Topics

1

Yeast and Fermentation / Heffeweizen WLP300 with Briess 2Row brewers malt

« on: May 13, 2013, 12:38:18 PM »

I'd like to brew a German style Heffeweizen and wondered if anyone has experimented with this yeast using 2 row brewers instead of Pils malt? I know the traditional recipes call for pils malt but I have 2 row.
 
Originally I planned to brew 10 gallons and ferment half with S05 and the half with WLP300 but I brewed something else last weekend instead. I think this will still make a nice beer but I'm not sure of the results. I don't use this yeast often and it's been a couple years.

I recall reading in Zymurgy that some compound or protein in Pils malt contributes to the phenols generated  by this strain but I am not sure. I also recall some suggested techniques to enhance the phenolics - underpitch a bit, and ferment it colder at around 62 degrees if possible.

Just looking for some feedback on the above.

Thanks everyone

2

Beer Recipes / Solid Gold

« on: November 13, 2012, 02:04:49 PM »

So I had this tasty brew at Founders the other day called Solid Gold.
Rather my WIFE had a pint of it and I just tasted it because there was no way I was going to drink that when they had their Harvest Ale on tap - wet hopped goodness! Drank what I could and let somebody else drive home.

Anyway, I want to brew something like it but didn't get a chance to chat with any knowledgeable folks at Founders at the time because the place was bombed with people.

So far here's my ideas.

• OG in the low to mid 50's
• Pale malt 2 row or Pils base
• A small amount of Munich like maybe 5% or possibly Vienna
• IBU around 25 maybe 30 using noble hops or perhaps Willamette or NB or Mt Hood
• Neutral ale yeast or lager?
• Water......was thinking of blending my super hard tap with Distilled 1 to 4 ratio respectively
• Mash around 148 to 150 or so

Anyone else care to share their thoughts on a good Gold recipe? What is "Gold" anyway, like a Dortmunder maybe with Ale yeast or a Blonde Ale typically? There is no BJCP description I can find.

TIA!

3

Beer Recipes / IPA late hops additions combos advice

« on: September 13, 2012, 07:09:46 PM »

So I'm interested in experimenting with something different for late hop additions that gives me a more unique IPA. I'm very accustomed to Centennial, Cascade, Chinook, Columbus and the "C" hops. I've used them and my last IPA used them and was also dry hopped with Citra in excess to some extent.

Anyway, my goals are a much more floral and somewhat citrus combo. I have loads of home grown Cascade and Centennial hops. I'd like to blend them with something else in my next brew. Willamette? Anybody use these combined with "C" hops? What about Mt.Hood or Liberty or another hop?

I will be using the home grown hops for dry hop. I'm looking for late kettle, flameout, whirlpool addition advice to get a strong floral flavor and aroma.

TIA!

4

Yeast and Fermentation / WLP002 VS Fermentis Safale S04

« on: August 23, 2012, 08:34:59 PM »

Ok so I know there are detractors of dried yeasts here, but I have good luck with most of Fermentis products and use them a lot with very good results. I'm going to brew a stout that calls for using the WLP002 and wondered about the similarities if any between the two strains for these brands. How interchangeable might they be?

Anyone have first hand knowledge of what the S04 strain is and how it might work or be similar to the White Labs 002 strain? Both are English strains. Both suitable for similar English styles according to the descriptions.

Brewing Saturday and making a starter tomorrow if necessary with the liquid yeast unless somebody can confirm they are the same strain in which case I'll just pickup some S04 and rock that.

Thanks!

5

Yeast and Fermentation / White Labs San Diego Superyeast!

« on: May 23, 2012, 01:27:12 PM »

So a brew buddy of mine has used this yeast a few times and I've liked the beers he's brewed with it. I use S05 quite a bit and I've decided to ditch the dry and give this liquid yeast a shot in an IPA.

Other than the temp requirements and pitching, anybody have feedback for me on this yeast? Like it not like it and why? Seemed pretty clean and neutral to me when I tasted it.

My friend says it ferments like crazy and blows out the solution in the airlock on his bigger beers. I've not used much from White Labs other than the usual 001, and some Belgian strains in the past. I'm talking 5 years ago.

TIA

Steve

6

Ingredients / Gambrinus Honey Malt

« on: May 21, 2012, 05:23:54 PM »

I want to try maybe 4% Gambrinus Honey malt as an addition to an IPA. I've never used this malt but I have a pound of it and the description sounds like it would be a nice contrast to a heavily dry hopped and heavy late addition IPA using C hops.

Please share your thoughts and opinions if you've used this malt.

Thanks!

7

Pimp My System / New Brewstand being built

« on: May 04, 2012, 05:08:10 PM »

OK so this won't feature polished anything but it will be a metal stand using 16 gauge 7/8 square steel tubing and some spray paint. I'm replacing my wooden all gravity stand and building this unit with one raised shelf for the Mashtun cooler and the other two with burners on the same plane. There will be some use of diamond plate aluminum for shelving and other surfaces. This will be a NO weld assembly. Instead I had some five inch triangular gussets made at the local metal shop. I'll be riveting them in the corners using silicone adhesive for strength. Pics on the way but for now all I have is tube steel and the gussets along with a design.

