Messages

871

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 24, 2012, 10:02:10 am »

Ah, yes.  The definition of beer is as such.

I have the pulled portion in my lagering fridge at 34F.  Was thinking about using it to wake up some 1056 slurry for my next Pale Ale.  I'm now really curious to see if it keeps fermenting and what the current gravity is after 12 hours.     

872

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 24, 2012, 09:51:06 am »

It's not wort anymore.  It's beer.

It was only 'fermenting' for 12 hours at 52F.  I'll take a gravity reading.  Do you think it's not usable at this point?  Just toss it like Tom said?

873

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 24, 2012, 09:45:41 am »

It's hard to toss good wort......

May end up that way though......

874

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 24, 2012, 09:41:36 am »

There is only about 12-16 oz so I think I'll just use it for a starter in the near future.

875

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 24, 2012, 04:38:38 am »

I'll burp it every hour or so until it gets to 34F and the yeast fall out.  I'll then decant that and use in my next starter.

Personally, I wouldn't. No matter what you do (short of filtration), you'll never get all the yeast out. Then your next starter will no longer be a pure culture.

I suppose you could bring it back up to a boil to pasteurize it, though.

Question now is what to do with the wort I pulled out.  I guess boil it would make the most sense.  I need to water it down a bit anyway as it's at 1.051. 

Dave

876

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 24, 2012, 04:25:46 am »

Pyrite,

Where were you yesterday morning!!   

Well, next time I'll leave her go.  Now, she's krausening and happily percolating away just below the blowoff tube. 

Dave

877

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 23, 2012, 10:36:05 am »

That's one problem with working from home.  You don't get to think things through before you do it.  I should have left well enough alone, but ran downstairs, sanitized a container, decanted the first pull and poured the trub back in to the primary.  It actually filled the headspace to a good level and I'm pretty sure about my sanitation so at this point I'm going to RDWHAHB, well at 5:00PM at least.....

I guess the container will keep fermenting a bit as I got some trub in there.  I'll burp it every hour or so until it gets to 34F and the yeast fall out.  I'll then decant that and use in my next starter.

Man, whenever you think you got this hobby figured out, in comes the curveball......

Dave

878

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 23, 2012, 10:12:55 am »

OK, panic setting in.  Do you think I racked off too much yeast if I sucked it up from the bottom?  I thought it looked like they were in suspension but my gallon jug seems to be fermenting.  I think I'll decant and put back the trub.....

879

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 23, 2012, 10:07:06 am »

I plan to decant off the wort and use as my next starter.

Hadn't you already pitched the yeast?

I did, but most looked to still be in suspension.  If I ended up with some yeast, I'll decant the wort off of it as well.

880

All Grain Brewing / Re: No head!?!?

« on: April 23, 2012, 09:19:35 am »

your whole mash got up to 180? Care to share your recipe and process?

That way we can dig into the issue further

+1.  How long was it at 180?  What kind of beer?  Not having a good boil could have a major effect on DMS in the beer. Please send more details.

881

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 23, 2012, 09:05:09 am »

If you want the best beer possible I would pull some now.

+1. Pull off half a gallon or so and let it ferment in a separate fermenter.

You guys pushed me over the edge on that decision.  I figured it would be fine to let it ride but thought pulling would net the best product.  So I sanitized my siphon, took the cap off the bottom and siphoned off a half gallon of trub-filled wort.  It's in a gallon jug in my lagering fridge.  I plan to decant off the wort and use as my next starter.  Killed two birds with one stone!

Thanks to all, as always!

Dave

882

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 23, 2012, 06:36:53 am »

I would expect a significant amount of yeast to blow out of the carboy but it will make beer. You could have stirred in the yeast and removed a quart or two of wort but it will be okay as-is. Just leave it go and watch the fill level next time around. 

I could give it a swirl now.....it's just starting to foam.

Edit:  Of course I want the best beer possible!

883

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Beer in Gas Line

« on: April 23, 2012, 04:57:51 am »

+1 to RDWHAHB.  Just clean it out when you change your next keg.  If you have extra line, then replace it if you want, but not necessary.

Dave

884

Yeast and Fermentation / Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 23, 2012, 04:56:23 am »

Brewed a Munich Helles this weekend.  I didn't stop the siphon at the right time and filled up my 5G carboy a little too much.  When I added my starter it filled it up right to the neck.  I expect basically all of the Krausen to blow off.

Should I remove some beer to create some headspace?  I'll definitely be removing some yeast as well.  Or just RDWHAHB and let it ride out?  The blow off is in a 2qt pitcher so I'm not particularly worried about a mess.

Dave

885

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Frozen 2112 Slurry

« on: April 21, 2012, 05:50:08 am »

If it was not frozen solid the yeast should be fine.  I'd make another starter with it just to be sure though.

For future reference, if it was frozen solid you'll probably get 99+% die off, but then with billions of cells there will probably be enough to revive if it is a hard to find strain.  If not, just replace it.

To prevent it in the future, put it in a warm spot in the fridge - top shelf, close to or on the door.  You might have had it right next to or under the cold air vent from the freezer.

Thanks Tom!  I'll definitely make a starter before the next Steam Beer.  I took it out and raised it to 68 to let it settle out and put back in.  That's the weird thing though.  It was right next to two other slurrys in the front, bottom of the fridge.  Strange.....

Edit:  However the other two were settled out and this one was in suspension.