Messages

31

Yeast and Fermentation / Overchilled wort + Yeast

« on: March 01, 2011, 09:41:38 AM »

I inadvertently overchilled my wort (48^o F) when using my Therminator for the first time (that thing is amazing....too amazing).  I brought the carboys into a nice warm room, but fermentation (even with a nice starter) didnt seem to be at the activity level (airlock activity) that I am used to until 36-48 hours in. 

Any issues or off flavors associated with a lag like this? It is an IPA, OG 1.068, plenty hoppy. I would expect that any nasties that may have been in the air would also not be active at that low range.   

32

Equipment and Software / Re: Blichmann Therminator wort chiller

« on: February 27, 2011, 01:51:48 PM »

I just tried my Therminator for the first time ever.  Amazing.  My wife doesnt want to hear me talk about it any more.  Took 7 mins to chill 10 gals! Shortened the brew day considerably.  Truly amazing product (I wish I work my Beer Gun as easily).
My only problem is it took the wort down to 48 degrees! 



 

33

Equipment and Software / Re: Drilling through my kettle .....

« on: February 15, 2011, 06:40:31 PM »

Update: Success!

Thanks to one and all in this amazing community.  Much appreciated.

I ended up just placing the kettle in the tub, running water occasionally, going slow- the kettle, the hole, the bit and the drill all came through well.  Thanks for the tip on placing the valve under one handle (looks slick).  The bit (cheapo/ebay titanium nitride- $11.95) looks like it could go again.  Also, no rough edges on the hole.  The weldless kit is also holding strong- no leaks!

Thanks again
Ben

34

Equipment and Software / Re: Drilling through my kettle .....

« on: February 15, 2011, 07:58:58 AM »

I have a 18 V cordless drill, but what speeds should I run it at?

When I did this I had problems using my 18V cordless.  I could get up to about a 7/16 hole before it would freeze up.  However, several others have reported no issues with an 18V cordless.  My kettle is on the heavy side so that may have been the issue.

I eventually used a borrowed corded drill to finish it up.

I have similar issues with my grain mill- I usually end up repeatedly switching out batteries. 

I should have specified that my kettle is the 60 qt Bayou Classic.

35

Ingredients / Re: Green apple taste in young, big beer with turbinado

« on: February 15, 2011, 07:56:43 AM »

Hey!  I was just reading that acetaldehyde has a boiling point of 70 F.  Then I went to Wikipedia which confirms that it boils at about 68 F!  In other words, if you warm up your beer to about 75 F for a few days, similar to a diacetyl rest, I would imagine that at least some of the acetaldehyde will bubble out.  So the trick here might be to WARM up the beer, NOT COLD CONDITION.  I don't see why this wouldn't work.  It might not be 100% effective, but should be at least partially helpful.  It can't hurt to try!

I think that if the taste doesnt go away I will give it a shot. 

36

Equipment and Software / Re: Drilling through my kettle .....

« on: February 15, 2011, 04:55:57 AM »

Start with a 1/8" bit and just drill a small pilot "divot" so the step-bit doesn't wander on the surface of the kettle when you start to drill

Some people have recommended tapping a punch into the kettle to make the divot.  But you are saying I could do this with the bit?  I am worried about the punch ended up damaging or denting a larger area than the intended hole.

37

Ingredients / Re: Green apple taste in young, big beer with turbinado

« on: February 15, 2011, 04:51:11 AM »

Seems like you had really good performance,  What were you timings, How long prinary, secondary etc.

Normally I transfer to a secondary for dry hopping (and normally I use flowers)- this time I switched up protocols.  I pitched on Jan. 29th, let the fermentation go (went strong for several days with little lag- everything seemed fine), added pellets on Feb 5th, and transferred to keg on Feb 14th.   

I do prefer a transfer to secondary (clean vessel), but after reading lots of posts against it, I decided to give the no transfer a try.  We will see.

38

Equipment and Software / Drilling through my kettle .....

« on: February 14, 2011, 08:52:14 PM »

I will be drilling through my SS kettle to attach a weldless valve kit so that I can begin to use my Therminator. 

I have all the equipment ready to go, including my titanium nitride step bit, but am trying to solicit advice from someone who has done this before proceeding.  I keep putting off the operation thinking that I am about to wreck a perfectly good kettle.

I have a 18 V cordless drill, but what speeds should I run it at?

Did the finished hole require smoothing?  If so, with what?

What did you use for cutting fluid?  I dont want to have greases in the kettle or anything that could be problematic.  I am not looking to use the bit again if that matters (i.e. if I dont need to use cutting fluid?).

