Messages

1

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: blonde ale with US-05 tasting like Hefe

« on: June 14, 2013, 11:57:30 am »

I have seen Chico strain mutate like this a few times. Hazy and rubbery yeast aroma. Time to buy a new packet of us-05. Don't break the bank.

That sounds accurate. That was the last of it anyways. I have used US-05 so much now that I want to experiment with some other yeasts a bit more.

S-04 is my new yeast for now. I haven't been impressed after reading descriptions about how well this yeast drops out. My summer ale on tap has yeast floating all over the place after cold conditioning for a couple of weeks....

2

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: blonde ale with US-05 tasting like Hefe

« on: June 13, 2013, 02:42:36 pm »

I am pretty sure I always stress my yeasties out 

No starter. I guess that explains it. I always underpitch without negative results such as this. I even used a lot more than normally would so I assumed that wouldn't be the culprit. I guess ignorance has been bliss up to this point....haha. Trust me, I understand that I don't follow accepted practices...

Somehow my buddy gets away with using one vial of yeast for 10 gallon batches without any issues...never understood it. I probably use twice as much yeast for half as much beer compared to him.

Thanks guys! Should have occurred to me sooner. Stressed US-05 = Hefeweizen

3

Yeast and Fermentation / blonde ale with US-05 tasting like Hefe

« on: June 13, 2013, 12:44:48 pm »

Very strange. I have a mason jar of harvested US-05 yeast that I use over time. I brewed the same batch that I used the same slurry with previously. It had been in the mason jar for a few months so I pitched about 1 cup. After 2 weeks in secondary, the beer has not cleared at all and has a very yeasty smell. I kegged today to take a sample and it was one point above the previous batch. It seriously has the characteristics of a hefeweizen. It doesn't have off-flavors per say but I guess off-flavors for this strain. Any ideas? Could it be an infection?

I assume that most will ask about temperature. I believe that I did pitch high and it cooled down over the next few days. Pitch temp was probably above 70 and ambient room temp was 62. I have used US-05 well into the 70s before with no effects like this.

4

Beer Recipes / Re: Imperial (Mexican) Stout Recipe Critique

« on: June 12, 2013, 08:14:42 am »

Not sure if you are interested but you could reach out to Copper Kettle Brewing company in Aurora, CO for some ideas. Their Mexican Chocolate Stout is amazing

2011 GOLD MEDAL WINNER AT GREAT AMERICAN BEER FEST - HERB AND SPICE CATEGORY

A RICH BLACK ALE WITH DARK ROASTED MALT FLAVORS BLENDED WITH BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE, OUR OWN BLEND OF THREE MEXICAN CHILI PEPPERS AND CINNAMON. INSPIRED BY A 500 YEAR OLD AZTEC RECIPE FOR MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE.

5

Ingredients / Re: Simcoe and Columbus?

« on: June 06, 2013, 08:00:38 am »

Thanks guys. Simcoe is one of my favorite hops but I have had mixed feelings about Columbus. I am trying to redeem myself by reworking a recipe that I did for an all columbus wheat. I thought I was being reasonably conservative with hop amounts but went way overboard apparently. It's been in the keg for a couple of months now and is just starting to mellow a bit. I learned that I definitely don't like columbus by itself for bittering, flavor, and aroma.

If I redo this recipe I will probably throw in some simcoe and possibly something more mild and really cut a lot of the hops back..

Maybe I should just do an APA...I can never try anything normal.

6

Ingredients / Simcoe and Columbus?

« on: June 05, 2013, 04:56:06 pm »

Is this a decent combo?

Not sure what I will be brewing but I am thinking about something lighter with light bitterness but moderate hop flavor and aroma. Should I consider using something more mild and low alpha instead of both of these together?

7

Beer Recipes / Re: suggestions - summer ale?

« on: May 29, 2013, 08:52:59 pm »

Just took a hydrometer sample and it is at 1.007 which is 82.8% attenuation. It has better than expected aroma considering I did not dry hop. The taste is watery, thin, with a strange mouthfeel. I have noticed this before when brewing with oats so I think it will come together with some time.

