quick turn around... force carb for more fermention time?

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ZamaMan

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Hey all. GGot BM centennial blonde in primaries. One with us05 and one with notty. Been fermenting for 11 days and will be searved on day 17 at a party. I started fermentation at 66 and moved up to 68° than to 72 over the last two days. Was curious as to timing of when to cold crash and keg. I bought a plate filter with 7 and 5 micron filters for this batch since i wont have alot of time. I have read that force carbing can leave some bite so wasn't sure if I should start force carbing early to allow it to mellow. How would you guys time the whole transition?
 
I force carbed my last batch of beer. It was my first time out of my 13 or 14 brews so far (previously I always bottle conditioned). I'm happy with the results. I fermented a low gravity mild ale (about 1.040 OG) for only 6 days, cold crashed at 33F for 1 day, then racked to a keg and force carbed. It was very foamy immediately after the process, but still drinkable! After several hours, the beer settled down a bit and it was even better.

If you are already on day 11 and it needs to be ready by 17, I would definitely try force carbing a day or two before the party.

I am not aware of any real difference between this and bottle conditioning, other than bottle conditioning I believe gives the beer longer to age and may give you a better beer in the end? But still, with the time crunch, if you went with bottle conditioning, it might not be very carbonated by the time the party rolls around, thus the reason I recommend force carbing.
 
Check your gravities. As is usually recommended, 3 days without change, it's done. Then look up the threads on forced carbing. I've never noticed a bite with mine. But, also, the last few pulls off the keg are the best. Drinkable on day 17? Sure. Excellent on day 17? Probably not, but cold homebrew out of the tap sure beats just about anything.
 
I tried to check the gravity this morning but wasn't able to get enough for a hydro test but screwed up my starsan so couldn't go back for more. Samplle looker very yeasty.still and tasted yeasty as well. This was rhe nottingham batch. Filter will be here today. Party is Sunday.

My options are keep the temp up longer to help clean uup flavors from fermentation and spend less time cold crashing and force carb it in 36 hours which wouldn't leave room for error.

Or call it cold crash it sooner on day 12(today) for a day or so than filter and Carb sooner so I can have a day or two to make sure carb level is right.
 
I tried to check the gravity this morning but wasn't able to get enough for a hydro test but screwed up my starsan so couldn't go back for more. Samplle looker very yeasty.still and tasted yeasty as well. This was rhe nottingham batch. Filter will be here today. Party is Sunday.

My options are keep the temp up longer to help clean uup flavors from fermentation and spend less time cold crashing and force carb it in 36 hours which wouldn't leave room for error.

Or call it cold crash it sooner on day 12(today) for a day or so than filter and Carb sooner so I can have a day or two to make sure carb level is right.

Nottingham is pretty flocculant, and if there is still a lot of yeast in suspension, it may not be done. In my experience, S05 takes alot longer to clear once it's finished. If you're filtering, you'll want to filter before carbing it up. Since you're in a huge hurry, you could filter, and then force carb at 30 psi at 40 degrees for 36 hours, then reset to 12 psi after that. That should carb up the beer in 4-5 days.
 
Okay I just took gravity readings on both carboys. One the one i think is the us-05 is sitting at 9-9.5 gravity points. Its clearer than the other and taste cleaning very clean and crisp actually. The one i was thinking was notty is sitting at about 1.005ish. I didn't believe it and checked several times even took pictures. Didn't think extract could get down so low but this was a test batch given to me by my lhbs from a extract maker who wanted to start trying to get his below 10 points FG. Looks likehe succeeded. The lower gravity one taste slightly yeasty and slighyly more grainy if thats even a word.

So you think I should filter both of them now? Or just the clearer one? Than give the other one another day?
 
Alright filter didn't make it yesterday since ups guy couldn't find my house. He will be bringing it today. So I will filter and keg tonight when it arrives than start force carbing!
 
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