Open Fermentation Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout

[flabyboy]

Thinking about making Austin Homebrew Supply clone of Sam Smiths Oatmeal Stout. I know the brewery uses open fermentation with their beers and I was thinking if doing the same. Anybody on here have any experience with this? I was originally going to use the Irish Ale yeast, but may use the British Ale yeast because it apparently forms a nice firm Krausen. Any thoughts on using a British yeast in a stout instead of the Irish Ale? Would you use Wyeast British I or II?

 

[GodsStepBrother]

I have never done an open fermentation but here is a video with some basic guidelines.

http://www.brewingtv.com/episodes/2010/5/17/brewing-tv-episode-4-open-fermentation.html

 

[squirrelly]

Open fermentation can be really cool, and if you are geeky and nerdy like me, it is fascinating to plate the microbes that get in there and go to work. Typically open fermentation in Belgian styles to introduce wild yeasts such as lactobacillus to add a complex souring agent to the finished product. I'm not sure how this might turn out in a stout which is supposed to be clean and malty with good mouthfeel; it sounds like a fun experiment though. Everything I've read on the subject showed that most breweries who do this will usually openly ferment for two or three days then pitch their "house" yeast to clean up the mess. A prolonged aging process is done to let the beer mellow out afterward or it will be overwhelmingly sour. As far as the yeast goes, it really depends on the style you are shooting for. The English yeast will produce more phenols and mouthfeel not attenuating as much leaving more residual sweetness whereas the Irish yeast should finish cleaner. I'm really interested to learn how this turns out. There is a good book on the subject called "wild brews."

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[flabyboy]

thanks you guys. I know the belgians do open fermentation as a common practice. Not looking for sour, but am looking for some extra esters and slight fruitiness. Tadcaster Brewery does their stouts in an open vessel. that is why I plan on doing this. I want as close a clone as possible. I plan on pitching London Ale III yeast and when it takes off, take off the lid and put some sort of large sanitized strainer over the top to keep the flies out. Then put the lid back on after a day or 2

 

[squirrelly]

If it's fruity esters you are trying to achieve I would say don't fret over the open fermentation, but rather raise the temp of primary fermentation up to around 72*. The yeast you have chosen does really well in the low 60s, and finishes very clean at that temp. If you raise the temp, then the yeast finishes quicker and produces those esters you desire without running the risk of contaminating your beer.

[email protected]. on tap: homemade sarsaparilla and easy virtue blonde. primary: heffewitzen, blow your top steam. conditioning: fruity monk Belgian wit