What worries me is a slight sour taste. I am wondering if I might have an infection. I hope not but I will know in a couple of weeks I guess. Probably gonna keg in a couple of days.

8

Beer Recipes / Re: IPA for Pig Roast

« on: May 29, 2013, 02:20:57 pm »

So is "Centennial Type" a hop blend? I have heard about a Columbus/Cascade mix to create something similar.

9

Beer Recipes / Re: kolsch grain bill

« on: May 29, 2013, 12:13:57 pm »

Thanks for the yeast info. I get confused when the yeast sites say that you can use certain yeasts for a particular style when that is not the case. For Kolsch, Wyeast recommends 2565, 1007, or 1010

10

Beer Recipes / Re: kolsch grain bill

« on: May 29, 2013, 11:21:10 am »

You can go as simple as all pils. If you want it to taste like a kolch, use a kolsch yeast (the German ale is an Alt yeast, doesn't have the kolsch tastes). Don't use American "C" hops unless you want it to taste like a blonde or pale ale. "Noble type" hops like Mt. hood or crystal or sterling, etc. will be fine (though mittlefrue is best).

Got ya. Yeah I guess if I was to use American hops then it just becomes a blonde ale even with the Kolsch yeast. I don't really stick to many guidelines so I see the issue...

11

Beer Recipes / Re: kolsch grain bill

« on: May 29, 2013, 10:52:51 am »

That grain bill is fine.
I use 75/25 Pilsner/Kolsch malt with 029.

I have never seen Kolsch malt until now. Would Vienna be a reasonable substitute especially in smaller quantities?

yeah, what is Kolsch malt?

I found this on Northern Brewer:
4.5° L. From a maltster co-op based in Osthofen, near Köln, this malt is used by some of the brewpubs in that city to make their trademark ale. Kölsch malt has a light, sweet and extremely "German" flavor and aroma with a little bit of biscuit character. We've had good results using a multi-temp step mash with Kölsch malt, but a single infusion — although not traditional — works as well. Style nerds please take note: the maltster rates the color of this malt at 9 EBC. If you use 100% Kölsch malt for the grist of a Kölsch, you will be within spec according to Eric Warner's Kölsch (7-14 EBC, or 3.5-7 SRM — p. 51), but definitely on the dark end of the BJCP guidelines. If you are brewing for a competition, you may want to incorporate some pils or wheat malt into the grain bill to dilute the color.

12

Beer Recipes / Re: kolsch grain bill

« on: May 29, 2013, 10:46:03 am »

That grain bill is fine.
I use 75/25 Pilsner/Kolsch malt with 029.

I have never seen Kolsch malt until now. Would Vienna be a reasonable substitute especially in smaller quantities?

13

Beer Recipes / Re: kolsch grain bill

« on: May 29, 2013, 10:07:09 am »

IME The Wyeast strain needs some lagering time. That will give you plenty of time to clear the beer up.

If you're making a kolsch and not using a kolsch yeast... aren't you just making a cream ale?

Wyeast German ale appears to have very similar characteristics according to their website. I don't see why this couldn't be used to make a Kolsch especially with a month of lagering. That being said I would probably just go with the Kolsch yeast.

14

Beer Recipes / Re: kolsch grain bill

« on: May 29, 2013, 08:57:51 am »

Thanks guys. I am thinking about putting a twist on it by using american hops for flavor and aroma. For yeast, I was planning on Wyeast Kolsch but haven't really considered using the German Ale. I will investigate a bit as I am hoping to find something pretty flocculant.

15

Beer Recipes / kolsch grain bill

« on: May 29, 2013, 08:43:18 am »

From what I can tell from BJCP guidelins, a Kolsch shold be most if not all is Pilsner or Pale with up to 20% wheat being acceptable. I would like to keep it simple but would also like to use a bit of wheat. Would 90% Pilsner, 10% wheat be ok for this style?