Bochet GROUP BREW - Solera Style

[MightyMosin]

I use this kit, but with the .5 micron stone. This is used with the small disposable O2 containers you get at a hardware store.
https://www.morebeer.com/products/oxywand-oxygenation-kit-2-micron.html


I will be adding this to the kit so I can meter the flow
https://www.morebeer.com/products/oxygen-flow-meter-duotight-fittings.html

Pulling from my Yeast Notes post
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/my-yeast-notes.703752/

you get this info:

Once your must is greater than 1.092 SG, using oxygen should be considered mandatory for proper yeast health; a must with a SG above 1.083 will benefit from additional oxygen somewhere between 12 to 18 hours after yeast pitch as this will increase fermentation speed and yeast attenuation. This second dose can speed fermentation by as much as 33%.

Aeration while using oxygen will provide an oxygen level in the must in the range of 8-10 PPM. Using a ½ micron stone will provide the desired oxygen levels.
Hand stirring the must will provide an oxygen level of ~4 PPM.
Aeration with a drill and wine degasser can provide an oxygen level approaching 8 PPM.
A filtered air pump with an aeration stone will provide ~8 PPM after ~60 minutes.

Method of Aeration for 5 gallons	Oxygen PPM
Shaking for 5 minutes	2.71 PPM
Pure 02 for 30 seconds	5.12 PPM
Pure O2 for 60 seconds	9.2 PPM
Pure O2 for 120 seconds	14.08 PPM

The above O2 numbers are with ½ micron aeration stone at 75F. This is from test data by White Labs.

I see that my original notes post doesn't have the flow rate listed. That rate should be 1L per minute.

 

[Dan O]

I use this kit, but with the .5 micron stone. This is used with the small disposable O2 containers you get at a hardware store.
https://www.morebeer.com/products/oxywand-oxygenation-kit-2-micron.html


I will be adding this to the kit so I can meter the flow
https://www.morebeer.com/products/oxygen-flow-meter-duotight-fittings.html

Pulling from my Yeast Notes post
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/my-yeast-notes.703752/

you get this info:


I see that my original notes post doesn't have the flow rate listed. That rate should be 1L per minute.

Thank you very much. This is some great information that I will definitely incorporate into my practices.
I just ordered the wand & flow meter for my mead lab

 

[Kyzaboy89]

Today was 1 month to the day for our Gen 1 primary and it was time to rack. Activity has all but stopped and I like to transfer with some co2 still degassing to keep an oxygen barrier, haven't found co2 setup in my shopping cart yet. Transfered to a full 3 gallon and above the shoulders on a 1 gallon, lost 4 cups to the slurry out of 4 gallons, could've pulled a bit more but planning to experiment with the 1 gallon and the headspace is useful. Color is about a 14-16 srm and one of the cleanest ferments I've done, smooth caramel and honey on the nose with a fruity note on the end. Thought about starting a new batch on the yeast cake but need to prep for a braggot.

 

[Barzahl]

Finally got mine started
Took it slow and spent almost an hour getting it past the 220 mark after about 45 minutes started preheating the oven for dinner and the temp shot up into the 280s took me awhile to figure out why; even on the lowest setting it swayed between the 240s and 250s, ended up calling it around the 2
hour mark

Final colour drop next to original

Wasn't able to get an accurate gravity reading, I'll have to get one of those wine whip drill attachments for next time, but according to gotmeads calculator I should get a little over 14% if the yeast eats it all.

 

[Kyzaboy89]

Glad to see it Barzahl, oven heat transferring through the stove top on ya? My stove does as well but haven't experienced that yet, I tend to borrow the kitchen in between wife's occupation to keep out of the way.

Did you manage to get any honey mixed into the water or is it still separated, as it looks in the carboy photo? I've never tried it but have read a few articles about yeast still being able to eat through it if it's not fully mixed so everything should be good.

 

[Barzahl]

Did you manage to get any honey mixed into the water or is it still separated, as it looks in the carboy photo? I've never tried it but have read a few articles about yeast still being able to eat through it if it's not fully mixed so everything should be good.

Yeah, the reading was just over 1.050, I always pour part of the honey in then put water in the honey jar and shake it til it mixes to make it go down the funnel faster, I've had honey drop to the bottom before and it goes away in a few days, as i understand it the honey is "dryer" than water so it slowly absorbs it

 

[MightyMosin]

Even if you don't mix it, the yeast will eventually eat through the honey... but it will take a bit longer. I image that would through the TOSNA type of schedule out the window.

I'm not sure, but I guess I would likely just add all the nutrients up front at this point.

I'll have to get one of those wine whip drill attachments for next time

That is a solid idea as that can whip in a lot more O2 than just shaking the carboy around. That O2 will get you a better yeast colony and a faster ferment.

 

[Kyzaboy89]

The whip would also help with mixing things thoroughly so you can have an accurate gravity reading, looks like a 5 gallon carboys, how much honey/water did you use? That could get you a rough estimate for O.G. and possibly give an idea for nutrients if you haven't front loaded everything.

 

[Dan O]

I'll have to get one of those wine whip drill attachments for next time,

I use a wine whip to mix honey & water with all of my batches & it works great. One of my cordless drills has become a permanent fixture in my mead lab.

 

[Barzahl]

how much honey/water did you use? That could get you a rough estimate for O.G. and possibly give an idea for nutrients if you haven't front loaded everything.

I used 15lbs of honey and water to 5 gallons

 

[Barzahl]

I'm not sure, but I guess I would likely just add all the nutrients up front at this point.

Alright I'll throw the rest in later today when I aerate it

That is a solid idea as that can whip in a lot more O2 than just shaking the carboy around. That O2 will get you a better yeast colony and a faster ferment.

