New Brewer Yeast Mistake

[kh54s10]

My worry with creating a vortex like that would be the risk of mixing the air in the bucket into the beer as it spins. I imagine it much like a yeast starter on a stir plate.. The constant stirring action mixes oxygen into the starter through the contact of the air in the vessel with the spinning surface of the liquid. I'd be worried of a similar process occurring in the bottling bucket, and unintentionally mixing O2 and other critters into the beer at the last moment before bottling... It's probably something that is highly unlikely to be a problem, but once your mind starts thinking about how much wild yeast and bacteria are floating around all over the place...it's difficult not to become something

The vortex only swirls, it does not splash. It is not much different than just filling the bucket. IMO, filling then stirring would give more of a chance of oxidation and contamination. I've been doing it that way for 7+ years without issue. At least 60 of my 102 batches got bottled.

 

[spanosspanos]

The vortex only swirls, it does not splash. It is not much different than just filling the bucket. IMO, filling then stirring would give more of a chance of oxidation and contamination. I've been doing it that way for 7+ years without issue. At least 60 of my 102 batches got bottled.

Yeah, I'm sure that I'm overestimating the risk of contamination... Curious though, you bottled about 60 of your 102 brews, does that mean that you've kegged most of the rest? ...or did you have to dump them..?

 

[kh54s10]

Yeah, I'm sure that I'm overestimating the risk of contamination... Curious though, you bottled about 60 of your 102 brews, does that mean that you've kegged most of the rest? ...or did you have to dump them..?

Kegged, but I have moved and the kegging stuff is in storage!

I have only dumped 2 1/2 batches. One was an experiment for a very high alcohol content beer. It ended up extremely sweet even after trying champagne yeast. I used 1/2 of it for cooking. Another was a 3 gallon batch, I don't know what went wrong with that one. After a couple of month it looked like pea soup. I couldn't get over the look and never even tasted it. The last one was neglected while preparing for my move. It was in primary for almost a year and I decided to dump it rather that transporting it in bottles, or even taking the time to bottle it.

 

[spanosspanos]

Kegged, but I have moved and the kegging stuff is in storage!

I have only dumped 2 1/2 batches. One was an experiment for a very high alcohol content beer. It ended up extremely sweet even after trying champagne yeast. I used 1/2 of it for cooking. Another was a 3 gallon batch, I don't know what went wrong with that one. After a couple of month it looked like pea soup. I couldn't get over the look and never even tasted it. The last one was neglected while preparing for my move. It was in primary for almost a year and I decided to dump it rather that transporting it in bottles, or even taking the time to bottle it.

Haha! Pea soup...yuck!! How'd you use the high alcohol for cooking...marinades? I think I would have been too curious to find out what a year old primary would taste like ;-)
I'm eager to start kegging, I still haven't made the jump and investment though... But every time I bottle up a batch...I get one BIG step closer!

 

[kh54s10]

Haha! Pea soup...yuck!! How'd you use the high alcohol for cooking...marinades? I think I would have been too curious to find out what a year old primary would taste like ;-)
I'm eager to start kegging, I still haven't made the jump and investment though... But every time I bottle up a batch...I get one BIG step closer!

I used the one for cooking mostly in beer bread. I should have at least tasted the one that sat....

Even when kegging there were beers that got bottled. One was a Russian Imperial Stout. It aged beautifully in bottles. It took six months to mellow out nicely, then almost 2 years before I drank them all.

 

[spanosspanos]

I used the one for cooking mostly in beer bread. I should have at least tasted the one that sat....

Even when kegging there were beers that got bottled. One was a Russian Imperial Stout. It aged beautifully in bottles. It took six months to mellow out nicely, then almost 2 years before I drank them all.

Beer bread?! ...you just found me my next google topic! [emoji481] [emoji506]
...you're a patient person...taking two years to drink those stouts!

 

[kh54s10]

Beer bread?! ...you just found me my next google topic! [emoji481] [emoji506]
...you're a patient person...taking two years to drink those stouts!

They were over 10% ABV so only one a night and not every night. Remember that I only sampled a couple out of 50 bottles before 6 months had passed. And that was after about two months fermenting and bulk aging. So I really only drank them over the period of just over one year.

That, and I had quite a few batches brewed during that time. So I was no where near depriving myself.

 

[bracconiere]

Have some grains and a Barley Crusher that arrives Thursday (same day as the 2nd ferment starts). I'm already having more fun than human beings should be allowed to have.

this is an epic thread! couldn't even finish it without getting tired. But had to chime in on this, and having more fun than allowed. It's like hebrew national, "We answer to a higher power!"

 

[Satokad]

this is an epic thread! couldn't even finish it without getting tired. But had to chime in on this, and having more fun than allowed. It's like hebrew national, "We answer to a higher power!"

Unfortunately, Amazon let me down a little. It's not a Barley Crusher but a clone that looks very similar. An Evill Twin from The Vintage Shop. Amazon listed it as Barley Crusher with Northern Brewer as the seller, but did some hocus pocus and switched it up. It has very mixed reviews (some of which are 1s just because it wasn't as advertised). Going to crush some grains today for a 1 Gallon brew and see how it goes.

 

[kh54s10]

Unfortunately, Amazon let me down a little. It's not a Barley Crusher but a clone that looks very similar. An Evill Twin from The Vintage Shop. Amazon listed it as Barley Crusher with Northern Brewer as the seller, but did some hocus pocus and switched it up. It has very mixed reviews (some of which are 1s just because it wasn't as advertised). Going to crush some grains today for a 1 Gallon brew and see how it goes.

