Drunk Owl Mango

[dcHokie]

my batch is at about 4 months now, just noticed a white powdery pellicle beginning to form on top of the mango, not the greatest pic though:

 

[mxstar21]

So glad I found this thread! I am headed to Afghanistan in March, and will try a Belgian Golden Strong Ale base with WLP 565 since I can ferment in the garage at 85F. I plan to rack to a secondary with 7-8 lbs of mangoes and a vial of Brett B. I plan on racking to the secondary a week or so before leaving, and letting it sit in the secondary for the 6 months or so I will be gone. Its nice being in a place I can get fresh mangoes year-round! Hopefully the WLP 565 spice doesn't over-power the mango, but I want to have a batch going while I am gone, and this sounds kind of good to me. Any thoughts?

 

[niquejim]

Go for it. It takes the better part of 14 months for this beer to get really good. I don't have mangoes year round, but in the summer everyone I know that has mango trees always ask if I want some. I always say yes, whether I'll be brewing or no

 

[mxstar21]

Few questions. I am going to be using German Pilsner and Maris Otter for the grain bill, corn sugar, and WLP 550. I was wanting to use WLP 565 but the only LHBS on Oahu was out of it until the 24th.

I plan to rack to a secondary after 1-2 weeks (fermenting in temp controlled fridge). Would it be ok to let the beer sit in the secondary on mangoes for 6 months, or would that cause trouble?
Any tips? Last brew before I go to Afghanistan, and I want to come home to a great beer!

 

[smokinghole]

Who's going to make sure your air lock doesn't dry out? Just figured I'd ask because I wouldn't rely on the wife/girlfriend/roommate. When I went to Turkey my was put in charge of maintaining my cigars. She practically ruined each and every one I had. I'd put something like a food grade silicone oil in the airlock as insurance as long as it's a glass carboy.

 

[NeuroJoe]

Few questions. I am going to be using German Pilsner and Maris Otter for the grain bill, corn sugar, and WLP 550. I was wanting to use WLP 565 but the only LHBS on Oahu was out of it until the 24th.

I plan to rack to a secondary after 1-2 weeks (fermenting in temp controlled fridge). Would it be ok to let the beer sit in the secondary on mangoes for 6 months, or would that cause trouble?
Any tips? Last brew before I go to Afghanistan, and I want to come home to a great beer!

You may want to keep an eye on the SG during the primary. I use wlp550 as well with this recipe and typically put the primary in my fridge to knock out the yeast after 3-4 days of vigorous fermentation (1.020 or so). If you let the sacchromyces eat too much of the fermentables, there will be comparatively less for the souring bugs to metabolize. The mango does add sugar back in too obviously but I've had good luck with the schedule above.

What are you planning on using in your secondary for fermentation? I've got 3 carboys in my basement with wyeast 3278, they've been at 60-62 for a few months now and the flavor is starting to mature nicely. Planning on making a batch every 3 months or so to keep it rolling along!

 

[mxstar21]

Who's going to make sure your air lock doesn't dry out? Just figured I'd ask because I wouldn't rely on the wife/girlfriend/roommate. When I went to Turkey my was put in charge of maintaining my cigars. She practically ruined each and every one I had. I'd put something like a food grade silicone oil in the airlock as insurance as long as it's a glass carboy.

I was planning on using .5 or so of a liter of cheap vodka in my yeast starter flask and a blow-off tube in my temp controlled fermenting chamber. We have a neighbor coming to check on things once a month or so who lives up the street, but I think this maybe the easiest.

 

[mxstar21]

You may want to keep an eye on the SG during the primary. I use wlp550 as well with this recipe and typically put the primary in my fridge to knock out the yeast after 3-4 days of vigorous fermentation (1.020 or so). If you let the sacchromyces eat too much of the fermentables, there will be comparatively less for the souring bugs to metabolize. The mango does add sugar back in too obviously but I've had good luck with the schedule above.

What are you planning on using in your secondary for fermentation? I've got 3 carboys in my basement with wyeast 3278, they've been at 60-62 for a few months now and the flavor is starting to mature nicely. Planning on making a batch every 3 months or so to keep it rolling along!

Not sure if I will be adding mangoes to this one. I brewed my batch today, but I won't be able to get any Brett before I leave. The LHBS in Hawaii doesn't carry it, its special order only, and can't get it in time. I am afraid to add fruit and let it so long, so I may just keep it as a Belgian Golden Strong Ale. Just gonna let this one sit in the temp controlled fridge while I am gone. Should be pretty good!

 

[niquejim]

You can't get bottles of Orval? The sediment at the bottom is all I've used and it's been fine 3 times now

I always let it sit on the mangoes(actually they float) at least 6 months

 

[mxstar21]

You can't get bottles of Orval? The sediment at the bottom is all I've used and it's been fine 3 times now

I always let it sit on the mangoes(actually they float) at least 6 months

Maybe I will do the mangoes? I haven't seen Orval here in Hawaii. There are only a few (like 3-4) places that have a good selection of beer, and Orval isn't one of I have seen.

I did a starter with 2 vials of WLP 550, and fermentation kicked off pretty fast, and so far it looks and smells great in my satellite fermenter. I will rack to a glass carboy before I leave and keep it in a temp controlled fridge at 75 unless you guys recommend a better temp. I will probably do the mangoes after all.