Thanks

Ben

39

Ingredients / Re: Green apple taste in young, big beer with turbinado

« on: February 14, 2011, 08:41:03 PM »

Yoiu said it is young.  Give it some time.  I hope you have some yeast to clean up the green apple.  I have used sugars up to 20% and there were no problems

How much yeast is needed to clean up the green apple?  I transferred half of the batch (1 carboy) to a keg.  Obviously there is some yeast in there, but it is not sitting on the yeast cake anymore.  The other carboy will get bottle sometime this week and is still on the yeast cake.  I would think that the longer it sits on the yeast cake, the more likely off-flavors would develop from sitting on beat-up yeast.     

40

Ingredients / Green apple taste in young, big beer with turbinado

« on: February 14, 2011, 07:08:35 PM »

Brewed a 10 gal. all grain batch of Imperial IPA at the end of January.  I had 28 lbs of malt (pale, crystal, flaked barley, special roast) and 3 lbs of turbinado sugar (to add gravity without the body).  Ended up being more like 8-9 gals in the fermentor- Needless to say I saw a new part of my hydrometer (1.114).  Pitched a lot (800 mL) of washed yeast (one because of the size, two because it was almost 2 months old).  Just transferred to the keg after dry hopping (FG= 1.010).  As usual, I drank the FG sample.  It tasted a little like green apple.  I am quite meticulous about my "lab practices" so I do not expect an infection (although it was the 1st thing to cross my mind).  Second thought was "young beer", and the third thing too cross my mind was the possibility of the effects of the turbinado (these two thoughts are what I am leaning towards - knowing that both should mellow with time).  I guess another possibility could be the yeast- but they did their thing. 

I would love to hear anybody's thoughts on the subject.
Thanks
Ben

41

Ingredients / Re: More yeast flavor in beer?

« on: February 08, 2011, 08:41:38 PM »

I was using the White Labs Witbier strain.  Conditioned for 4 weeks in glass carboys.  At the time of bottling, the beer was probably in a keg for another 2 weeks (6 weeks total).

42

Ingredients / More yeast flavor in beer?

« on: February 08, 2011, 07:43:04 PM »

I got knocked in a competition recently that stated that I didnt have enough yeast character in a Wit.  In an effort to make better beers (or beers closer to style), how would one recommend getting more yeast flavor in the beer?  I am not filtering yeast.  Would you inoculate bottles? Seems a bit much to me.....

43

Kegging and Bottling / Getting proper carbonation when bottling from Blichman Beer Gun

« on: February 08, 2011, 07:37:32 PM »

I just got back some results from a competition that stated my beers were slightly under-carbonated for the style. This was the first time I sent bottles to a competition that I bottled with my Blichman Beer Gun. 

I have never worried 1) about carbonation in kegs (obviously just turn up or vent) or 2) in competitions (usually got bottle condition half the batch).  However, I would rather use my Beer Gun and would like to know what I could do to hit achieved carbonation levels.  I carbonate in kegs using beer charts, have the advantage of cold (36 degrees) and time before bottling. 

I believe that it may do with the process of filling- but I (believe that I have followed the instructions to a tee.  I chill bottles, dispense aroung 3-5 PSI, and cap immediately.  I think that somewhere in the dispensing/filling process I must be doing something wrong.

I believe that this requires a gas physics style answer and not necessarily a brewing technique issue.  In both beers I had either 50% wheat (a wit) or 5-10% Flaked Barley which should if any thing, help with head retention.
 
Any help would be appreciated.

44

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Is My Washed Yeast Too Old

« on: January 28, 2011, 07:34:29 PM »

Thanks for the advice- I do have a foam stopper and will now be using it. 

45

Yeast and Fermentation / Is My Washed Yeast Too Old

« on: January 28, 2011, 07:22:15 PM »

Went to make a 2 L starter tonight with washed yeast.  I didnt think about it until I pulled it out of the fridge, but the yeast washed on Dec 4th.  I have 800 mL of nice looking yeast, but according to Mr Malty, I am way short (by about 1200 mL).  I placed it in the starter beaker (on a stir plate) and less than an hour in, got some nice frothy head and good airlock activity (could this solely be from the stir plate?). 

I have about 24 hrs before pitching, and I dont have anymore DME to make another starter.

1) Do I pitch it anyway (and hope for the best)

or

2) Add non starter (or started) yeast from yeast washed last weekend to the cooled wort?


I am leaning towards pitching the older washed yeast anyway, and if the activity is not great (within 4-6 hrs.) , pitching the back-up non-starter yeast.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.