Messages

1051

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I am new to lager

« on: December 14, 2011, 01:25:21 pm »

Thanks Kit!  If you tasted my first few lagers, you would have done the research too!   

1052

All Grain Brewing / Re: Missing strike temp - will my end result be ok?

« on: December 14, 2011, 01:11:59 pm »

For some reason, mostly lack of attention, I keep missing my strike temp.  This time I mashed in at what I thought should be good but I ended up about 10 degrees too cool.  I was shooting for a 155 temp for a steam style that I wanted to have good body.
What I ended up doing was mashing at 145 for about 30 minutes and then adding boiling water (took me a while to get the water up to a boil) and brought it up to 156.  Also, adding all that extra water put me into a no-sparge volume.

So, I ended up with a 30 min mash at 145, a 30 min mash at 155 and no sparge.

What do you think my end result will be like?
Thanks

It's not ruined so RDWAHAHB!  Did you stir it before lautering?  What was your OG and efficiency?  

Steam Beers are my favorite.  I'm on Version 8 now.  They are like pizza and cabernet sauvignon.  When Steam Beers are great, they are AWESOME and when they are maybe not as planned, they are still pretty darn good!

1053

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I am new to lager

« on: December 14, 2011, 09:31:38 am »

Sounds like it is something to think about.  I think I am ok on the cold break.  I will pay attention to it in the future.

Any thoughts on the smell of the lager yeast vs. ale yeast?

It really depends on the strain, but on a whole I have found the smell of lager yeast to be not nearly as yeasty/bready and more sour.

Guys?

Dave

1054

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I am new to lager

« on: December 14, 2011, 09:07:47 am »

Just thought of something else.  If you had a lot of cold break transfer to the fermenter, you may not want to keep it in primary that long as it can produce sulphur.

Never heard that before.  What is the reference?

Agree, Jeff.  Never heard that one before.

Strong:  Brewing Better Beer, Troubleshooting.  Sulphury:  ".........Reduce it's formation during fermentation by increasing yeast nutrients in wort, increasing lipids, increasing aeration, having healthy, active yeast, and removing hot and cold break and trub."

Goldammer:  The Brewer's Handbook, Chapter 12-Wort Cooling and Aeration, Removal of Cold Break.
"After the wort is cooled, the cold break must be removed before fermentation, or else the beer will taste wort-like, bitter, and even harsh. Opinions vary as to whether cold break should be removed at all before transferring the wort to the fermenter.
Traditional lager brewers advocate the removal of cold break prior to fermentation, and some even filter cold worts prior to pitching (14). Lager brewers believe cold break removal aids in colloidal stability in the beer, circumvents the formation of sulfury flavors, and removes harsh bitter fractions derived from hops."

When I started lagering, my first 2-3 really sucked, so I did a LOT of research as to why.  Now, they are pretty darn good!  

1055

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I am new to lager

« on: December 14, 2011, 08:30:53 am »

Just thought of something else.  If you had a lot of cold break transfer to the fermenter, you may not want to keep it in primary that long as it can produce sulphur.

There a good list of off-flavors at www.howtobrew.com and a better one in Brewing Better Beer by Strong with the given recommendations on how to fix them.

1056

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I am new to lager

« on: December 14, 2011, 08:11:19 am »

Put it on CO2, release the pressure and let the CO2 refill to about 10-12 psi.  It clears the headspace and refills with fresh CO2. If you have a lot of acetaldehyde, you can help to reduce it in this way as well as with aging.

1057

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I am new to lager

« on: December 14, 2011, 07:54:54 am »

Thanks for the tip on the barrel.  I'll definitely chase that one down.

Taste your hydrometer sample when you check next for FG or when you keg if you just leave it in primary.  If it tastes like green apples, that's acetaldehyde.  Try purging your keg once a week for a few weeks.  If it tastes like imitation butter, that's the diacetyl.  Let it warm up for a few days again.  If fruity/estery, let it sit and pray.......

Good luck!

Dave

1058

All Grain Brewing / Re: Storing Bulk Grain

« on: December 14, 2011, 07:21:46 am »

I use plain buckets with Gamma Seal lids.
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=24282&catid=686

cheers--
--Michael

How much grain does a 6.5 gallon bucket hold?  20-25 lbs?

