fermentation profile

[seabeemech1970]

I considering a holiday ale but I'm concerned with a fermentation schedule I have in mind.
Primary ferment of 14 days starting at 72 degrees going down to 65 degrees with a WLP500 yeast.
Secondary ferment of 14 days at a constant 65 degrees and pitch an additional WLP002 yeast
A third ferment for 7 days starting at 65 degrees going down to 55 degrees.
Then bottle and store for 30 days.
This will be an all grain recipe

 

[Calder]

What's your concern?

If you want comments; mine would be:

1) It seems pointless to follow a highly attenuating yeast (WLP500, 75-80%) with a lower attenuating yeast (WLP002, 63-70%).

2) For the WLP500, if you want to get it's flavor profile and fully attenuate, I would start around 70F for a couple of days, and then slowly ramp up to 80 F (I know it's range is 65-72 F).

3) Depending on the gravity of the beer, I'd leave it in the primary for 4 to 8 weeks and then bottle, or rack after 4 weeks and bulk store for a few months.

4) After bottling, need to store around 70 F to ensure carbonation before storing chilled.

 

[seabeemech1970]

What would happen if I switched the yeast? That is pitch the low attenuation first then pitch high attenuation yeast in the secondary ferment

 

[Kaz]

Post a little bit more about the beer and the recipe, without knowing that, your fermentation plan is kinda irrelevant

 

[PseudoChef]

Why do you want to use two yeasts? Whichever yeast you are using second will have very little impact on the beer. If you pitch the 500 second, it might bring the gravity down a few more points, but you will not create any esters/phenols characteristic of that yeast.

If you use the 002 second, it will do all of nothing.

 

[seabeemech1970]

Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate, I'm fairly new to homebrewing.

 

[seabeemech1970]

Here's the recipe. I changed the ferment schedule to more like what you recommended let me know what you think

Style: Christmas/Winter Specialty Spice Beer TYPE: Extract Taste: (30.0) Recipe Specifications -------------------------- Boil Size: 6.22 gal Post Boil Volume: 5.72 gal Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal Bottling Volume: 4.50 gal Estimated OG: 1.077 SG Estimated Color: 16.0 SRM Estimated IBU: 18.8 IBUs Brewhouse Efficiency: 60.00 % Est Mash Efficiency: 0.0 % Boil Time: 60 Minutes Ingredients: ------------ Amt Name Type # %/IBU 1 lbs Caramel Malt - 10L (Briess) (10.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.2 % 4.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.3 %
3 lbs Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 4 27.6 %
6 lbs 9.6 oz LME Pilsen Light (Briess) (2.3 SRM) Extract 5 60.8 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 6 14.8 IBUs
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 4.0 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 7 - 0.50 oz Ginger Root (Boil 12.0 mins) Herb 9 - 0.25 oz Cinnamon Stick (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 12 - 1.00 oz Nutmeg, Ground (Boil 10.0 mins) Spice 10 -
1.00 oz Orange Peel, Sweet (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 11 -
1.0 pkg Trappist Ale (White Labs #WLP500) [35.49 Yeast 13 -
5.00 gal Deer Park (R), Bottled Water Water 1 -
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 13.6 oz
Fermentation 9/17/2011 -
Primary Fermentation (7.00 days at 70.0 F ending at 80.0 F) 9/24/2011 -
Secondary Fermentation (14.00 days at 80.0 F ending at 65.0 F) 10/8/2011 -
Tertiary Fermentation (30.00 days at 65.0 F ending at 55.0 F)
Carbonation: Bottle with 3.53 oz Corn Sugar
Age beer for 30.00 days at 70.0 F