Potamus
Well-Known Member
I started up a lambic Saturday afternoon using 1 pound flaked wheat, 3 pounds wheat DME, 3 pounds light DME, 1 ounce saaz and WLP 550. I got the ingredients at the last minute and didn't have time to make a starter.
Turns out, that isn't going to be a problem. Krausen was forming by Sunday morning, and I needed a blowoff in the 6.5 gallon carboy by Sunday afternoon. As of this evening, I appear to have lost about a half gallon of wort to the blow-off. The wort level started at the top of the blue line on the carboy, if you can make it out in the picture.
Normally, I wouldn't worry about it and just take the hit on volume, but in this case I'm planning to pitch some bugs and let them get to work for a year or so. With losing all this wort, I'm worried that when I rack to a 5 gallon secondary, I'm going to have too much headspace.
So I'm wondering first how long this will continue and how much wort I can expect to lose. Also wondering if I should consider topping off with water or more wort (from the wheat beer to the right, perhaps) to minimize headspace in secondary. Or will the pellicle keep it safe for the year?
Turns out, that isn't going to be a problem. Krausen was forming by Sunday morning, and I needed a blowoff in the 6.5 gallon carboy by Sunday afternoon. As of this evening, I appear to have lost about a half gallon of wort to the blow-off. The wort level started at the top of the blue line on the carboy, if you can make it out in the picture.
Normally, I wouldn't worry about it and just take the hit on volume, but in this case I'm planning to pitch some bugs and let them get to work for a year or so. With losing all this wort, I'm worried that when I rack to a 5 gallon secondary, I'm going to have too much headspace.
So I'm wondering first how long this will continue and how much wort I can expect to lose. Also wondering if I should consider topping off with water or more wort (from the wheat beer to the right, perhaps) to minimize headspace in secondary. Or will the pellicle keep it safe for the year?