Hop AA numbers

[redrocker652002]

Well, it being 6am and I am awake, I thought I would setup my brew day early and get a jump on it. Having my recipe in Brewfather open and going thru the ingredients something hit me. A bittering hop at 60 is .5 ounce of Magnum is on the hop schedule. The interesting thing is, in Brewfather it shows an AA of about 14.8 while the package I got from Morebeer is showing me 8.9. Adjust it took my IBU from 41 to 31. I am sure that is not a huge deal as it is a simple Cascade APA. But it got me thinking, I have some Chinook that I got in my hop haul that is, if I remember correctly, not marked but in a sealed bag in the freezer. Not knowing exactly what the AA of that is, would it be adviseable to throw maybe .25 of an ounce in to up the IBU a bit? Or am I playing with fire not knowing what I have? Any input would be most appreciated.

 

[ncbrewer]

It's possible that the package labeling is wrong, but it'd assume it's correct and just use 0.83 oz of the Magnum, assuming you have it.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Yes, I would use more of the magnum if you have it to get your ibu where you want it. You could certainly use the chinook if you prefer also.

 

[Miraculix]

Never trust a recipe that gives you the hop amounts by weight instead of desired ibus per addition. Not one hop harvest has the same amount of alpha as the other. It can differ immensely.

 

[redrocker652002]

I did not have any more Magnum, but have a ton load of Cascade. So, what I did was add a bit more cascade in the latter part of the boil. That got me to about 38 IBU and I am good with that. We will see how it works out. As a side note, my preboil gravity was supposed to be 1.049 and mine was 1.048 feeling pretty good right now. Just a bit concerned about volume, but I will worry about that later.

 

[redrocker652002]

And of course the OG was way over. Should have been 1.056 and showed up at 1.062. Ouch. LOL. Gonna add a half gallon of water to get it down a bit and then going to do the repitch of Bry97. I am going to take the slurry and cut it in half, repitch half and store the other half in the fridge for next time. We will see. I have a fresh pack just in case. LOL

 

[redrocker652002]

Well, half gallon of water was perfect. I boiled it for ten minutes to hopefully kill off any bad stuff and when I measured it was at 1.058 or so. And, I split the yeast cake in half, storing about 8 ounces in a jar in my fridge. Sanitized the jar of course. Left what I thought was going to be a little too little, but be damned if the airlock started showing activity within 4 or 5 hours and within 8 it was bubbling like a champ. Does that matter, no of course not, but it shows the yeast is doing something. And that, for a first time for me, is pretty cool. I will let it ride for a week or so, dry hop and put into a keg. If this works out, I am going to be building up a small yeast bank of some of the yeasts I use more often.

 

[Miraculix]

Well, half gallon of water was perfect. I boiled it for ten minutes to hopefully kill off any bad stuff and when I measured it was at 1.058 or so. And, I split the yeast cake in half, storing about 8 ounces in a jar in my fridge. Sanitized the jar of course. Left what I thought was going to be a little too little, but be damned if the airlock started showing activity within 4 or 5 hours and within 8 it was bubbling like a champ. Does that matter, no of course not, but it shows the yeast is doing something. And that, for a first time for me, is pretty cool. I will let it ride for a week or so, dry hop and put into a keg. If this works out, I am going to be building up a small yeast bank of some of the yeasts I use more often.

It works until it doesn't. A good idea is to always make a starter with a slurry that is older than a week.

....do not ask me how I know....

 

[Kickass]

AA of German hops have been in decline. I’d guess that was an accurate number for your Magnum. I’d probably have added some cascade or chinook to hit my theoretical IBU #’s. Then again brewing is hectic with a 2 y/o and a 2 m/o so I may have rolled with it.

 

[redrocker652002]

It works until it doesn't. A good idea is to always make a starter with a slurry that is older than a week.

....do not ask me how I know....

That is what I was thinking too. The one in the fridge I will do that with because it isn't going to be used for at least another two or three weeks, if not longer. If I can at least get that process down as well, I think I will be good. Just keep a pack of each of the dry incase something doesn't work out. It was just cool for me to see it work out, usually stuff I do like that doesn't. LOL>

 

[Miraculix]

That is what I was thinking too. The one in the fridge I will do that with because it isn't going to be used for at least another two or three weeks, if not longer. If I can at least get that process down as well, I think I will be good. Just keep a pack of each of the dry incase something doesn't work out. It was just cool for me to see it work out, usually stuff I do like that doesn't. LOL>

I got one jar of yeast from an overbuilt starter in the fridge. I am adding half a teaspoon of sugar from time to time to keep it viable for longer. When I'm going to use it for brewing, I'll be making a starter with it

 

[redrocker652002]

I got one jar of yeast from an overbuilt starter in the fridge. I am adding half a teaspoon of sugar from time to time to keep it viable for longer. When I'm going to use it for brewing, I'll be making a starter with it

Cool Never thought about the sugar idea.

 

[elf_brewery]

Cool Never thought about the sugar idea.

We save the yuk from primary fermentation (ale, not lager), about 1/2 cup topped up with cold water, and store it in the fridge for 3 days, when it is then used in the next batch (pour off the liquid [drinkable!] add some warm water and a pinch of sugar to get it started). As long as it is "washed" a couple times, it should last a week or so(?). I think I tried freezing it once and it was garbage.

