CSI - CandiSyrup
Well-Known Member
Brewed this on Saturday missed my starting gravity ended up with 1.088 or 1.089? Not too bad didnt boil of 1/4 gallon for whatever reason.
Pitched yeast at 5:00pm at 64 degrees it actually had krousen 5 hours after pitch. Today its at 68 will raise to 80 by the end of the week.
Worried that its fermenting to fast and wont have much character
Everything sounds good.
Controlling the temp rise on a healthy pitch will keep the approach to FG on target and keep fusels to a minimum. Most of the esters produced in the Westy 12 are done so after high krausen. A slow rise to 80F, (ramping if possible), will help to round out the profile. Higher temps speed up the nutrient uptake and metabolism in yeast but it also speeds the life-death cycle of the yeast. This increases the risk of fusels, a palate-dominant juicy-fruit profile, and to a smaller extent autolysis. We try to avoid the juicy-fruit-dominant profile by controlling the temp. A great W12 clone will have a slight spice, a tiny hint of yeast funk, toasted bread, fresh 'and' dried stone fruits, (plum-prune), with a mild finish of toffee-anise from the candi syrup at the end. After aging the Westy 12 clone should be balanced and drinkable.
The monks at St. Sixtus control the temp rise on the Westvleteren 12 using cold water and a hose on the fermenter!