Going Wild

[mutedog]

That's interesting. I'd love to try this, but I can't stand saisons. I don't know what I'd use it for. Is it doable to refine it into something that can be used in an American or English style?

I've caught a couple of cultures that are suitable for those styles, one is very fruity like an english strain, and the other is super clean which is why I rarely use it...

The honey suckle will more than likely get pitched because of smells putrid, but honestly and it's kind of weird because it really doesn't smell as bad as it did a couple days ago.

If there is brett in there it can clean up putrid (butyric acid), but it will take a while. It's your call on whether you want to dump it, since you said you don't really want to mess with brett (yet) probably just dump it.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Day 14 Update!

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Haven't smelled them in a day or two, but last time I did, the honey suckle was still kind of stinking but not as bad and the hedge was still a strong, green apple ish smell.

*Edit I couldn't resist not smelling them so I did after I wrote this update. Call me crazy but the honey suckle isn't nearly as bad as it was. Now it just smells like beer. Maybe an old beer? But not the putrid nasty smell it was previously. Kind of makes me wish I wouldn't have got overzealous with the roses daisies batch and just let it ride for a while.

The Hedge jar still smells fruity, a tad sour, but definitely fruity! Am getting really really excited for these!

It also looks like the hedge is doing another fermentation which is pretty cool.

Going to let them both sit for a month and see what they smell like. Then I'll start building them up.

Awesome experience nonetheless and will keep doing it! [emoji106]🏻

 

[FatDragon]

My hydrometer yeast smelled fruity and slightly sour a couple days ago. Yesterday I gave it a whiff and it was pure solvent. I'll let it ride a bit longer but it's probably a dumper.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

My hydrometer yeast smelled fruity and slightly sour a couple days ago. Yesterday I gave it a whiff and it was pure solvent. I'll let it ride a bit longer but it's probably a dumper.

The honey suckle has been basically on the same roller coaster. Now it's smelling somewhat palatable again.

I could have swore I read somewhere some bacteria that puts off those disgusting aromas but as the yeast get a foothold and start producing the alcohol byproduct of the yeast doing their thing kill the bacteria and the bad smells will dissipate. Could be way off base, but I could have swore I read that.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

@mutdog when I do go to start building these up, should I decant all the floating white stuff or should I give it a good stir and then let it settle out and decant the liquid off the top?

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

So, Day 18 Update!

Both beers are smelling decent.

It's funny because both samples were made using the same low gravity, low hopped wort, but they both are different colors. I wonder if it's any indication as to types of beer they could/should be used in?

The honey suckle is light, hefe/wit cloudiness to it, whereas the hedge is a darker, almost brown ale look to it.

Thinking here in the next two weeks, I'm going to make up some one gallon batches after I step them up and give them a whirl. Pretty stoked still about this project, just hate the waiting portion of it haha!

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Day 20 Update!

Ok, since the two remaining jars, honey suckle and hedge, have both very obviously fermented out, I decided to start building up the honey suckle sample.

I had it on the stir plate in 2 cups water, half cup dme, and lightly hopped. Sat on the stir plate for 3 days before I put it in a large sanitized mason jar. In no time it was bubbling away and looking really promising. This morning I woke up to find a krausen line approximately 3/4 of an inch up but it has mostly settled. But what's pretty slick is that you can still see little bubbles floating up along the sides telling me it's still fermenting. [emoji106]🏻

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I'll let it finish out for another day or so then cold crash, while I start building up the hedge.

My son describes it as smelling almost like a pineapple. I don't think it smells bad at all really. Just fermenting beer.

Not to mention, and I didn't even think about it, but I've read articles of fermenting beer smelling like rotten eggs and sulphur. Makes me wonder what my roses and daisies would have finished out like had I let it.

The colors still throw me for a loop as the honey suckle finishes out lighter in color while the hedge finished out looking exactly the same color as a a brown ale.

They came out of the same starter wort but had fermented out different colors. Not even sure how that's possible.

