Blonde Ale Miller Lite (Really Triple Hopped)

[Jbrew]

As the above post states, i didn't secondary, and i added the enzyme straight to carboy. I did this a few days ago and have not seen any signs of fermentation restarting. How long before activity starts up again?

 

[Schlenkerla]

As the above post states, i didn't secondary, and i added the enzyme straight to carboy. I did this a few days ago and have not seen any signs of fermentation restarting. How long before activity starts up again?

It's typically very slow. Lots of tiny bubbles. Try putting a flashlight against the carboy.

When I did this the first time. I secondaried the bottle was full to the brim. Hours later my airlock was full of beer. The activity is NOT aggressive fermentation, lots of slow bubbles rising. There won't be any krausen.

 

[cgrivois]

Let primary fermentation run for 9 days, took a reading and got 1.012, went ahead and dry hopped and added AE and let it go another week and took a reading, still at 1.012. All this done in the primary.

 

[cgrivois]

Evidently the hydrometer was stuck to the side of the flask or bubbles were holding it up but after it sat on the kitchen table for a bit the gravity was actually 1.005 and I could clearly see the tiny bubbles rising up the sides.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Evidently the hydrometer was stuck to the side of the flask or bubbles were holding it up but after it sat on the kitchen table for a bit the gravity was actually 1.005 and I could clearly see the tiny bubbles rising up the sides.

Good!

Always give the hydrometer a good twist like a spinning a top. Look at the bottom of the miniscus. Meaning it will usually neck up the walls of the hydrometer and the cylinder. You need to look at the valley of the beer surface and line that up with the graduated scale.

Lower gravity is better but not imperative. Time also helps. This is the alternative to using a lager yeast and lagering.

 

[Cartman98]

So I've been making 7-8% beers lately and I wanted something I could drink more than two of. I BIAB and my efficiency is all over the place, so I set Beersmith to 70% and hope to get close. I adjusted the grain profile and ended up with 2 lbs 4 oz Corn, 2 lbs 4 oz 6 Row, and 3 lbs 2 Row to get to 1.034 OG in a 5.5 gallon batch.
Brewed it all up last night and ended up with 1.044 OG, which will come out to 5.8% if I get down to 1.000 FG. Go figure I get 81% efficiency when I didn't want it! Maybe the difference is the corn in the mash giving me better efficiency than all grain?

Anyhow, I was hoping someone can tell me if they had this experience, and/or how the beer turned out. I'm thinking I might need to add a bit more dry hops to offset the higher ABV.
Also it seems beersmith doesn't account for grain absorption, it comes up with 8.91 gallons strike water for a 5.5 gallon batch whether you are using 6 lbs grain or 16 lbs. I ended up extending my boil for a whole lot longer than I should have.

LHBS only had 1lb of 6 Row so they recommended I make up the difference with Golden Promise. Does that sound right?

 

[Schlenkerla]

So I've been making 7-8% beers lately and I wanted something I could drink more than two of. I BIAB and my efficiency is all over the place, so I set Beersmith to 70% and hope to get close. I adjusted the grain profile and ended up with 2 lbs 4 oz Corn, 2 lbs 4 oz 6 Row, and 3 lbs 2 Row to get to 1.034 OG in a 5.5 gallon batch.
Brewed it all up last night and ended up with 1.044 OG, which will come out to 5.8% if I get down to 1.000 FG. Go figure I get 81% efficiency when I didn't want it! Maybe the difference is the corn in the mash giving me better efficiency than all grain?

Anyhow, I was hoping someone can tell me if they had this experience, and/or how the beer turned out. I'm thinking I might need to add a bit more dry hops to offset the higher ABV.
Also it seems beersmith doesn't account for grain absorption, it comes up with 8.91 gallons strike water for a 5.5 gallon batch whether you are using 6 lbs grain or 16 lbs. I ended up extending my boil for a whole lot longer than I should have.

LHBS only had 1lb of 6 Row so they recommended I make up the difference with Golden Promise. Does that sound right?

The more I think about your post the better answer I will have for you. Thought about it during my 3 hour commute to work. Let me start with your direct questions.

