Messages

46

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Stuck fermentation

« on: October 30, 2011, 06:17:06 PM »

This is the porter:
        lbs    oz
56%   6   0    Munton's Dark LME   34   22   ~
28%   3   0    Briess Dark DME   43   30   ~
9%   1   0    Black Malt   28   550   ~
5%   0   8    Peated Malt   32   3   ~
2%   0   4    Briess Caramel 80L   34   80   ~

mashed the grains at around 160 for 30 minutes

47

Yeast and Fermentation / Stuck fermentation

« on: October 30, 2011, 06:08:20 PM »

I have two batches currently in fermentation, a porter and an Imperial IPA.  Both were brewed on 10-21-11 so they have been fermenting for about 9 days.

Neither batch has dropped to a gravity I was expecting.  The porter began at 1.076 and is now at 1.030.  I had great activity, but now all has seemed to stop.  My fear is that it will be too sweet as I was hoping to finish around 1.020.  I pitched two packets of wyeast london ale when it was at 69 degrees.  It is in the basement and with cooler temperatures at night the wort may fluctuate 3-4 degrees. 

This essentially the same with the imperial ipa, although it has progressed better than the porter.  It started at 1.078 and it is now at 1.024.  with this batch I pitched 2 packets of Wyeast Denny's Favorite 50

Any suggestions?

48

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Does it take longer to force carbonate a higher gravity beer?

« on: October 12, 2011, 10:01:46 AM »

Is this how you always carbonate? Did it sit cold for 3 days or at room temp?
[/quote]

This is how I have carbonated in the past and the keg sat in the fridge for 1 week before I began carbonation
[/quote]

49

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Does it take longer to force carbonate a higher gravity beer?

« on: October 12, 2011, 09:37:08 AM »

I hooked my Co2 to in out line.  To let it bubble its way up.  Then I set the keg on my lap, CO2 still connected, and rolled it on my lap for about 2 minutes, then let it sit about another 3 days, with the Co2 still connected.

50

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Does it take longer to force carbonate a higher gravity beer?

« on: October 12, 2011, 08:26:57 AM »

OG: 1.081
FG: 1.014

51

Kegging and Bottling / Does it take longer to force carbonate a higher gravity beer?

« on: October 12, 2011, 08:19:34 AM »

Does it take longer to force carbonate a higher gravity beer?

I have a Tripel that I force carbonated.  After 4 days, I poured myself a pint and it seemed flat.  I have decided to try additional time for force carbonating to see if it helps.

My fridge is at  40F and I am shooting for the higher carbonation end of the the style and even a little more  (2.5).  I have my Co2 pressure set at about 12-13lbs.

Typically it doesn't take this long, as I am not sitting at 6 days.

Thanks!

52

Beer Recipes / Re: Looking for Duck Rabbit Porter Clone?

« on: September 17, 2011, 12:34:43 PM »

Great idea Drew.  THank you very much.  I'll let you know what they say.

53

Beer Recipes / Looking for Duck Rabbit Porter Clone?

« on: September 17, 2011, 06:32:46 AM »

I'm throwing a benefit fundraiser for a friend of mine whose son Porter was born 12 weeks premature,  It is called have a Porter for Porter.  My buddies favorite porter is Duck Rabbit Porter, so I'm looking for a Duck Rabbit Porter clone with extract and specialty grains.  Does anyone have one or know where to locate one?

54

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Yeast / Fermentation Concerns

« on: August 09, 2011, 04:09:59 AM »

I oxygenated by a vigorous 5 minute cross stir, my typical method. 

... it is now 7am EST (40 hours after pitch) and I just popped the plastic carboy top.  There is some activity, it is just not nearly as vigorous as I'm used to seeing.

We'll wait and see what happens in another few days.  I'll keep you posted.

55

Yeast and Fermentation / Yeast / Fermentation Concerns

« on: August 08, 2011, 05:03:15 PM »

Ok, so I brewed a Tripel yesterday and ended up with an OG 1.085.  When the temp reached 72 degrees I pitched two Wyeast Smack Packs of High Trappist Yeast.   When I pitched, one of the packs was not swelling and discovered I never busted the smack pack inside, so I simply cut the smack pack open and pitched it with the other contents of the pack. I went ahead and added some yeast nutrients to the batch to make sure things would start "going".   It has now been 30 hours since I pitched and I see know signs of fermentation.  Should I be concerned?

56

Yeast and Fermentation / Stuck and Stalled Fermentation-

« on: March 28, 2011, 12:32:02 PM »

I'll try to make this as short and sweet as possible.

Been out of the homebrewing scene for about 8 years and just recently got back into.  The first batch I attempted (since being back) was an Imperial Porter, but not knowing I was making an Imperial Porter.  I basically took the majority of any "older" ingredients I had and was going to make a batch.  Not doing any research on high gravity beers and the types of yeast I should use I pitched a dry yeast at 70 degrees and with an OG of 1.090.  Needless to say everything stalled out at 1.042 and never got it going again after another 30-45 days.  I went ahead and primed it, bottled a six pack, and kegged the rest. 

It has now been aging for for 3 months and I periodically (about once a month) taste a bottle just to see if there is any improvement.  There isn't.  I am just about to the point of dumping the keg because it sucks so bad and doesn't even remotely have a beer taste (way to sweet)

...Finally, here is my question.  Can I take what is primed and kegged, put it back into a fermentation vessel  and add a more powerful liquid yeast strain to try and eat up some of the sugars? 

I'm sure this may result in some "off" flavors,  but if it makes it tolerable and drinkable, it would be better than dumping it.

Any assistance would be wonderful.  My feelings will not be hurt if you tell me to dump it because there is no hope.

57

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Large Variance between Estimated OG and Actual OG

« on: March 14, 2011, 03:58:03 AM »

So before I pitch my yeast I should probably take a least one more gravity reading after a good aeration, correct?  Right now I have a starter going and waiting until full Krausen before pitching

58

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Large Variance between Estimated OG and Actual OG

« on: March 14, 2011, 02:20:14 AM »

Not exactly sure what you mean..  It was a concentrated boil of 2 gallons then added water to make it 5.5 gallons.

59

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Large Variance between Estimated OG and Actual OG

« on: March 13, 2011, 07:58:26 PM »

I brewed an over the top brown ale and input my ingredients into Beersmith.  IT gave me an estimated OG of 1.070 but when I took my reading when it had cooled down to 68 degrees it was 1.083.  What would cause such a large variance?

Here is the ingredient list:
.75 lb Chocolate Malt Grains
.5 LB Caramel Crystal Malt Grains
.06 LB Roasted Barley Grains
1 lb Amber DME
1 lb Light DME
4 lb Unhopped Light LME
3.3 lbs Hopped Light LME
1 lb Dark Brown Sugar
.75 lb CLover Honey
1 oz Nugget Hop Pellets
2 oz Williamette Hop Pellets
1 oz Fuggles Hop Pellets

Any input would be great.  Thanks!

60

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Calculating Bittering Units for your homebrew?

« on: January 24, 2011, 06:41:40 PM »

So you can't fully determine what your IBU's are until you take your OG reading?  You can target the IBU's based on your target OG, correct?