Spyder
Member
So, coming from the school that says "If you're going to be an ape, be a hairy one", I jumped right into partial mash brewing.
My first was a blonde ale. I made a starter using 3c water and 3oz DME and WLP 029 kolsch yeast. While studying the boards I realized that I needed a larger quanity. I added 2c water and 2oz of DME. I brewed 3days after adding to starter. OG was 1.052, it is still in primary 4 weeks and I had fermentation for close to 3 1/2 weeks. I checked FG at 1.010. Fermenting temp fairly stable at 68. It tasted great coming from the thief. I plan to bottle on Monday .... I hope.
Two weeks ago, I started my 2nd batch a Belgian Wit. I made a starter (I've read that wheat beers really don't need starters, I just want to get into the habit) and it spewed love for two days. I used 4c water and 4oz of DME w/WLP400 belgian wit ale yeast, w/sanitized foil over the top and placed fask in a bowl. after 12 hours it could not handle the confinment. I started the brew 3 days after the starter. It is still fermenting.
Having a 5g BB I was going to use as a secondary for my Blonde, I decided to make 5g of Edwort Apfelwein. Pitched Red Star Montchuret and it started foaming after 6 hours.
I now have 15g something or other going on in our guest bath. Here are my questions:
1. Using a low floculating yeast such that 029 is, should I wait another week or 2 to bottle, will it hurt anything staying in primary 5+ weeks?
2. My primary for the blonde is a 6g BB w/racking valve, like an idiot I left the tube pointing up and yes you guessed it ... it is clogged. I really feel uncomfortable shoving something through the valve, not wanting to scratch it. Any suggestions, siphon or attaching a tube to valve and filling tube with Star San and try sucking it clear, then santazing .... I feel so stupid?
3. When mashing the blonde I ended up with a sg of 1.030 @ 150 degrees, how do you figure efficiency or do you when adding L or DME?
4. Last week we left town for a week and the SWMBO turned our furnace off. The temps dropped to 48 degrees while gone. We have been at 68 degrees. When we got home no activity of any kind but the blonde looks pretty clear. We turned furnace on and brought temps back up to 68 and the Wit and Apfelwein are bubbling away quite nicely ... will there be any problems by stopping fermentation and starting it again?
5. My Wit is still quite active .... should I wait till I get no activity before I pull the top off my pail to take a sample and do I need to resantatize the lid before reapplying to pail?
Thank you and I appologize for the long winded questions ... just excited about learning as much as possible. I've learned so much already, these questions keep popping up in my mind so Mr.****** asks.
My first was a blonde ale. I made a starter using 3c water and 3oz DME and WLP 029 kolsch yeast. While studying the boards I realized that I needed a larger quanity. I added 2c water and 2oz of DME. I brewed 3days after adding to starter. OG was 1.052, it is still in primary 4 weeks and I had fermentation for close to 3 1/2 weeks. I checked FG at 1.010. Fermenting temp fairly stable at 68. It tasted great coming from the thief. I plan to bottle on Monday .... I hope.
Two weeks ago, I started my 2nd batch a Belgian Wit. I made a starter (I've read that wheat beers really don't need starters, I just want to get into the habit) and it spewed love for two days. I used 4c water and 4oz of DME w/WLP400 belgian wit ale yeast, w/sanitized foil over the top and placed fask in a bowl. after 12 hours it could not handle the confinment. I started the brew 3 days after the starter. It is still fermenting.
Having a 5g BB I was going to use as a secondary for my Blonde, I decided to make 5g of Edwort Apfelwein. Pitched Red Star Montchuret and it started foaming after 6 hours.
I now have 15g something or other going on in our guest bath. Here are my questions:
1. Using a low floculating yeast such that 029 is, should I wait another week or 2 to bottle, will it hurt anything staying in primary 5+ weeks?
2. My primary for the blonde is a 6g BB w/racking valve, like an idiot I left the tube pointing up and yes you guessed it ... it is clogged. I really feel uncomfortable shoving something through the valve, not wanting to scratch it. Any suggestions, siphon or attaching a tube to valve and filling tube with Star San and try sucking it clear, then santazing .... I feel so stupid?
3. When mashing the blonde I ended up with a sg of 1.030 @ 150 degrees, how do you figure efficiency or do you when adding L or DME?
4. Last week we left town for a week and the SWMBO turned our furnace off. The temps dropped to 48 degrees while gone. We have been at 68 degrees. When we got home no activity of any kind but the blonde looks pretty clear. We turned furnace on and brought temps back up to 68 and the Wit and Apfelwein are bubbling away quite nicely ... will there be any problems by stopping fermentation and starting it again?
5. My Wit is still quite active .... should I wait till I get no activity before I pull the top off my pail to take a sample and do I need to resantatize the lid before reapplying to pail?
Thank you and I appologize for the long winded questions ... just excited about learning as much as possible. I've learned so much already, these questions keep popping up in my mind so Mr.****** asks.
