the bottle and I have to say this is the best beer that I have brewed so far. I've had the real ZD twice and felt it was the best APA I've had. I can't say whether this tastes exactly like the real thing, but it is excellent nonetheless. I'm doing a SMASH next but my next one after that will be a full 5 gallon batch of ZD goodness.

 

[MeanDeuce]

Just brewed this up today. Lots of trouble with the mash, burnt grain bag, too wide brewpot made it difficult to steep/mash the grain, also had trouble keeping the mash temp.

We'll see how it turns out. Smelled pretty great when I pitched the S-05 a minute ago.

Also forgot to measure my OG, oops.

Took a sample today to measure the SG. Looks to be 1.020 after 8 days. This should be much lower if its been averaging a 70-72* fermentation temp right?

Can I gently shake the yeast up to see if they'll finish drying this guy out? Or do I need to pitch more yeast?

It tastes pretty great already, a really good pale ale and nice color. Can't wait to dry hop it.

 

[Adaman05]

Took a sample today to measure the SG. Looks to be 1.020 after 8 days. This should be much lower if its been averaging a 70-72* fermentation temp right?

Can I gently shake the yeast up to see if they'll finish drying this guy out? Or do I need to pitch more yeast?

It tastes pretty great already, a really good pale ale and nice color. Can't wait to dry hop it.

I hope you weren't using s-04 with that high a ferm temp. Going to be pretty estery.

I'd gently rouse the yeast and give it a few more days instead of pitching more.

 

[MeanDeuce]

It's S-05, see above I quoted myself.

Yeah, I have real trouble with temp control in the summer. In the winter my foyer stays nice and cool, but summertime low 70's in the best I can do.

 

[MeanDeuce]

I was going to start my dry hop schedule on Thursday, so I'll recheck the gravity then and go from there.

 

[ja09]

Well I'm an idiot. Just brewed this with a new MLT, hit my og perfectly, and all excited because of my new fermentation chamber and stc 1000 wired up and working great on the first attempt... then I come back to this post and realize I forgot to copy the 5min hop into beersmith. F me.

 

[jakenbacon]

Just rebrewed this. Split the base malt 50:50 2row and pearl, bumped it up to 1.068, And using Conan to ferment. Looking forward to trying it.

Let us know the verdict.....

 

[dougsoulang]

Hey all. Before I brew the recipe on page 1, I just want to double check to make sure that it's current. I know a lot of you have read all 100 pages in this thread. So, to save myself a ton of reading, I figured I'd ask to make sure there were no changes that aren't reflected on page 1. Thanks for the assist!

 

[skeezerpleezer]

It hasn't changed, maybe mash a couple degrees lower, 152-153 or so.

 

[dougsoulang]

It hasn't changed, maybe mash a couple degrees lower, 152-153 or so.

Thanks very much for the info Skeezer. I live a couple hours south of 3F, and have had more than my fair share of ZD. I'll try to do my part to keep y'all updated on the results and my comparison.

 

[hawkeyes]

Anyone try the extract version of this? If so, how did it turn out?

 

[skeezerpleezer]

Lots have. I would recommend checking sone of the last 100 pages. Lots of results/comments and probably quicker than waiting for a few replies.

 

[DrHops]

Has anyone tried the Austin Homebrew clone kit yet? I priced it out and if their kit is any good it's cheaper to buy the kit than to assemble the ingredients yourself.

 

[fosaisu]

Anyone try the extract version of this? If so, how did it turn out?

Yes, and it's fantastic. Just note that it's a partial mash recipe, you won't get the same results if you just steep the grains the way you would with a straight extract recipe. As noted above there are specific comments in the thread on how to do the partial mash.

 

[miss0033]

I brewed on saturday afternoon. Sunday afternoon the fermentation temp (per fermometer strip on glass carboy) was around 72 degrees (in a 62 degree dark basement). This is my first time using S-04, should I be worried about estery flavors?

