Messages

31

All Grain Brewing / Hefe sulfur

« on: August 28, 2012, 04:43:10 PM »

Well the sulfur does come out a bit when the yeast is roused but it still isnt as strong as bottling day. And when i dont rouse the yeast i dont smell or taste it at all

32

All Grain Brewing / Hefe sulfur

« on: August 28, 2012, 09:12:22 AM »

Update: almost three weeks sulfur is not noticeable unless i rouse the yeast into the beer before i pour? Im not really believing at rhis point that sulfur cant age out.

33

All Grain Brewing / Palmer's Spreadsheet - Kettle addition

« on: August 28, 2012, 09:08:57 AM »

Everyone loves Bru'n water but i hear people saying that they add the most minimal salts. My question is: if you are trying to mirror a profile (malty brown for ex) on this spreadsheet you aren't going to be able to achieve that without adding multiple different salts, right?  Especially if you are starting with RO water you wont reach the target with cacl alone.

34

All Grain Brewing / Water additions for red ale

« on: August 27, 2012, 03:48:21 PM »

Gotcha. Taking a closer look at the spreadsheet  the SRM on this beer actually moves it into the brown malty profile.

35

All Grain Brewing / Water additions for red ale

« on: August 26, 2012, 05:31:52 PM »

Martin's amber malty profile is for beers with an RA of -13. My calculations put the RA for a red as between 10-15. Am i reading this wrong?

36

All Grain Brewing / Water additions for red ale

« on: August 22, 2012, 02:56:11 PM »

It is an irish red. Where can i find Martin's malty profile

37

All Grain Brewing / Water additions for red ale

« on: August 22, 2012, 11:23:26 AM »

I am preparing to brew a red ale next weekend and i am having some difficulty with my water calculations. I typically use RO water and add minerals.  My RO water has an estimated RA of 0. Mg .34, Na 1.1, Ca 1.9, SO4 1.2, Cl 1.3.

Srm of the beer is to be 16.4. For this beer i would like a target RA around 10-15.

I am trying to raise my calcium and mag levels to appropriate mash levels but when i do i throws my estimated RA into the 30 range.  Also my calculted mash pH is outside of where it should be.

Should i just add chalk to get my calcium to 50 and not worry about the rest?

Will I get enough mag from the grains in the mash or do i need to add epsom?

Recipe:

38

All Grain Brewing / Adding melanodin malt

« on: August 20, 2012, 08:22:17 PM »

I have heard mention that adding melanodin malt can mimic the effects of decoction mashing. Any one had any experience with this? How much melanodin would you add to a 5 gal. Bavarian hefe recipe to add a deoction flavor?

39

All Grain Brewing / Hefe sulfur

« on: August 18, 2012, 07:57:55 PM »

Update: 1 week in bottles carbing nicely. Sulfur already diminshed still can smell and taste slightly.

40

All Grain Brewing / Hefe sulfur

« on: August 12, 2012, 06:35:42 AM »

I used  a yeast nutrient on this brew. It had a strong sulfur smell throughout fermentation and at bottling.

If i would have smelled/tasted my hydrometer sample prior to it being in bottles i wouldnt have bottled it.

next time after my fermentation is finished i am going to allow it to warm up to room temp instead of continuing to control at 62.

I was pretty sure it was finished I checked gravitys on mon and tues (days 10 and 11) and again on friday (day 14 the day i bottled)  I thought that the 4 extra days was plenty of time for the yeast to clean up? Started 1.053 ended 1.013-14

Kai I did aerate the hell out of it, but thats a good thing before pitching right? So sulfur is quiet normal?

41

All Grain Brewing / Hefe sulfur

« on: August 11, 2012, 08:45:34 PM »

Yeah i figure i will leave it in bottle for a few 2-3 weeks.

42

All Grain Brewing / Hefe sulfur

« on: August 10, 2012, 08:14:58 PM »

Just bottled a ag bavarian hefe today. Wyeast 3068 Fermented at 62 for 14 days with a chest freezer and johnson controller. Did not realize until after i had bottled and i was sampling my hydrometer sample that it had a horrible sulfur odor. It tastes good, it just stinks.  In retrospect i would have brought the temp into the 70s after 10 days and hopefully clean it up.

I have read that sulfur odors dont go away in the bottle, is that true? What has been your experience with this?

43

All Grain Brewing / Pitching temperature hefe

« on: July 23, 2012, 10:21:06 AM »

Recently listened to a Jamil Z podcast on bavarian hefe in preperation for a brew. He recommends a 30 degree C rule for fermentation. Meaning pitching temp and ferm temp add to 30 degree celcius. It is also recomended by JZ to ferment this brew at 62 F.

So i was planning to cool as low as possible with my immersion chiller and the place the wort in a chest freezer to get it to 58 F (with the 3068 smack pack in the fridge or freezer as well)  Aerate, pitch and allow it to raise to 62 and hold it there. I brought this up at a home brew meeting and the thought it was a bad idea. 1. Yeast would be shocked and go dormant. 2. Wyeast recomends a higher ferm temp for this strain. 3. If i were to do it i need to pitch more than 1 smack pack.

What are your thoughts?

44

All Grain Brewing / Re: Step Mashing a Hefe...Why?

« on: July 21, 2012, 11:49:24 AM »

Brew smith calculates 96 bill cells for a smack pack dated 6/12 and the wyeast site states that 1 smack pack is necessary for a beer with an OG less than 1.060. If i understand correctly your are saying the yeast are not as viable as stated by these sources? The thing that confuses me is that both wyeast and brew smith are mostly inteded for homebrew use. Wyeast wouldnt mind if i had to buy 4 packs of yeast to make a good brew so i dont know what they stand to gain from saying i should buy 1 pack for a 1.050 beer.

Confused

45

All Grain Brewing / Re: Step Mashing a Hefe...Why?

« on: July 21, 2012, 10:14:08 AM »

So can someone put pitching rates into a context that a relatively new brewer can understand? I am brewing a bavarian hefe this week and from the sounds of things I want to pitch 3-6 million cells per mil for the flavor i am looking for. I plan to use wyeast 3068 smack pack dated 6/12.

Do i need a starter? I was just going to smack and pitch. It will be approx 5 gal 1.050.

Sorry for the hyjack but you guys got me thinking.