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Risy1

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So, I'm a little neurotic and I've started myself up on a brew schedule so I can continually learn and stay hydrated at the same time. Mind you I'm on my third brew now.

2 weeks ago I brewed an IPA (1.072 OG, 1.017 FG, 80 IBU, Happy to go over more of the details if you want)
1 week ago I brewed a blonde ale, (1.052 OG, 1.013 FG, 36 IBU, also happy to go over in more detail)

This week my brew day was simple. My IPA had finished fermenting and the dry hop addition had completely fell through. I bottled my IPA and got as much as I could before I was starting to suck in yeast. A few did get a little yeast cakes in the bottom.

I racked my blonde ale into a large fermenter, dry hopped it, and added some pasteurized strawberry puree and water. (Water to get me back up to 19L) It's got a nice krauzen on it and looks like it's doing fine for the first few days.

I was left with two carboys that had wonderful beer that i didn't want to see go to waste. So what did I do? I blended them. Added a pound of amber candy sugar, and pasteurized that. Let it sit at 180 degrees for about 7 minutes. I let it cool down slowly and i racked them into a gallon carboy, and my MR BEER fermenter my dad gave me when i was like 22 (thanks dad!) just above a gallon in total beer in here. Both Carboys have 70 grams of mango rinds, and 8 grams of Mint leaves. I let them cool down to room temp over night, one with open air one with a lid an air lock and pitched about 8 grams of dry ale yeast in each in the morning. a few days later I have no new krauzen on them. but definitely some yeast sediment in the bottom. New Gravity is at 1.058

I knew before hand that i was going to pitch some Brett into these but I'm curious why I didn't get any krauzen on either one. I see carbonation bubbles which makes me feel like there's something going on, but even on my open air fermentation I don't see what I have been told are the signs of Brettanomyces (filmy top coat or large bubbles)

Today I force inoculated both batches with brett and added french oak chips to them. I know I won't be touching either for 6 months, and then bottle them probably give them additional aging for atleast 4 months. before I open them.

I guess the questions I have.

Provided that there is sugar, and the pitching tempurature is viable for yeast, what could/is inhibiting krauzen or yeast growth.

Are there signs for Brett like a distinct krauzen.

How long should I wait if I don't have any visable yeast show up before I just botch the batch, or should I try bottling and carbing them up and seeing how they taste over a few months to see if it's worth my time. I mean It's safe to drink yah?

Do you guys do anything inventive with your left over beer from racking or bottling that help make you get every last bit of beer out of your beer?
Due to trub loss from my boil with my blonde ale I let it get to room temp, and pitched yeast into that (Got krauzen) Then I let it open air ferment. I'm having it stay like this for atleast 2 weeks but probably a month. I'm hoping to make some blonde ale vinegar from it.

I'm hoping that down the line, or even my next brew day (two weeks) that I can make sure that I have less loss, (Maybe more whirlfloc) and a cleaner extraction. I'm making a stout knowing that i gotta let that secondary for a few months and i want it ready for X-Mas.

Thanks guys (And gals)! Sorry for the long post!
 
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