I actually use a spoon or spatula handle and mix it til the foaming slows then go back and forth for 15-20 minutes to get it more air

 

[Barzahl]

The yeast loved the big dose of nutrients, had some water coming out the airlock

I usually stop aerating after the 3rd day would it be beneficial to do it longer?

 

[JohnDBrewer]

Came in a lot lighter than expected, as it looked so dark in the fermenter. It's right at 15%, dry but a nice residual sweetness, can't put my finger on the light flavor - not Carmel or strong, but something mellow. Racked to a keg for some more bulk aging, these were the excess.

 

[MightyMosin]

Bochet for Solera project was racked from two separate 5 gallon carboys off the lees.

I'm not sure but there might have been a bit of a pellicle haze in each. Both were racked under the haze and I sacrificed more than I wanted to try and avoid it.

I have about 6 gallons of it to go to an oak barrel if it doesn't start up with some kind of pellicle in the carboys it was racked to. The two plastic carboys that they were racked out of have been cleaned and marked to note possible pellicle contamination.

Time will show.

Racked these into an oak barrel that I previously used for my Marshmallow Bochet... Noticed during racking that there was a slight pellicle present in the 1 and 5 gallon carboy. I racked under it but obviously it will come back and I just tainted the oak barrel... bad mistake on my part there.

I've already set the tainted plastic fermenters aside so I won't use them again and mess up another batch. Chances are that I'm just going to start this project over.

 

[Kyzaboy89]

Racked these into an oak barrel that I previously used for my Marshmallow Bochet... Noticed during racking that there was a slight pellicle present in the 1 and 5 gallon carboy. I racked under it but obviously it will come back and I just tainted the oak barrel... bad mistake on my part there.

I've already set the tainted plastic fermenters aside so I won't use them again and mess up another batch. Chances are that I'm just going to start this project over.

Tough break, never fun to find an issue floating on a long standing batch. Part of the reason I leave things separated so long is the concern for contamination in an aging batch.

 

[Kyzaboy89]

6 months in and time for Gen. 2, been away a bit due to work/life again but here goes.
12 lbs. Honey slow boiled on the stove as I did with gen. 1. D47 and nutrients pitched, ready to go overnight and hopefully wake up to happy bubbles in the morning.

 

[MightyMosin]

Racked these into an oak barrel that I previously used for my Marshmallow Bochet... Noticed during racking that there was a slight pellicle present in the 1 and 5 gallon carboy. I racked under it but obviously it will come back and I just tainted the oak barrel... bad mistake on my part there.

I've already set the tainted plastic fermenters aside so I won't use them again and mess up another batch. Chances are that I'm just going to start this project over.

I checked in on this mead today. It is incredible tasting and I'll continue the Solera project... this just makes my Gen1 of it a year old instead of 6 months.

My Gen1 is at 15% but you would have no idea.

I'm trying to get Gen2 done this weekend.
I have caramelized 4Lb of Buckwheat and 3Lb of Wildflower that I plan on using tomorrow once it has all cooled down. It's almost all of the last of my original local and flavorful Buckwheat .

My recipe is planned and I'll make 5.25 gallons and I expect that 3.5 or so will go into the barrel once I rack out some of the first Gen. I'll likely have a little left to keep as a sample of the stand-along Gen2 and have some for topping the barrel as needed.

The Bochet was successful in bee summing at my back slider screen as they were looking to get their honey back.

 

[Kyzaboy89]

Well Mosin, at least you didn't forget and do a 2 year generation gap like this guy haha, glad to hear it's going well and still running with it. Gen 3 coming up for me some time before the end of the month, more like the next 10 days.

Hope it continues to grow and mature well for ya, can't wait to hear how it turns out, cheers!

 

[MightyMosin]

My Gen 2 will likely be ready to rack and stabilize this weekend.

I'll check the gravity tomorrow and if its good, I'll rack and stabilize it and by Sunday I just might get to back sweetening it and possible mixing it with Gen1 in the barrel.

Edit: It wasn't ready this last weekend and neither was I. I checked it today and SG is at 1.004. I'll leave it a few days and see if it finished all the way.

Edit 2/13/25
Finally racked it and stabilizing. Will likely back sweeten this weekend, bottle some of it and the rest will go into the barrel with the Gen 1 (after racking some out)

 

[MightyMosin]

Finally back sweetened the Gen 2.

I racked out 1.5 gallons of Gen 1 from the barrel and then racked in ~ 4 gallons of Gen 2. I'll have to bottle the left over Gen 1 and Gen 2, but that's a task for another weekend.

I've put a reminder on my calendar about 5 months out to start my Gen 3 planning.

 

[Kyzaboy89]

Good idea if you can follow a calendar, something that continues to give me grief. Remember how I said I need to domy gen 3 before life gets busy again?... Well hell, next chance is mid March for me so I'll start prepping now or I'll be waiting until summer.

Mosin, do you stabilize when back sweetening or do you take things high enough in abv to prevent a secondary ferment? Just a random curiosity I had, not sure if it's been mentioned.

 

[MightyMosin]

Good idea if you can follow a calendar, something that continues to give me grief. Remember how I said I need to domy gen 3 before life gets busy again?... Well hell, next chance is mid March for me so I'll start prepping now or I'll be waiting until summer.

Mosin, do you stabilize when back sweetening or do you take things high enough in abv to prevent a secondary ferment? Just a random curiosity I had, not sure if it's been mentioned.

For this Solera I'm fermenting to about 15%. That's not at yeast tolerance, but fairly close.

I am stabilizing with K-Meta and K-Sorbate before back sweetening as I'm trying to get a certain flavor profile prior to blending and going into the barrel.