Random Brewing Thoughts

[coldcrash1]

People who think champagne yeast can ferment complex sugars should see the carb level on this stout I bottled at 1.050 with champagne yeast 2 years ago. Still 2 volumes.

Welcome back, Gabe

I was thinking pics would make this post better, then I consulted your avatar.

 

[Snarf1]

How is it?

Not overcarbonated.

 

[Ol_Johnny_Skippelwicky]

My dad and I make spontaneously fermented cider every couple years from his apple trees. He always adds the fresh juice into the same fermenter with the remainder of the previous batch, never racks to secondary or drains and cleans the container between batches. The cider is good but has vague bacony flavors that I've read can be attributed to sitting too long on dead yeast.

He likes it as is and won't listen to me anyway, but I'm curious what your thoughts are on this practice.

 

[Vogt52]

Local brewery is selling wort tomorrow. The theme is high mash temp and long chain sugars. Og 1060, SRM 6, 30IBU (magnum and tettnanger), mash temp 160, and base malt is 6 row. Any suggestions on what to ferment with/create with this base wort? Was thinking about some sort of holiday ale

 

[Phischy1]

My dad and I make spontaneously fermented cider every couple years from his apple trees. He always adds the fresh juice into the same fermenter with the remainder of the previous batch, never racks to secondary or drains and cleans the container between batches. The cider is good but has vague bacony flavors that I've read can be attributed to sitting too long on dead yeast.

He likes it as is and won't listen to me anyway, but I'm curious what your thoughts are on this practice.

Gross. And yes, if it is savory/bacon/meaty it's probably due to dead yeast/autolysis.

 

[Ol_Johnny_Skippelwicky]

Gross. And yes, if it is savory/bacon/meaty it's probably due to dead yeast/autolysis.

Agreed, I think it's gross too. I've taken the raw apple juice and fermented it at home with a much better outcome, but again, he doesn't care. I just wanted to understand more about the potential off-flavors. Thanks!

 

[Vogt52]

Local brewery is selling wort tomorrow. The theme is high mash temp and long chain sugars. Og 1060, SRM 6, 30IBU (magnum and tettnanger), mash temp 160, and base malt is 6 row. Any suggestions on what to ferment with/create with this base wort? Was thinking about some sort of holiday ale

Was pondering WLP 644 and a wine yeast. Anyone ever ferment wort with wine yeast?

 

[JCastle1]

Local brewery is selling wort tomorrow. The theme is high mash temp and long chain sugars. Og 1060, SRM 6, 30IBU (magnum and tettnanger), mash temp 160, and base malt is 6 row. Any suggestions on what to ferment with/create with this base wort? Was thinking about some sort of holiday ale

I'd either make a lager (WLP830) or ferment with WLP644 + Brett.

 

[Vogt52]

I'd either make a lager (WLP830) or ferment with WLP644 + Brett.

Anything else you can pair with 644? Not the biggest Brett fan.

Would 830 ferment after such a high mash temp?

 

[JCastle1]

Anything else you can pair with 644? Not the biggest Brett fan.

Would 830 ferment after such a high mash temp?

My suggestion for the lager was based mostly on the hops used. Lagunitas mashes their IPA high like that so I believe WLP830 should be able to ferment most of it, especially with the 6-row. In theory your beer will finish with a slightly fuller body, I can see that wort working well as a slightly robust pilsner, maybe even working well with some subtle dry hops. WLP644 might work well by itself too, maybe you can dry hop it and make a tropical IPA. Some Belgian Abbey Ale might also work well but I've never brewed many Belgian styles so I can't make more specific suggestions.

 

[Vogt52]

My suggestion for the lager was based mostly on the hops used. Lagunitas mashes their IPA high like that so I believe WLP830 should be able to ferment most of it, especially with the 6-row. In theory your beer will finish with a slightly fuller body, I can see that wort working well as a slightly robust pilsner, maybe even working well with some subtle dry hops. WLP644 might work well by itself too, maybe you can dry hop it and make a tropical IPA. Some Belgian Abbey Ale might also work well but I've never brewed many Belgian styles so I can't make more specific suggestions.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[MooseLang]

Haven't brewed since August, so hoping to get back on the horse this month. Just ordered ingredients for a German Pils. This is what I'm thinking:

10lbs Avangard Pils (only decent Pils malt my LHBS had)
0.25lbs Acid Malt
0.125 Melanoidin

1.25oz Hallertau 60min
1.0oz Hallertau 30min
1oz Saaz 15 min
1oz Saaz 5 min

WLP 830 (wanted to try 833, but not available)

Water (ppm): Ca- 53, Mg- 1, SO4- 72, Cl- 45

.2 ml/gal of Lactic acid to get pH in range. Didn't want to use 8oz of Acid Malt.


Still up in the air as to whether or not I'm going to do a single infusion mash or what. Kicking around the idea of doing a step mash, but that's a pain in the ass. Also thinking of pulling a decoction to go from Sacch Rest to Mash Out temp, but also a pain in the ass. If anyone has any particular technique that they prefer, I'm all ears.

My past three lagers have all stalled at 1.018-1.020. No idea why, but it's really pissing me off. None have drank too sweet, but each could've been a little more "crisp."

First was a Helles, then a Maerzen, and now this Pils I quoted above. I've been doing the Brulosophy method of fermenting at 66 degrees, so may try going back to traditional lager temps.

The Helles and Maerzen were very "meh." This Pils tastes really damn good based on room temp samples. Was thinking about tossing in some S-05 or something, but will probably just roll with it, despite the fact that it appears to have finished at 1.018. Session German Pils?