 

[FATC1TY]

I brewed on saturday afternoon. Sunday afternoon the fermentation temp (per fermometer strip on glass carboy) was around 72 degrees (in a 62 degree dark basement). This is my first time using S-04, should I be worried about estery flavors?

Gettin close... I haven't used 04 that high, but it'll blow through the wort pretty fast as higher temps.. Won't be clean though, but with enough hops you might not pick up on it as bad. Might have a little fusel alcohols and a slight cidery note if it wasn't controlled soon enough.

 

[PLAYERSONLY]

I brewed on saturday afternoon. Sunday afternoon the fermentation temp (per fermometer strip on glass carboy) was around 72 degrees (in a 62 degree dark basement). This is my first time using S-04, should I be worried about estery flavors?

Wrap or drape wet towels on the carboys. It'll bring the temp down a couple degrees. Fan helps too but will dry the towel out fast.

 

[miss0033]

Thanks for the feedback. Last time I used 1272 when I tried this recipe because I was still relatively new to the hobby (still am, but have 15 batches under my belt). But, was disappointed with the amount of chill haze the beer developed...

I scale it down to 3 gallons BIAB, and sadly am only hitting 63% efficiency (but hitting it regularly +/- 3%) so I still need to up the grain bill a little more. That being said I tired a "hop stand" with this recipe as well. I didnt change any of the additions, but chilled to 185 then let it sit for 45 minutes during which it dropped to 143 on its own. Then proceeded to chill it down to high 70s. It got to a point of diminishing returns where it was 3 minutes of running water through IC to get it to lower 1-2 degrees. I had a TON of huge fluffy, clouds in the sky looking, cold break that wouldnt settle to the bottom. I suppose I couldve tried a pseudo-whirlpool with my stirring spoon and let it sit, but I just transferred anyway. It started at 176 and I thought it would lower on its own before fermentation really took off. Nope later that night the airlock was bubbling away, 1"+ of krausen, and temp was a steady 72. Sunday afternoon (roughly 24 hours later) down to 70. Monday morning 68, Monday afternoon 64-66 with minimal airlock activity. I am going to let it sit for 2 more weeks (2.5 weeks total) before I transfer to secondary and dryhop for 7 more days.

I will try wet towels in the future with this yeast. Other yeasts I have used I havent had to worry about high 60s and low 70s, but I've read about S-04 being a finicky yeast.

On a recommendation from my LHBS employee, I used 1/2 Whirlfloc tab at 5 minutes, a pinch of irish moss at 15min, AND WL's Clarity-Ferm just before pitching yeast. Seems like an awful lot of extra chemicals in my beer... just to avoid chill haze again. My other beers using the same methods have come out clear I dont know why this one was so incredibly hazy before, still tasted awesome though. I have used whirlfloc and irish moss in small amounts of both before and been fine, we will see what Clairty-Ferm does.

I dont quite understand the hopstands fully. Would I have needed to actually add hops to gain anything? Or just letting the hops sit between 185 and 140 give me any benefit?

Also I see the batch size is 6 gallons. I am correct in assuming 6 FINAL gallons? Not 6 gallons boil, or 6 gallons minus .5 gallons for hop and equipment loss? I just want to be sure because the first time I thought there needed to be more hops to get the flavors you guys were describing. The beer was good, but not outstanding. Maybe it was just a utilization problem on my part as I also missed the whole FWH thing the first time and did a 60min addition, I suppose that would effect things as well.

sorry for the huge post. Still learning and trying to "dial-in" a beer that I can/and want to repeat regularly.

 

[savylemons]

I brewed on saturday afternoon. Sunday afternoon the fermentation temp (per fermometer strip on glass carboy) was around 72 degrees (in a 62 degree dark basement). This is my first time using S-04, should I be worried about estery flavors?