 

[Peter_h]

Just an FYI, it sounds like you are live on Oahu.

I live on Oahu as well and don't have any issues finding Orval. There are only a handful of liquor stores that have good beer here, but most do carry Orval.

Back on topic: Will definitely be trying this in the coming months when the mangos get out of control.

 

[mxstar21]

I did find some the other day at Times near Dixie Grill. I live in Waianae, so there and Ewa Pantry are about the only places I go to get decent beer.

I am getting ready to add the Mangoes!

 

[mxstar21]

Well, here it is! Looked and smelled great! Just worried about the mangoes stuck to the the upper part of the carboy. I can't get them to fall either.

 

[mxstar21]

I am going to add more cheap vodka to blow-off bottle before I leave, I have had pretty crazy secondaries before when adding fruit and didn't want a mess.

 

[mxstar21]

The LHBS was closed for a week while the owner was on vacation, so I couldn't get any yeast to add to the secondary. I am currently washing the yeast from the primary, to add back to the secondary and see how that goes.

 

[NeuroJoe]

<img src="https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=52163"/>

Well, here it is! Looked and smelled great! Just worried about the mangoes stuck to the the upper part of the carboy. I can't get them to fall either.

They may float for the entire time, mine have been floating for months.

 

[dcHokie]

They may float for the entire time, mine have been floating for months.

Did you get a pellicle on top of the mango, mine is just sort of discolored on top...

 

[mxstar21]

They may float for the entire time, mine have been floating for months.

I didn't mean the mango chunks that are floating, I expected that; I mean the few pieces of mango that stuck on the glass near the top of the carboy that are not on beer.

Most of the mango is floating now. It was frozen when added, so I expected a lot to sink and then slowly rise to the top. My concerns were just the 4 or 5 pieces that managed to get stuck on the side out of the beer. I am just worried if the 1 or 2 pieces will eventually rot and fall into the beer.

 

[iowabrew]

This looks amazing, i've recently had my eyes open to the world of all things sour and love them(so does the wife). Starting a pLambic this weekend actually. This is going to be the sour i start 6 months into the pLambic to keep a pipeline of sorts going. Orval is easy to get here, just curious how fresh your dregs were?

 

[ploppythesausage]

Inspired by this recipe I have a gallon of it bubbling away just now. Only a gallon sadly - I know I'm going to want more but I don't have space for 5gallons sitting around for 6 months! Made a few changes and used Nelson Sauvin hops in the boil. Added mango and Orval dregs last night and will dry hop again with Nelsons before bottling. Oh, and I also bumped up the grain so I'm looking at 9%ABV without accounting for mangos or sugar or Brett bringing the FG down. Figured if I'm only going to get a few bottles out of this they're damn well going to be ones to savour.

 

[mxstar21]

I am dying to see how mine is doing. The wife and kids are staying with family, so I can't get any pictures on how its doing. Its been sitting since March while I am in Afghanistan. I get back around October. I didn't get a chance to add any Brett has the LHBS doesn't carry it, you have to special order it and I ran out of time.

 

[ploppythesausage]

I had a wee taste of mine today. As it's only a gallon primary fermentation was over in 3 days. The orval dregs and mango have been in there 3 days now too - nothing sour but man is the mango and nelson sauvin going together well or what! I'll see how it goes - I think I may bottle it after only a month or so (in orval bottles so that the brett can keep going without bombs). If that seems to go well then I may go for a bigger batch of it.

 

[mxstar21]

After 7 months, doesn't look too bad! Hope to keg tomorrow, or Tuesday. Can't wait to smell, and see how it turned out.

 

[GTG]

Did I miss it? I didn't see the yeast used for primary.

GTG

 

[mxstar21]

I used WLP 550. Mine did quite turn out as I had hoped. Too much mango floaties in each pour, and too much alcohol taste. Otherwise would have been great. Nice, golden clear color except for mango pieces.

 

[mxstar21]

Did NOT turn out how I hoped. Sorry for typo. At the airport on my phone.

 

[chiefIL]

Not sure if you mentioned this, but how much did you carb it? i'm finally ready to bottle tonight/this weekend and didn't see that info in your original post. I'm thinking of going with 3.5 volumes. Kind of worried about bottle bombs to be honest. Am I making a noob mistake here?

 

[jheist]

Just wanted to comment on my version of this. I brewed it in 3/2012, bottled in 8/2012. Used the recipe above except about 5 lbs of mango added the 3 dregs of Orval and a month later added the dregs of a Jolly Pumpkin.

That said mine came out great. Not much mango flavor so use 7+ lbs if you want that. Mine has a hint of DMS from the recommended 60 min boil, I would do 90 if I did it again. Nice brett flavor that isn't over the top. Mine is really mouth puckering SOUR after added the JP dregs which I hear are really virulent. This was a good thing to me and I would make a similar version again at some point with more mango and a longer boil time.

 

[bsawlsville]

Sorry for being slow (and lazy) but; DMS?

 

[dcHokie]

Sorry for being slow (and lazy) but; DMS?

here you go bsawlsville: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/DMS