Anyways, stay tuned!

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[Tactical-Brewer]

So, it's getting pretty crazy how "Fruity" these are both starting to smell. Both uniquely different, but both somewhat fruity. The honey suckle is still the more neutral of the two, but you can definitely catch some pineapple or something similar on the nose.

The hedge, I can't quite describe it's "fruitiness" but it's definitely there. Definitely a sweet... heck if I know, but fruity-esque nose to it.

Cannot wait to keep building these up and try out my test batch!!! :rockin:

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

So just kind of a weird update,

The honey suckle had a pretty good fermentation after I poured it off the stir plate and into a large mason jar. It's pretty compact now on the bottom of the jar, and the actual liquid is just starting to show signs of clearing at room temp.

The hedge was on the stir plate for like two days, it showed a little krausen but nothing major and I poured it into another large mason jar. It's only been an hour, but it's not showing signs of anything other than the top portion of the liquid is already starting to separate where you can see clear vs the cloudiness below it.

Not sure if I typed that where you can understand what I'm saying, but I wish I would have been able to take a gravity reading on the starter wort but I assume it's close to the 1.040 mark since that's what I read the 2 cup water, half cup dme will get you. I will probably step them both up again so once I do, I will get gravity readings from this step up?

Who knows but this has definitely been a fun experiment.

Anyone think I should hop this next step up? It will be the third step up. I would like to think that by now, the alcohol produced would have killed off any of the bad gunk and both have a pleasant "beer" fruitiness smell to them ish anyways lol.

Edit* pictures to help understand what I was saying

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[Tactical-Brewer]

Over shot some water on today's boil and came out with 6 gallons total on my Irish red. Decided to put a gallon in a gallon carboy and dumped my hedge yeast in it. Within 2.5 hours it was chugging along nicely. We'll see what happens.

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[Jwin]

Over shot some water on today's boil and came out with 6 gallons total on my Irish red. Decided to put a gallon in a gallon carboy and dumped my hedge yeast in it. Within 2.5 hours it was chugging along nicely. We'll see what happens.

Wild Red Irish Bush Ale!

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

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Started fermenting after 2.5 hours and was chugging along through the night.

Curious to see how this turns out!

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Wild Red Irish Bush Ale!

Haha I dig it! :rockin:

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Almost a week in and I'm still seeing bubbles rising up in the gallon carboy. Not much for airlock activity though. Pretty wild looking though. This unfortunately was fermented pretty warm, in the upper 70's because, as dumb as it sounds, I didn't even think of tempt control :smack: but who knows what will happen with it.

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[brewshki]

Almost a week in and I'm still seeing bubbles rising up in the gallon carboy. Not much for airlock activity though. Pretty wild looking though. This unfortunately was fermented pretty warm, in the upper 70's because, as dumb as it sounds, I didn't even think of tempt control :smack: but who knows what will happen with it.

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Idk if you would be interested in starting more tests, but I read an article the latest zymurgy about tree bark having lots of native saccromyces on it. I know you said you are going more for a native strain and no bacteria. This may be an interesting way to go about it.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Idk if you would be interested in starting more tests, but I read an article the latest zymurgy about tree bark having lots of native saccromyces on it. I know you said you are going more for a native strain and no bacteria. This may be an interesting way to go about it.

Hmm, I may have to give that a go. I'm always looking to do something for when I can't brew but be brewing related!

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

9 days into fermentation and a pretty significant amount of bubbles and activity going on inside the little one gallon sample of Irish red and my wild yeast off the hedge.

The 5 gallon batch fermented with my Liberty ale strain is and has been done fermenting and has started to to clear out considerably.

Shouldn't a smaller amount of beer ferment faster than a larger amount?

Ready to see this done and taste it!

 

[Jwin]

9 days into fermentation and a pretty significant amount of bubbles and activity going on inside the little one gallon sample of Irish red and my wild yeast off the hedge.