1059

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I am new to lager

« on: December 14, 2011, 07:18:38 am »

Just reading through.  I recently pitched a gallon starter (decanted) in to a Winter Ale (1.072) which was bubbling in 4 hours and turned my blow off container brown with Krausen.  If you pitch the correct amount of yeast your lagers can very much look like an ale fermenting.  +1 on higher temps giving shorter lag time.

You would have to leave the yeast on the cake for a looong time for autolysis to start if you used a quality yeast, especially for a lager.  Keep it on the cake and let the yeasties do their thing.  If you produced a lot of esters, your only potential remedy is time.  If you produced acetaldehyde, you can try to blow it out with a couple of swirls or by purging a few times if kegged.  You have probably produced diacetyl.  What yeast did you use?  I would bring it up to 65F for 2-3 days at the end of fermentation.

I haven't used a secondary in several years.  Your best bet is to start kegging!  That's a great secondary.....

Jealous on the whiskey barrel.  Where did you guys buy them?

Dave

1060

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Brewing a Maibock......

« on: December 14, 2011, 07:01:47 am »

I am planning on brewing a Maibock on Monday.  My question....is today too early to make my yeast starter?  My plan is to make the starter today, let it go on the stir plate until Sunday then chill until Monday.  I will decant the wort then pitch the yeast.  Thoughts, ideas or suggestions?

Sounds like a good plan.  +1 in making sure you have a big enough starter.

1061

All Grain Brewing / Re: Storing Bulk Grain

« on: December 13, 2011, 09:17:04 am »

I stored mine in a couple of lowes plastic 5 gallon buckets with lids. $5 each.

No problems with it being airtight?  I like economical.....

1062

All Grain Brewing / Re: Storing Bulk Grain

« on: December 13, 2011, 07:29:57 am »

If you'll wait until right after Christmas, major stores like Target will have great sales on storage bins. It's always when I buy stuff like this. Many times it's 1/2 off.

Good point, Bo.  I'll put a reminder in to check that out after the holidays so I can buy more in bulk! 

I ordered one from Amazon for $31.  It should be here next week and I really want to brew this week so had to buy one......

1063

All Grain Brewing / Re: Storing Bulk Grain

« on: December 13, 2011, 06:56:04 am »

I use Vittle Vaults

http://www.amazon.com/Vittles-Vault-STACKable-40-Stackable/dp/B0002H3S5K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323784260&sr=8-1

Sweet guys!  I have a Petco right around the corner.  Will pick one up today.  Gotta love the forum.....

1064

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: First time using washed yeast/Any contamination worys?

« on: December 13, 2011, 06:54:33 am »

What's your experience with using washed yeast?  Any problems?

My experience is that it produces great beer and saves me money.  However, I follow a fairly rigid aseptic technique.  I autoclave bottles and flasks at work, and if I need something on short notice I use boiling water to sanitize before using.  I work over a strong flame (torch flame) to create an area of uplifting air where bacteria cannot settle.  My washing water has been autoclaved or at least boiled for 15 minutes, then cooled to the same temperature as the yeast before I wash it.  The area where I work is clean and I have sprayed 70% ethanol over the area.  Caps, threads, bottles tops - everything gets hit with ethanol before I transfer. 

Sometimes I just leave the yeast cake in beer and don't worry about washing it.  It is a lot less work and there aren't as many opportunities to contaminate it.  I find that yeast stored in beer stays viable longer than yeast washed 3-4 times then stored away.  I believe this is due to introducing oxygen at multiple times and getting the yeast starting to wake up over and over.  If you transfer from the carboy into a jar and put it in the fridge, then the yeast stay dormant and happy.

Wow, that is definitely a process!  Mine is not as thorough but have not bought yeast this year, and have made good beer, so pretty happy with the results.  I think just like brewing, as long as you are careful and have a sanitized process, you should be fine.

On the worry about it being bad.  If it was bad, one smell would tell you.  If the starter smells healthy, IMHO you are good to go!

1065

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I am new to lager

« on: December 13, 2011, 06:48:15 am »

Denny is of course spot on.  The only thing I would add is to pitch the yeast, after you decant it, in to the wort that is a couple of degrees below your target and let it warm a little.  If you pitch warm and wait to see activity before lowering the temp, you are inviting ester, sulphur and acetaldehyde production.  You will have to lager much longer to clean up the beer.