I've brewed this recipe several times and the last time I made it the S04 also took me 10 degrees above ambient temp and got to the lower 70s and it was definitely my least favorite batch. Definitely drinkable but the esters that s04 put out at that temp are not very pleasing and come through noticeably even through all the hops and dry hops.

 

[hawkeyes]

Yes, and it's fantastic. Just note that it's a partial mash recipe, you won't get the same results if you just steep the grains the way you would with a straight extract recipe. As noted above there are specific comments in the thread on how to do the partial mash.

I have done BIAB before so I should be good. Is this for a 5 gallon batch?

 

[scsjohn]

Hello all,

just brewed this on July 31. Used S-04. Made a yeast starter and it was fermenting within hours--going crazy. Hope it turns out well and thanks for the recipe.

Could not get carafoam and so used carapils.

 

[ron,ar]

I made this beer from the original recipe skeeter posted. It was a "cat pee" smelling son of a gun for a while but it mellowed out after a month or so and I drank every one, last one a week ago. I will brew this again.

 

[savylemons]

I made this beer from the original recipe skeeter posted. It was a "cat pee" smelling son of a gun for a while but it mellowed out after a month or so and I drank every one, last one a week ago. I will brew this again.

I've noticed cat pee aroma from the citra I bought in bulk at the beginning of the year. Nothing like the over ripe mango I used to get from previous crops of citra. My thinking is that the brewerys are selecting all the nice tropical citra crops and leaving us homebrewers with the catty crops. It still makes a very nice beer I just enjoy the more tropical citra.

 

[ja09]

I've noticed cat pee aroma from the citra I bought in bulk at the beginning of the year. Nothing like the over ripe mango I used to get from previous crops of citra. My thinking is that the brewerys are selecting all the nice tropical citra crops and leaving us homebrewers with the catty crops. It still makes a very nice beer I just enjoy the more tropical citra.

The citra I ordered from Williams had a phenomenal fresh tropical aroma. No cat pee whatsoever. The citra from Northern was much less aromatic, but I still didn't get much cat pee. Just tried my ZD with both sources before kegging and it tasted amazing. Again no cat pee. I just wish I would have saved the Williams citra for dry hopping.. Pretty sure I opened that bag first for bittering :smack:

 

[savylemons]

The citra I ordered from Williams had a phenomenal fresh tropical aroma. No cat pee whatsoever. The citra from Northern was much less aromatic, but I still didn't get much cat pee. Just tried my ZD with both sources before kegging and it tasted amazing. Again no cat pee. I just wish I would have saved the Williams citra for dry hopping.. Pretty sure I opened that bag first for bittering :smack:

It makes me not want to buy citra in bulk since it's hit or moss but it still beats paying 3$ an ounce at the lhbs

 

[ja09]

It makes me not want to buy citra in bulk since it's hit or moss but it still beats paying 3$ an ounce at the lhbs

I hear ya. I have Northern and Midwest minutes from my house which is super convenient, but they don't offer sh*t for bulk hops so I usually just suck it up and pay retail

 

[TheWitGuy]

My attempt at this with the most up to date recipe. DELICIOUS. I wish I could remember what the real thing tasted like, as it was almost 6 months ago. Regardless, the intense tropical, passion fruit like aroma and flavors are just fantastic. I hadn't had much luck with wyeast 1968, but my hopes have been resurrected!

Wow I would say that yours looks the closest to the real thing. What did you change from the original recipe?

 

[jawilson20]

Looking at the recipe in post one it lists a mash temp of 154 and WY 1968 yeast. Doesn't that mash temp seem a bit high when using a low attenuating yeast like the 1968?

 

[skeezerpleezer]

Looking at the recipe in post one it lists a mash temp of 154 and WY 1968 yeast. Doesn't that mash temp seem a bit high when using a low attenuating yeast like the 1968?

Apparently you missed this part of post #1: "I have also used 1968 and it was similar to the S-04, perhaps a bit fruitier and it was sweeter/higher FG. If using it I would recommend mashing a few degrees cooler."