 

[Miraculix]

We save the yuk from primary fermentation (ale, not lager), about 1/2 cup topped up with cold water, and store it in the fridge for 3 days, when it is then used in the next batch (pour off the liquid [drinkable!] add some warm water and a pinch of sugar to get it started). As long as it is "washed" a couple times, it should last a week or so(?). I think I tried freezing it once and it was garbage.

"Washing" is highly detrimental to the yeast and actually it is not washing at all. Just keep it as it is.

If you add warm water to the cold yeast, you are stressing it heavily. This will kill some and some might mutate. Do not do that. Let it come to room temperature on its own instead.

 

[elf_brewery]

"Washing" is highly detrimental to the yeast and actually it is not washing at all. Just keep it as it is.

If you add warm water to the cold yeast, you are stressing it heavily. This will kill some and some might mutate. Do not do that. Let it come to room temperature on its own instead.

Good to know. If I change the beery water a couple times a week, is that ok?

 

[Miraculix]

Good to know. If I change the beery water a couple times a week, is that ok?

NO!

You are removing the yeasts low ph and alcohol protection barrier.

You are basically asking for contamination while starving the yeast to death.

 

[scrap iron]

Just leave it under the beer is best practice and don't store with water. When you reuse your yeast make beers with lightly hopped first then on to highly hopped at the last reuse.
Also make a starter if more than a week old is how I do it.

 

[redrocker652002]

Just leave it under the beer is best practice and don't store with water. When you reuse your yeast make beers with lightly hopped first then on to highly hopped at the last reuse.
Also make a starter if more than a week old is how I do it.

What would you consider "highly hopped"? I did a blonde then a single hop APA with about 6 ounces of hops in the boil and another two in the dry hop. Do you think this is reusable? I am more of an IPA guy, but trying to expand into other styles.

 

[Tony B]

I’ve had good luck overbuilding a starter with each new yeast strain I use and making 8-10 vials of about 6ml yeast slurry with a matching amount of cryo-preservative ( boiled glycerine and water) for a frozen yeast bank.
A couple days before I’m going to brew, I just make a starter with one of the vials.
I found this method through some internet searches and YouTube videos. Saves space in the freezer. Always good to have some dry yeast as a backup.

 

[scrap iron]

What would you consider "highly hopped"? I did a blonde then a single hop APA with about 6 ounces of hops in the boil and another two in the dry hop. Do you think this is reusable? I am more of an IPA guy, but trying to expand into other styles.

I read you used BRY 97 if so, I wouldn't worry about reusing it if your sanitation is good. General guidelines I've read are to start out lighter color and lower gravities using less hops to keep hop bits and maybe color lower. Then move to darker and higher hopped styles.
Store under the beer you made and plan brew list but I also recommend using before 5-6 months then buy new yeast.
Tony B 's method works too or try a top cropping yeast is ideal.

 

[redrocker652002]

I read you used BRY 97 if so, I wouldn't worry about reusing it if your sanitation is good. General guidelines I've read are to start out lighter color and lower gravities using less hops to keep hop bits and maybe color lower. Then move to darker and higher hopped styles.
Store under the beer you made and plan brew list but I also recommend using before 5-6 months then buy new yeast.
Tony B 's method works too or try a top cropping yeast is ideal.

My brew days are usually between 3 to 5 weeks apart. LOL. So this should not sit in the fridge for longer than two months tops. I will make a starter and see how it goes. My next brew is another APA with 5oz of hops total, so I think I will be ok. I have a pack of Bry97 and USo5 in the fridge just in case. LOL Thanks for the info.

 

[redrocker652002]

I’ve had good luck overbuilding a starter with each new yeast strain I use and making 8-10 vials of about 6ml yeast slurry with a matching amount of cryo-preservative ( boiled glycerine and water) for a frozen yeast bank.
A couple days before I’m going to brew, I just make a starter with one of the vials.
I found this method through some internet searches and YouTube videos. Saves space in the freezer. Always good to have some dry yeast as a backup.

That is my end game I think, but I don't have the freezer space at this time. Wife is already letting me store a bunch of hops in there. LOL. Gotta pick my battles. But thank you for the info.

 

[Tony B]

That is my end game I think, but I don't have the freezer space at this time. Wife is already letting me store a bunch of hops in there. LOL. Gotta pick my battles. But thank you for the info.

I hear that. Something to think about for the future. Just as a reference, I currently have about 30 vials of 4 strains in zip lock bags per strain and all together they take up about as much space as a 1 lb bag of hops.

 

[Miraculix]

I hear that. Something to think about for the future. Just as a reference, I currently have about 30 vials of 4 strains in zip lock bags per strain and all together they take up about as much space as a 1 lb bag of hops.

Care to create a thread and write down your exact process? That would be awesome. Thanks!

 

[Tony B]

Care to create a thread and write down your exact process? That would be awesome. Thanks!

Sure. I’ll have to make a little outline first to make sure I’m not leaving anything out.

 

[Tony B]

Care to create a thread and write down your exact process? That would be awesome. Thanks!

Just posted it.