 

[JCastle1]

My past three lagers have all stalled at 1.018-1.020. No idea why, but it's really pissing me off. None have drank too sweet, but each could've been a little more "crisp."

First was a Helles, then a Maerzen, and now this Pils I quoted above. I've been doing the Brulosophy method of fermenting at 66 degrees, so may try going back to traditional lager temps.

The Helles and Maerzen were very "meh." This Pils tastes really damn good based on room temp samples. Was thinking about tossing in some S-05 or something, but will probably just roll with it, despite the fact that it appears to have finished at 1.018. Session German Pils?

My first thought: either not enough zinc, not enough oxygen, or not enough yeast cells.

 

[MooseLang]

My first thought: either not enough zinc, not enough oxygen, or not enough yeast cells.

Not enough oxygen has certainly crossed my mind. I am lazy af when it comes to aerating the wort. I have been for however many years I've been brewing, and I never have problems hitting my desired FG. Maybe I need to try a bit harder with lagers.

The Helles and Maerzen had dry yeast, and I built up a big starter for this Lager, so I don't think it's the yeast cell count.

I'm going to try this recipe again next month, only this time will do at lager temps and also try not to be lazy when it comes time for wort aeration. Fingers crossed.

 

[JCastle1]

The Helles and Maerzen had dry yeast

Those dry yeast cell counts are not enough for a lager, I'd make a starter next time as well as the oxygenation.

 

[reverseapachemaster1]

Definitely sounds like a low pitch count issue

 

[MooseLang]

Those dry yeast cell counts are not enough for a lager, I'd make a starter next time as well as the oxygenation.

Definitely sounds like a low pitch count issue

I guess I just assumed that they would be enough, given the fact that they were warm-fermented.

Also, as I said before, I'm a lazy ass brewer...

 

[Beerontwowheels]

ISO: Bigger ferm chamber

Picked up a 60L speidel today only to learn it was about an inch too wide to fit. Checked my keezer as an option, still too wide.

Going to be interesting finding space for 12 gallons of RIS to ferment at the same time. Garage is basically cold enough to do that, but I don't like leaving sshit up to the weather.

 

[Snarf1]

All together now kids: you don't need to aerate wort if you're using dry yeast.

Sterols. Sterols sterols sterols.

 

[JCastle1]

Brewing a pale wheat ale right now, what combo sounds better:
Mandarina Bavaria/Amarillo
Amarillo/Citra

Grist is 50/50 2-row and white wheat with just a light touch of Caramel vienne. Bittering with Magnum.

 

[doobiegoobie]

Brewing a pale wheat ale right now, what combo sounds better:
Mandarina Bavaria/Amarillo
Amarillo/Citra

Grist is 50/50 2-row and white wheat with just a light touch of Caramel vienne. Bittering with Magnum.

I used to work at a homebrew shop and put together an amarillo/citra wheat ale and ppl ****** loved it. Really nice hop combo

 

[YungCoolship]

Local brewery is selling wort tomorrow. The theme is high mash temp and long chain sugars. Og 1060, SRM 6, 30IBU (magnum and tettnanger), mash temp 160, and base malt is 6 row. Any suggestions on what to ferment with/create with this base wort? Was thinking about some sort of holiday ale

Hit it with some Kviek!

 

[anteater1]

Brewing a pale wheat ale right now, what combo sounds better:
Mandarina Bavaria/Amarillo
Amarillo/Citra

Grist is 50/50 2-row and white wheat with just a light touch of Caramel vienne. Bittering with Magnum.

Amarillo Citra is a home run in a wheat, that's what is in Fortunate Islands (heavier on the Citra though).

 

[JCastle1]

Went with Amarillo/Citra, wort smells fantastic. I was gonna rebrew it tomorrow with Mandarina Bavaria but my sparge arm and wort chiller are both broken and I only realized until I was in the middle of brewing . Gonna have to wait to get it running on the pilot system.

 

[jivex5k1]

Looks like house sour culture from the yeast bay is back in stock. I've used it three times with great results on a very basic dry malt extract recipe with minimal hops. To be fair I also threw in a local mixed culture but I believe it was mostly ecy dirty dozen with pedio added.

Either way the house sour was the majority of the pitches, I'd recommend trying it out if you are into that sort of thing.

https://www.theyeastbay.com/beta-release-cultures/tyb-house-sour-blend

 

[Ziggy]

Anyone have any luck with using bavarian ale yeast, or london ale yeast in a cider?

 

[reverseapachemaster1]

Anyone have any luck with using bavarian ale yeast, or london ale yeast in a cider?

Not these in particular but I always used European ale or English ale strains for cider with success.

 

[TripleSixHoppia]

We're starting an MTF podcast. More science and less dick and fart jokes. First guest is Richard Preiss of Escarpment Laboratories.

https://www.milkthefunk.live/podcast/

 

[Vogt52]

Anyone successfully brew an IPL/hoppy lager that would care to share some insight?

 

[JCastle1]

Anyone successfully brew an IPL/hoppy lager that would care to share some insight?

The one I made was basically 99% IPA but fermented cold. Use a Bavarian lager strain (as opposed to Czech). Dry hop only about a week max before bottling/kegging and your hop flavor should be there (very light dry hopping compared to an ale though, since the clean and dry fermentation should help in making the hops shine). I can look up exact details but it was pretty much a basic IPA grain bill, a bunch of pale malt, Munich, touch of Crystal and touch of wheat. Fermentation was like a basic pilsner, initially at 10-12°C, then moved to a diacetyl rest, and then dropped to 2-4°C.