Corn will NOT give you better efficiency. The reason is, it doesn't have the enzymes needed for the starch conversion.

As for your question about adding more hops. The dry hopping will only add more aroma and some flavor perceived through aroma. It won't change your IBU number. If your IBU is within 5 points of the target. Don't worry about it at this point. 5 points IBU is nearly indistinguishable.

Grain absorption is usually 0.1 gallon per pound. I usually use 1 quart per pound to dough in and 2 quarts per pound to sparge. I make up for the grain absorption in the sparge. I'm a traditional AG'r with mash and a batch/fly sparge.

Your question about the golden promise. It's not good sub for an adjunct heavy grain bill. 6-Row barley is a high enzyme grain. It's predominately used with adjunct brewing; flaked corn, rice, wheat, oats and barley and it's very cheap. Golden promise is supposedly a great grain for Scottish styles. That's its origin. I have never used it but recently contemplated buying a 50 pound bag. I wound up buying 50lbs of Maris Otter instead.

I normally use Briess Pale Malt. It's fairly cheap and fully modified it's slightly darker (+1 lovibond) than standard two row. About 3 total. Pale malt also has enough enzymes to convert adjuncts too, but it has a limits that I can't recall. 6-Row is generally cheaper than pale malt and is the go to grain if you want good efficiency with adjuncts. Especially if it's 33% adjunct. It's never 100% of the grist though. Match it 1:1 with the adjuncts. 2 lbs flaked corn : 2 lbs 6-Row.

As for grain selection and another tip to help efficiency/attenuation, make sure you limit your use of crystal malts. Anything over 40L shouldn't be over 7% of the grist otherwise you'll have problems. The mash extraction could be lower and the wort won't attenuate like expected. If you need it darker or higher SRM value use Dark Belgian candy sugar or Invert Sugars; like #3 or #4. Another alternative is to use some Demerara Sugar or Turbinado Sugar up to 20% max. 10% is my preference. It's not gonna get it as dark as the dark Belgian candy or the #3/#4 inverts.

Hope this helps.

I think you're gonna have a fine light beer for after mowing.

 

[Cartman98]

Thank you for the detailed reply! There is a lot there to consider. I'm going to try make this again and should be a lot better off.

 

[Cartman98]

Took gravity and added enzyme today. Measured at 1.010. Likely due to higher OG than target.

 

[sikkingj]

That is where I ended up as well (bit higher OG and 1.010 FG) - it tastes great, enjoy!

 

[Schlenkerla]

Took gravity and added enzyme today. Measured at 1.010. Likely due to higher OG than target.

I wonder if you amylase enzyme is no good. How did you use it or blend it into your beer?

 

[mcfire12]

Having a wedding soonish. Is this close enough to serve to the typical Busch light drinker?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Having a wedding soonish. Is this close enough to serve to the typical Busch light drinker?

Definitely.

Use Noble German Hops like Hallertauer. Mt Hood would work too.

Just hop to 18 IBU. Use one addition, do it 60 minutes.

 

[mcfire12]

Definitely.

Use Noble German Hops like Hallertauer. Mt Hood would work too.

Just hop to 18 IBU. Use one addition, do it 60 minutes.

Are you saying to boil for 60 mins then? Looks like the original has a 90 min boil. Also, I just use a cooler for my mash tun. Do I just mash this at 147 the whole time and for how long? Looks like a total of 110 min mash in the original recipe? I have never mashed longer then 60 mins...

 

[Schlenkerla]

Are you saying to boil for 60 mins then? Looks like the original has a 90 min boil. Also, I just use a cooler for my mash tun. Do I just mash this at 147 the whole time and for how long? Looks like a total of 110 min mash in the original recipe? I have never mashed longer then 60 mins...

No, make it pretty much per the recipe but with only one hop addition. That would be the 60 minute addition.

Otherwise Mash and Boil per the recipe.

Make sure you have plenty of water in the wort for the longer boil.

 

[mcfire12]

No, make it pretty much per the recipe but with only one hop addition. That would be the 60 minute addition.

