Amarillo Ale questions

[illinoisbuck]

Hey guys/gals,
Going to transfer my Irish Red to the secondary tomorrow, and the amarillo is up next. I ordered with the northwest ale activator 1332, and was wondering if I should make a starter with it. Also should I let any/ all of the hops to carry over into the primary? I have heard of people doing this, but was wondering if you guys recommend it? I am also planning on dryhopping this one with 1oz amarillo for at least two weeks in the secondary.
Thanks for listening to some more newbie questions
Buck

 

[philrose]

I ordered with the northwest ale activator 1332, and was wondering if I should make a starter with it.

Whats your gravity/batch size?

 

[philrose]

I ask because this calculator can help a lot if you know your target gravity.

All right what else ya got?

Also should I let any/ all of the hops to carry over into the primary? I have heard of people doing this, but was wondering if you guys recommend it?

Avoid it if you can, hops can inhibit primary fermentation, not probable but possible. If some get in its not that big of a deal. Lots of homebrewers have made excellent beers by just lidding up their boil kettle and fermenting with hops, trub and all!

I am also planning on dryhopping this one with 1oz amarillo for at least two weeks in the secondary

Thats pretty doggone long. Usually if the fermentation is done, you can add your dry hops right into the primary for five to seven days and thats plenty. Especially with a hop like amarillo, which is easy to pick out in a beer's aroma. Its pretty important to wait until theres almost no co2 pressure to dry hop, all that nice aroma can be blown right out of your beer through the airlock otherwise.


Buck- Good luckon your amarillo ale and congrats on your first batch. Welcome to HBT!

 

[illinoisbuck]

SG is 1.050-1.054, going to be a 5 gallon batch. After a week in the primary, i am going to move to secondary to open up the primary, how long do you think on the dryhop in the secondary? Thanks for the quick response, this site is great!

 

[philrose]

Yep, you should make a starter with that gravity. One generation's growth will do it. so no need to step up the starter after you've already made it. Heres a small primer on starters if you have any questions on the process. Most people skip the airlock on these and go with aluminum foil, loosely clenched over the growler/flask/apple juice bottle etc.

On the dry hop, I still think 5 days to one week is a pretty good contact time. As you make more dry hopped beers you might tweak that up or down. Its kind of a zen thing.

 

[SevenFields]

I did the Amarillo Pale Ale from midwest and its in my keg right now.
I used Whitelabs california ale and did not use a starter. Fermentation started within 24hours. I left it in Primary for two weeks, then kegged.

 

[brad97z]

I don't think its completely necessary to make a starter for it at 1.055. If you don't have the equipment to make one, i wouldn't bother, you should be fine.

 

[CarsonCE]

I never make a starter if my OG is less than 1.070. I throw in a little yeast nutrient (from my LHBS that also has some stuff for our local water I believe), and I've never had a batch take longer than 12 hours to get going. A starter definately doesn't hurt anything though as long as you are sanitary and patient enough (I'm just lazy).

As far as dry hopping, I don't put them in the primary due to contamination risks. When you are ready for your secondary, the alcohol content will be enough to overpower any minor bugs that may be hanging around your hops. I would use 1 week as a minimum (2 weeks should be plenty).

 

[philrose]

I still recommend a starter. Heres why-

The only equipment you need is a growler/jug, some foil and some DME.

Activator packs and white labs vials are meant to pitch in 5 gallons of 1040 wort, the small amount of growth you need can be done in the most simple of starters. No O2 needed, no stirplate needed, no step up to another starter needed.

Starters are a tried and true method to minimize off flavors during fermentation. The goal is to increase the number of cells you pitch to the optimal rate for your specific beer. Yeast nutrient is not yeast and therefore is not a replacement for starters.

At the very least it will prime your yeast for their job, eating wort. Wyeast smack packs are a good viability test, but theres not enough sugars in those little plastic pouches to get each and every cell involved.

 

[BierMuncher]

If you don't make a starter...1 week in the primary on a 1050+ beer is not going to be long enough. You'll be transferring cloudy, yeasty beer that is still actively fermenting.

Without a starter, I'd say 2 weeks minimum in the primary.
With...10 days at least.

For a clean tasting pale ale...I'd actually add 5-7 days to either scenario.

5-7 days in the secondary is plenty for dry hopping.

I'd say invest in another primary. (You know you want to )