Return it and buy a Cereal Killer from either Adventures in Homebrewing or Austin Homebrew supply. They probably did you a favor, more and more are reporting that the Barley Crusher is junk. There is supposed to be a lifetime warranty, but getting it serviced has been a big problem for most.

 

[balrog]

Return it and buy a Cereal Killer from either Adventures in Homebrewing or Austin Homebrew supply. They probably did you a favor, more and more are reporting that the Barley Crusher is junk. There is supposed to be a lifetime warranty, but getting it serviced has been a big problem for most.

...or get a Corona...

 

[Satokad]

Well, we bottled this today. Don't think we had any major screw-ups, although we forgot to put the sugar mix in the bucket before we started siphoning. Pretty sure we got it mixed in good enough, though. Smelled good, tasted great, and the ABV would seem to load out at 5.5% if I did the calculation right (OG - FG x 131). Going to open a bottle next week and see how it fared. We have two in swing top bottles so if it just needs to be sealed back up and spend another week in the basement, should work out OK.
We ended up 45 12 oz bottles and 2 500ml swing top bottles, so I think we got most of what we were expecting. The FG is right in the range we were given on the instruction sheet.
Can't wait to taste it with carbonation.

 

[kh54s10]

I'm not sure you are right about testing a swing to then sealing it back up if not carbonated. You will have released all the co2 pressure from the headspace.

Also don't count on it being ready in one week. I never try one until week 2. At that time some are fully carbonated and some are not. But, IMO, ALL my beers have tasted better with at least 3 weeks conditioning. Some big beers have taken much longer.

 

[balrog]

You will have released all the co2 pressure from the headspace.

Also don't count on it being ready in one week. I never try one until week 2. At that time some are fully carbonated and some are not. But, IMO, ALL my beers have tasted better with at least 3 weeks conditioning. Some big beers have taken much longer.

@kh54s10 points out very important point. Part of what will carbonate the beer (dissolve CO2 into the liquid) is the temp and headspace pressure of trapped CO2. The priming sugar and yeast produce CO2 that will bubble into headspace, and dissolve back into liquid, some dissolving on the way up to the headspace of course. But if you alter the headspace pressure (releasing CO2 and pressure by opening) then less will dissolve in the liquid and some CO2 will come out of solution by having less pressure.

The mantra for bottle conditioning (@Revvy I think) is 3 weeks. 70 degrees. 3 Weeks. 70 Degrees. 3 WEEKS. 70 DEGREES.

 

[Satokad]

I'm not sure you are right about testing a swing to then sealing it back up if not carbonated. You will have released all the co2 pressure from the headspace.

Also don't count on it being ready in one week. I never try one until week 2. At that time some are fully carbonated and some are not. But, IMO, ALL my beers have tasted better with at least 3 weeks conditioning. Some big beers have taken much longer.

Aaah, didn't even think about that. Well, truth be told, I didn't think about that because I didn't know about that. Thanks.

@kh54s10 points out very important point. Part of what will carbonate the beer (dissolve CO2 into the liquid) is the temp and headspace pressure of trapped CO2. The priming sugar and yeast produce CO2 that will bubble into headspace, and dissolve back into liquid, some dissolving on the way up to the headspace of course. But if you alter the headspace pressure (releasing CO2 and pressure by opening) then less will dissolve in the liquid and some CO2 will come out of solution by having less pressure.

The mantra for bottle conditioning (@Revvy I think) is 3 weeks. 70 degrees. 3 Weeks. 70 Degrees. 3 WEEKS. 70 DEGREES.

For some reason, I'm really starting to feel like I should wait 3 weeks with my bottles at 70 degrees. Not quite sure why.....
The 1 Week was just what the guy at Northern Brewer recommended. Said he did it that way all the time and it always came out fine.
I don't have a problem with waiting.....mostly.
Thanks.

 

[kh54s10]

There is no harm in trying one early. It might not be carbonated and you will have one less beer to drink when they are. I usually test one at two weeks. Most often they are better after three weeks. In the case of Stouts, Porters etc they often are not really great for a couple of months. Bigger beers like Imperial Stouts, Barleywines etc, can take a lot longer, maybe even a year. or so.

 

[balrog]

The wai-ai-ting is the haaaaaaaaardest part.

 

[Satokad]

We put one in the fridge this morning and then opened it up this afternoon. Very excited to hear the fsssst when the cap popped off. Tasted good, very light in body though, and it was a little cloudy. The one in the picture was cloudier because some of the bottom dwellers made it into the glass, but the taste was still good. Put half in the fridge and going to let the other half hang out a little bit longer to see if we can notice a difference between two weeks and three.
Thanks again to everyone for all your help and answers. We consider this a success!

 

[Satokad]

And here is a full bottle pour...

(Pals is a brewery I used to stop at when traveling for work)

 

[Dland]

Reply to post #40:

I don't know, my b crusher seems pretty good. I run it nice and slow with a variable speed Milwaukee corded HD drill. Make sure with feeler gauge on each side of roller that they are parallel and at gap you want. Was using a old Corrona before, what we used in the '90's, efficiency went up at least 10% from mill change. Not saying there are not better roll mills out there though.

 

[4of7]

What's the longest amount of time you've kept the wort in contact with the trub? Would five weeks be too long?

two months

 

[RM-MN]

Can't wait to taste it with carbonation.

I often try my beer before it is ready just to see how it changes over time and usually let it have one week before sampling. Yesterday I had to try something new, sampling a bottle that had only been capped for 2 days. Yes, two days! The beer was lightly carbonated and tasted...OK but there was no head on it at all. I know from previous experimenting with short times that the heading will happen but it definitely takes more than 2 days to happen.