US-05 at room temp. Meh let's see what happens!

[jwalk4]

So since the birth of my first born 6 weeks ago, there's been no time to brew. Big surprise there, right? Wrong!

The real surprise came when my fiance said to me on Sunday morning, "Why don't you take some time to make beer today?"

Hell yes!

So I decided to try my first 10 gallon batch seeing as I may not get this opportunity again any time soon. The only problem being that I only have 1 FV with temp control, save for rigging up some kind of swamp cooler. So I pulled out my old fermenting bucket and decided to brew a real easy drinking pale ale, a sure-fire crowd pleaser.

Brewday went off without a hitch, had a pretty good day really. The only anomaly was that I overshot my boil off rate and ended up with an extra gallon of wort at the end. I was shooting for 11 gallons so I could package 10, and I ended up transferring 12 gallons. I transferred 5.5 gallons to the BrewBucket (SS one), and 6.5ish gallons to the other BrewBucket (plastic one )

I took a gravity reading post boil and it measured 1.048 at room temp, a little lower than the gravity I was expecting, but that must be due to the lesser boil off.

Lastly, I updated my recipe on Brew Mate, and posted it below so you can see the updated numbers.

I chose US-05 for the yeast because I brew with dry yeasts exclusively and it supposedly does well at higher temps.


Okay, so below is Fermentation Corners. I'll be fermenting the SS BrewBucket one at 65F, my preferred temp for US-05, and will let it free rise to room temp at the end of apparent primary phase (when my air lock slows to 1-2 bleps every 20 seconds or so.

The plastic bucket will ferment at what ever temp it happens to reach. Currently it is 68F-69F ambient in my basement. I have no expectations, we'll just see what happens!

Throughout the week, I'll take some pics and some readings and I'll post them whenever I get around to it, to share the experience with everyone who's interested. Unfortunately, I can't share the beer via blind triangle test ala' Brulosophy. Hell, I don't think I know 10 people who brew anymore. Therefore, for the tastings and results, you'll just have to take me at my word.

Cheers you all! Happy brewing!

 

[Morrey]

Most importantly congrats on the birth of your son who we'll consider a potential brewer following in his dad's footsteps!

I voted in a recent HBT poll that asked what yeast would you choose if only one existed and I picked US-05. So did many other HBT members as it seems 05 is a very popular strain based on it's versatility and forgiving temp range. When all is said and done between the two fermenters at different temps (but they are so close as you indicated), I'll bet you may find it difficult to tell the difference. With the constraints you are dealing with, 05 is the yeast I'd want on my side.

BTW, maybe your son needs a BrewBucket SS for Christmas just to head him in the right direction. Two brew buckets fixes all your problems!

That recipe has a good looking hop bill. I love Amarillo hops and am dry hopping a Gumball Head hoppy wheat with 2 oz of Amarillo as we speak.

 

[flars]

I would not expect more than a 3°F temperature rise over your ambient with moderate gravity worts like you have and using US-05. You should be good.

 

[BeerAddikt]

I've had US-05 batches that fermented at 68-70 (unintentionally) with zero off flavors. It's as close to a sure thing as you can get yeast wise. And Congratulations on the birth of your child! My wife is due with our second child on May 12, two days before my birthday, so I'm preparing for my own brewing hiatus by making sure the pipeline runs deep!

 

[jwalk4]

Pretty much at 48 hours post-pitch now and fermentation has taken off beautifully on both beers. Airlock are chugging away with blebs every second, on the second.

Judging on the krausen I see on the bucket beer (about .75"), I can tell that we're well into primary phase, and likely generating a little heat to add to the ambient temperature in the basement (68F-69F).

How much heat? See for yourself!

Actually, the temp continued to rise to 73.4F. Other beer is still 65F.

I have an extra thermowell and, after a sanitation bath in starsan, I replaced my air lock with it for a few minutes.

If I have a few minutes, I'll try and do another reading tomorrow if the fermentation picks up further.

Cheers all!

EDIT: oh and it smelled like malty, flat beer. I'll have to do a dry hop, I think.

Suggestions? Include variety, amount and timing, please.

 

[jwalk4]

***UPDATE***

So my beers have finished fermenting and I have taken some more shots. The beer is 14 days old today.

***temp control batch ***

As you can see the temp controlled batch finished pretty low for US-05. Actually both batches dropped pretty low. However, the beer has a pretty full mouthfeel as a result of the 30% Carafoam.

I ended up dry hopping for 5 days with Centennial. The hop aroma is really good, a little soft malt backbone. I think it'll get better as carbonation really absorbs into the beer. This is the beer I am currently drinking.