Otherwise Mash and Boil per the recipe.

Make sure you have plenty of water in the wort for the longer boil.

Hallertauer is a US hops according to beer smith? Had the wrong one selected my bad!

 

[mcfire12]

When are people adding the amylase enzyme now? I believe I read a post around 90 pages in about adding it about 9 days after it's been in the fermentor, added it into the primary. How long do I need to let it sit in my primary before kegging?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Hallertauer is a US hops according to beer smith? Had the wrong one selected my bad!

There's a U.S.and German versions. I substitute based on what's available.

 

[Schlenkerla]

When are people adding the amylase enzyme now? I believe I read a post around 90 pages in about adding it about 9 days after it's been in the fermentor, added it into the primary. How long do I need to let it sit in my primary before kegging?

Several seem to add it in the primary fermenter at the 7th day. Then let it sit for two weeks.

I still secondary but that's how I've always done. I liked to dry hop in a secondary. It's personal preference.

 

[mcfire12]

Several seem to add it in the primary fermenter at the 7th day. Then let it sit for two weeks.

I still secondary but that's how I've always done. I liked to dry hop in a secondary. It's personal preference.

Perfect, thank you! Let this ferment out at normal 70* temp?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Perfect, thank you! Let this ferment out at normal 70* temp?

Yes. But that depends on your yeast selection. Try to be within that range.

S-05 is pretty forgiving up to about 75 or 78. Speaking only to the upper limit. It works I think as low as the mid 60's. Any lower than that give it more time.

Be mindful of that and your gravity readings.

Cheers!

 

[Schlenkerla]

Summer beers!!!!

View attachment 1499903314168.jpg

 

[mcfire12]

Yes. But that depends on your yeast selection. Try to be within that range.

S-05 is pretty forgiving up to about 75 or 78. Speaking only to the upper limit. It works I think as low as the mid 60's. Any lower than that give it more time.

Be mindful of that and your gravity readings.

Cheers!

Thanks again! would this be the correct hop??
http://www.homebrewing.org/Hallertau-Germany-Hop-Pellets-1-lb_p_697.html

 

[Schlenkerla]

Thanks again! would this be the correct hop??
http://www.homebrewing.org/Hallertau-Germany-Hop-Pellets-1-lb_p_697.html

That looks good. I'd use that in this beer.

 

[Cartman98]

Kegged this and force carbed Friday. First glasses on Saturday, and they were really good. I doubt this brew will last 3 weeks but I'll try to save some to see if it's better by month two. Only hit 1.008 so I'm not sure the enzyme worked for me. Maybe dropped 0.002, if at all. Anyone have issues with enzyme not doing its thing?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Kegged this and force carbed Friday. First glasses on Saturday, and they were really good. I doubt this brew will last 3 weeks but I'll try to save some to see if it's better by month two. Only hit 1.008 so I'm not sure the enzyme worked for me. Maybe dropped 0.002, if at all. Anyone have issues with enzyme not doing its thing?

Every now and then people mention AE not doing much of anything. Maybe old or bad AE. How'd you hop your beer?

... and where's the beer porn? LOL

 

[Cartman98]

Every now and then people mention AE not doing much of anything. Maybe old or bad AE. How'd you hop your beer?

... and where's the beer porn? LOL

I add hops on your schedule, dry hop in last 7 days. AE for final two weeks.
So I made this again and same thing happened! Not sure whats going on. Finished at 1.010 and that's with new AE from a different LHBS. Difference was that I noticed it actively fermenting after adding the enzyme.
Also, no beer porn since I don't have a picture account

 

[Schlenkerla]

I add hops on your schedule, dry hop in last 7 days. AE for final two weeks.
So I made this again and same thing happened! Not sure whats going on. Finished at 1.010 and that's with new AE from a different LHBS. Difference was that I noticed it actively fermenting after adding the enzyme.
Also, no beer porn since I don't have a picture account

How low did you mash? Temp wise...

 

[Cartman98]

I try to keep to the original temps, so 147.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I try to keep to the original temps, so 147.

That's where I usually mash at....

What did you use for yeast?