Krausen question - first NEIPA

[RickyBeers]

I read that it’s good to dry hope during bio transformation. My NEIPA was supposed to finish at 1.016 so I decided to dry hop at 1.028.

I pressure ferment in a corny keg. This time since it’s a NEIPA and I want some esters, I kept the pressure lower, under 10 psi.

When I went to release the pressure via The pressure relief valve, omg the krausen went nuts.

So much Krasen was coming out of the PRV that I had to move it a few feet to the back porch and wash it down in between releases. I swear it was 2 cups of krasen by the time is was over.

Finally got the lid off and quickly stuck my sanitized hop sack in and closed the lid.

Should I be worried about losing that much krasen? Does it matter?

Also, anyone who has done a NEIPA in a corny keg, is that consistent with your experience?

OG 1.070
FG (supposed to be) 1.016
Yeast London Ale Y22 (2 packets)

 

[slayer021175666]

2 cups is nothing if you're talking about beer loss. I don't know what a guy might do to dry hop a pressurized keg. By fermenting that way, you are carbonating the beer as it ferments. Warm carbonated beer always foams up pretty bad when you release the pressure.
Maybe someone else will chime in with more knowledge on fermenting under pressure.

 

[RickyBeers]

2 cups is nothing if you're talking about beer loss. I don't know what a guy might do to dry hop a pressurized keg. By fermenting that way, you are carbonating the beer as it ferments. Warm carbonated beer always foams up pretty bad when you release the pressure.
Maybe someone else will chime in with more knowledge on fermenting under pressure.

I'm just wondering if it's more than just carbonated malt/beer that escaped. It had that sludgy consistency of krausen, which I've read has live and dead yeast. I think I'm mostly concerned that I let too much yeast escape, which will perhaps hurt the overall fermentation?

But ya, having a fermenter with a dump valve (or whatever it's called) on the bottom where I can release the hops, would be best... Or maybe using a food grade magnet on my corny to release the hops that way.

 

[slayer021175666]

No. Don't worry about the loss of yeast. There's still enough yeast inside of that to ferment out especially when it was so close to being fermented out when you dry hopped it anyway. I top crop beers all of the time that have way longer left to ferment than that. Top cropping takes all of the krausen and yeast off the top but there's still plenty left in the liquid wort to ferment it into beer. You're fine there, brother.
I'm just thinking of what a pain in the ass it probably would be to try to dry hop it under pressure in the middle of fermentation. Like I said, maybe somebody else who has more knowledge about pressurized fermentations will chime in and let us both know.

 

[slayer021175666]

This is my NEIPA. Beautiful color and absolutely delicious! I can tell you my process if you want but, it does not take a pressurized fermentation. I do it in a bucket with an airlock.

 

[RickyBeers]

This is my NEIPA. Beautiful color and absolutely delicious! I can tell you my process if you want but, it does not take a pressurized fermentation. I do it in a bucket with an airlock.

Thanks for your replies, interesting stuff. And ya that beer looks outstanding, I can always use my corny like a bucket if needed with a special lid with an airlock so I’m definitely curious to know your process

 

[slayer021175666]

Are you wanting to do 5 gallons in the corny? The lack of head space will be a challenge. Better to have a 6 or 7 gallon fermenter with an airlock so the krausen has some room.

 

[RickyBeers]

Are you wanting to do 5 gallons in the corny? The lack of head space will be a challenge. Better to have a 6 or 7 gallon fermenter with an airlock so the krausen has some room.

Makes sense. I def need to get a larger fermenter. Should be my next “big” purchase here soon

 

[slayer021175666]

Anyway, I do a 60 min boil with a very small bittering addition. I chill my wort to 160 degrees and whirlpool more hops for 20 minutes. Now, chill to pitching temp and let it ferment for 48 hours. Here is where I dry hop and crop the yeast. Dry hopping and top cropping while fermentation is still vigorous is very important! It, in my opinion, does 3 things.
1. With CO2 still coming out of the fermenter, it makes it hard for 02 to get in when you take the lid off.
2. It gives time for any O2 you MAY have got in the fermenter by taking the lid off to be pushed out through the airlock by the CO2 over the next few days of fermentation.
3. It "stirs" your hops around in the wort. The vigorous activity of the yeast agitates the hops. This is better for hop oil utilization.
Tip: remember this addition at high krausen technique for other things too. Say, you wanted to put some coffee or espresso in a stout. The best time to do it is while the yeast is still agitating the wort. It "stirs" your coffee in.
Lastly, 02 introduction is of course, a bad thing. It is not however in my experience, as big a deal and as hard to keep from happening as people think or make it seem to be. When I rack from fermenting bucket to corny keg, I take the lid off the Corny keg and drop a CO2 tube into the bottom of it through the hole. Then, fill the entire corny keg with CO2 . Drop your racking tube to the bottom of the keg and SLOWLY begin the transfer. Once the racking tube is covered by the wort in the bottom of the keg, you can go faster. Just remember, any connections of the tube to the spigot or racking cane can suck in air if they are not well sealed. Be sure to check for this! It's the biggest contributor to oxygenated beer that I can think of!
After all of your wort is in the corny keg, be sure to load the keg to 10 lb of CO2 pressure and purge the headspace through your pressure release valve four or five times. Now, crank to 40lbs CO2 pressure for about 24 hours to force carbonate it.
This should make a pretty damn good unoxygenated transfer. And pretty damn good is good enough.
My only other tip would be, drink that beer! Don't let it sit around for 2 months in the refrigerator. Drink it! It doesn't do well with time. And forget about conditioning and fining and all of that crap. It's an ale. In my opinion, you should start drinking it right when it's carbonated. I would add though that, I've had them sitting in the fridge for up to a month with no particular degradation that I saw. It was fine.
Hope this helps, Brother.
Prost!

 

[PCABrewing]

Makes sense. I def need to get a larger fermenter. Should be my next “big” purchase here soon

While you can make the expenditure very big, it doesn't have to be.
You can get a 6+ gallon fermenter for 55 bucks or less. Nothing fancy but they can serve the need for many years.

 

[slayer021175666]

7 gallon bucket with lid is 15 bucks at my LHBS.

 

[RickyBeers]

Good looking out everyone.
Slayer, I’ll be trying your advice next NEIPA, thank you for the detailed response

 

[slayer021175666]

Thank you, too. Let me know how it goes, Ricky.

 

[RickyBeers]

Figured I would share. Mine came out wonderful. Great juicy flavor and no hop burn. Thanks for all the help

 

[slayer021175666]

No problem! Glad to hear it.