The 5 gallon batch fermented with my Liberty ale strain is and has been done fermenting and has started to to clear out considerably.

Shouldn't a smaller amount of beer ferment faster than a larger amount?

Ready to see this done and taste it!

Well, pitch rate comes to question first and for most. And different strains will perform differently. Also, it is likely that you have multiple strains in the hedge sample. It's also possible that you are seeing a second fermentation from a Brett or lacto strain that is now chewing through the unfermentables

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Well, pitch rate comes to question first and for most. And different strains will perform differently. Also, it is likely that you have multiple strains in the hedge sample. It's also possible that you are seeing a second fermentation from a Brett or lacto strain that is now chewing through the unfermentables

Yeah, I was thinking maybe that, but the only thing that gives me pause about the Brett or lacto is that it completely fermented out the first time, and then the second time when I built it up. First time I let it sit for about 3 weeks, then the step up set somewhere over a week but had finished out within a couple days. This thing hasn't stopped showing signs of fermentation yet.

I guess I probably definitely over pitched it for a 1 gallon recipe. I didn't measure ml or anything but I know I had enough to more than likely do a 5 gallon batch with what I pitched. I know that's a lot but I had an extra gallon and was dying to put that yeast into something. Hopefully I didn't totally ruin it.

 

[Jwin]

Well, I was worried about underpitching. If you over pitched, then you should be done
The cool thing about 1g batches is you can drop a well cleaned and sanitized hydrometer through the neck.
Sure you aren't just seeing off gassing at this point?

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Well, I was worried about underpitching. If you over pitched, then you should be done
The cool thing about 1g batches is you can drop a well cleaned and sanitized hydrometer through the neck.
Sure you aren't just seeing off gassing at this point?

I guess I could be. Honestly, I don't have any idea lol.

I'm just going to keep letting it set, same with my 5 gallon batch of red till I'm ready to bottle. Probably another 2-3 weeks, as long as it's done bubbling of course and hydro readings are the same after a few days.

 

[mutedog]

What I usually do with my first run of a new wild yeast is save off a gallon from a five gallon batch and just let it go for 6+ months to see if anything interesting happens to it long term. Since you only made a gallon you could maybe just fill a 22 and stick an airlock on it? Or just wait until you do a 5 gallon batch with the yeast.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

What I usually do with my first run of a new wild yeast is save off a gallon from a five gallon batch and just let it go for 6+ months to see if anything interesting happens to it long term. Since you only made a gallon you could maybe just fill a 22 and stick an airlock on it? Or just wait until you do a 5 gallon batch with the yeast.

I definitely might throw some in a 22 and see what happens. That could be pretty cool!

So, once this finishes up though, should it be relatively safe to bottle without fear of bottle bombs?

 

[Jwin]

I definitely might throw some in a 22 and see what happens. That could be pretty cool!

So, once this finishes up though, should it be relatively safe to bottle without fear of bottle bombs?

I would probably treat it like any other possibly infected batch
Once it carbs, toss them all in the fridge
It's just a gallon, so not like trying to chill 2 cases.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

I would probably treat it like any other possibly infected batch
Once it carbs, toss them all in the fridge
It's just a gallon, so not like trying to chill 2 cases.

Cool cool. I'll do that then. I'm going to do the 22oz with the air stopper and just see what happens with it. Should be pretty cool I guess.

 

[mutedog]

I would probably treat it like any other possibly infected batch
Once it carbs, toss them all in the fridge
It's just a gallon, so not like trying to chill 2 cases.

yep, do this. I usually keg mine so I don't have to worry about it.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Will do mutedog and Jwin. [emoji106]🏻

It's still chugging along with the bubbles and throwing particles around. Albeit on a smaller scale but it still is.

Crazy.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Little gallon is still showing signs of fermentation... After 12 days... Wonder if it's ever going to settle down and stop bubbling lol

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

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Finally starting to slow down I think.

 

[mutedog]

My wild yeast beers usually take 2-4 weeks to finish primary fermentation.