8

Yeast and Fermentation / Lalleman Go Ferm

« on: April 18, 2012, 10:46:01 AM »

This is an issue of encountering Diacetyl when using Go Ferm from Lallemand.

GO-FERM®
Lallemand’s collaboration with the INRA in Montpellier and other institutes throughout the world confirmed the critical role of yeast micronutrients, but more importantly, it identified the most effective way to ensure that these micronutrients benefit the selected yeast.

The result of this research was the development of GO-FERM®, a natural yeast nutrient to avoid sluggish and stuck fermentations. GO-FERM® is specific inactive yeast produced through a unique yeast biomass process fine-tuned to obtain high levels of certain essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids required for healthy yeast fermentations.

The GO-FERM® approach is to provide bioavailable micronutrients in the non-stressful environment of the yeast rehydration water instead of the traditional method of adding micronutrients to the must. During rehydration, the yeast acts like a sponge, soaking up GO-FERM®’s bioavailable nutrients. This direct contact between GO-FERM® and the yeast in the absence of the must matrix avoids chelation of key minerals by inorganic anions, organic acids, polyphenols and polysaccharides present in the must. It also prevents essential vitamins from being rapidly taken up by the competitive wild microflora or inactivated by SO2. By making key minerals and vitamins available to the selected yeast at the critical beginning of its stressful task, the yeast’s viability increases and fermentations finish stronger.

The use of GO-FERM® results in significantly better overall health of yeast cells through-out the fermentation, affecting fermentation kinetics and resulting in a cleaner aromatic profile.


So I use dried yeast almost every time I brew. I really like the products from Fermentis, Safale S05 in particular.

I purchased the book "Yeast" by Chris White and I forget the other contributor, but anyway in the book he mentions trying a product called Go Ferm from Lallemand. This is a yeast nutrient designed to be added to the rehydration water for dried yeast. I always rehydrate my yeast. This product is supposed to supply critical nutrients to the yeast during the rehydration phase and improve fermentation, attenuation, and beer flavor.

My first use of this product was with a Lager and it ended up with MAJOR diacetyl. Primary ferment was 10 days at 52 and I raised it to 56 on day 11, 58 on day 12. Fermentation really took off and then the beer cleared within about a week of that. I made the mistake of not taking a gravity reading or tasting it until I racked it at 18 days to keg. After a few days at 6 psi I took a taste test and was overwhelmed with slick butter. I let it age for 6 weeks at low pressure, occasionally venting it and letting it sit for days then, tasting it regularly and it improved gradually but was eventually dumped after 6 weeks.

Shortly thereafter I used it with S05 but I used less this time. Rather than adding a tablespoon, I added a half teaspoon.
Result was a slow take-off ( slower than I'm used to seeing ) sluggish ferment at 65 degrees but eventually it completed at 14 days primary. I racked to keg and again noticed diacetyl. Not nearly as strong but it's there. I can drink the beer, but it's quite noticeable. I've NEVER had diacetyl with S05 and I've brewed dozens of batches with it.

Next batch was again with S05 but I didn't add any Go-Ferm to the rehydration water. No diacetyl in the beer. It tastes great and is on tap now.

Last weekend I brewed a Lager once again using Saflager W34/70 and this time I skipped the Go Ferm. I am really looking forward to the results but don't have anything to report yet. I can say at day three it's much more active than the previous batch which used the Go-Ferm in rehydration water but without any gravity readings to compare, I can only provide subjective data.

So does anyone else here have experience with this product and beer yeasts? I understand this is generally used for Meads and Wines, not beer yeast. I emailed Fermentis to ask about any nutrient they may already be adding to their dried yeast and what their thoughts are on Go Ferm, but I've not received a reply.

I might just start adding this to the boil instead and use it up as a kettle nutrient. It's that, or compost it I guess.

TIA

9

All Grain Brewing / Melanoidin Malt - I added too much?

« on: April 16, 2012, 07:39:38 AM »

So last weekend I brewed 10 gallons Helles with a buddy of mine. My first 10 gallon batch using my Keggle. We split it into two carboys for separate fermentation.

Anyway, I basically followed the recipe in "Brewing Classic Styles" which calls for 1.051 OG, Pilsner malt base, and a small addition of Munich as well as Melanoidin malt. I had all the grains together with the exception of the Melanoidin malt because I didn't have any, or so I thought.

His recipe was for 5.5 gallons and he calls for .25lbs Melanoidin. I found a pound of Weyerman Melanoidin in my grain storage bin and decided to add it.

I mistakenly threw in the whole pound, thinking his addition was spec'd at .5lb for 5.5 gallons. Keeping in mind this is in a grist for 11 gallons using 20lbs Pils malt and 1.5lbs Munich. A small percentage but still....

The wort looked pretty reddish gold!

Any thoughts on how this will end up?
I've not used this malt very often and last time it was in a Red beer so.....

TIA

I've