***Uncontrolled temp batch***

As you can see, the other batch that was left to ferment at ambient temperature. It finished at 1 point higher than the other beer.

I'm not as familiar with this beer, because I'm drinking the other one. However, I will say the hop aroma is a little lessened on this one.

I'll switch over the keg in a few days and do a full review on both.

 

[Stillraining]

Great pictures, great write up...Id expect great beer out of them both. And as always even with Marshall's tests some would/will prefer one over the other. All will have their reason as to why. No two palate's were created equal.

 

[Chrispy92]

Subbed..... Curious how the other one compares

 

[VagueSkunk]

Curious as to the results of this experiment. My experience with US05 has been, shall we say, less than favorable but I want to give it another try.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Curious as to the results of this experiment. My experience with US05 has been, shall we say, less than favorable but I want to give it another try.

Did you open the package before you put it in the wort? That's the only thing I can think of that would make this yeast fail.

 

[VagueSkunk]

Did you open the package before you put it in the wort? That's the only thing I can think of that would make this yeast fail.

Nope, all prior usages were from unopened, refrigerated packs. Got a lot of odd off-flavors. Really buttery one time, other times were very cidery for lack of a better term.
I've got a few more packs in the fridge and I'll definitely be giving it another shot, but my last few tries have made me a bit gun shy when it comes to this yeast.

 

[eric19312]

Nice post! Congrats on the baby and on finding time for a brewday!
I generally brew with US05 at 68 and then bump the temp to 70-72 once krausen falls. Will be interested to hear about your results in the beer that got to 74.
A little curious that the temp controlled beer attenuated slightly more. I would have guessed the opposite.
Keep up the good work looking forward to reading further.

 

[jwalk4]

***Non-temp control on Left / Temp controlled Beer on Right***

So here's my impression of my beers after my little experiment. Do keep in mind though, I'm not a BJCP beer judge, and this taste comparison is based only on my interpretation and palate.

However, in order to not keep anyone in suspense, I will say briefly that the beers did turn out a little bit different than expected!

Despite the even split in the batch, and carbonating at the same temp and pressure via my split gas manifold, the biggest difference in the two beers is in the mouthfeel. The warm batch feels a little thinner (more water-y, slick, and maybe a little less carbonated) which is strange given that it was 1 point higher than the temp-controlled batch (1.007 > 1.006). I double checked my hydrometer, and can certify that it is calibrated. It isn't a huge difference though, but the temp controlled batch just feels a little fuller.

One thought that I had regarding the slicker mouthfeel that the warm fermented batch had that the temp-control batch didn't might be the type of alcohol that the yeast produced. Although this beer was only 1.048 OG, and although the temp only climbed to 74-75F, the yeast may have produced some fusels, or some esters that are undetectable to the taste buds, but are perceptible in mouthfeel.

Aside from the slight mouthfeel difference, the recipe is pretty solid. The hop aroma and flavor is prominent, and despite the average OG, the malt flavor comes through to support the taste of Centennial hop (I attribute this malt impact to my no-sparge method). Us-05 has dropped pretty clear after a week in the kegerator, and is clean in both beers (meaning no yeast driven off flavors).

In the future, I'll brew this same recipe but I'll back off the bittering hops a bit. The beer has quite a bite at the front which comes across as a little salty or briny. But the citrus hop flavor comes through just enough to make it a very pleasurable effect.

Ultimately, I would say that I wouldn't hesitate to ferment US-05 at 68F ambient (~75F beer temp) on a mid gravity beer again.

Cheers all!

 

[mainbutter]

I ferment most of my batches with us05 specifically because I've had good luck with higher temps - thanks internet for that advice! No basement and sharing a small living space in DC with the SWMBO and a female roommate means I am not allowed to have an opinion on the thermostat. So far everything has been great except recent carbonation issues.

Good luck, can't wait to hear how it turns out as temp control is a worry of mine.

 

[Soulshine2]

Congrats on the birth. Also congrats that the wife said you should take the time to make beer. Shes a keeper for sure. I used US-05 in my first brews (sub'd in a Mr Beer kit) but from what I have read and been told it is a rock star of a yeast . I'd keep it handy for future brews.

 

[jwalk4]

****Updated****

See post #13

 

[SlitheryDee]

This was a very interesting thread. You rarely see anyone with the equipment and inclination to do a side-by-side comparison like this.

I kinda got lucky with us-05. I ordered a few packs of it before I really knew one yeast from the next, just going off of the reviews it got. Turns out its probably the best choice for my non temperature-controlled setup. If my early brews with it are any indication, it's going to serve me pretty well.