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Author Topic: Last three batches terrible  (Read 22614 times)

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #30 on: October 01, 2012, 01:39:10 pm »
I decant

so, if one were to use a stainless steel growler to make starters in could one say that one 'decans'?  :D
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Offline thomasben

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #31 on: October 01, 2012, 01:42:37 pm »
Could it be that this beer I just brewed had 5lbs of rye and maybe im just getting a lot of spicy notes?

Offline denny

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #32 on: October 01, 2012, 01:47:06 pm »
I decant

Great.  Then if the problem you're detecting is what I think it is, it's likely due to too high a pitching and/or fermentation temp.  The good news is that if that's it the fusels will eventually age out into esters.  Since it's still in the fermenter (right?), I'd just give it some time and see what happens.
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Offline thomasben

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #33 on: October 01, 2012, 01:50:44 pm »
Trial and error I suppose

Offline denny

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #34 on: October 01, 2012, 02:18:27 pm »
Trial and error I suppose

Yep.  We all go through that.  It's how you figure out what works and what doesn't, what you like and what you  don't.  Next time try starting it in the low 60s for the first few days, then let it rise.
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Offline thomasben

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #35 on: October 01, 2012, 02:21:54 pm »
Reason I've been fermenting a little warmer is to try and get my FG lower. Maybe its not helping haha

Offline Kaiser

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #36 on: October 01, 2012, 02:33:18 pm »
Reason I've been fermenting a little warmer is to try and get my FG lower. Maybe its not helping haha

If you want to troubleshoot your FG, I suggest performing a fast ferment test. This is s small sample of wort that you overpitch and ferment warm. This allows the yeast to go all the way and you would be able to see how much more attenuation you can get out of the yeast or if your wort is too unfermentable.

If its truly the yeast that doesn't attenuate far enough in your regular batches, you can choose a different strain , make a starter to get more and healthier yeast and/or oxygenate better. Fermenting warm should not be necessary .

Kai

Offline thomasben

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #37 on: October 01, 2012, 02:56:08 pm »
I think I need more oxygen because I've only been shaking

Offline ajk

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Last three batches terrible
« Reply #38 on: October 01, 2012, 05:48:31 pm »
How does the wort taste post-boil but pre-fermentation?  Next time, try saving some of the wort, and let it sit, without yeast, in the same chamber as the fermenting beer.  Then taste it at the same time you taste the beer.  Do you get a similar off-flavor?

Are you pitching fresh yeast every time, or are these repitches?

I recently had issues with wild yeast infections.  Getting aggressive on sanitation of post-boil and repitch components (boiling ball valves and tubing, flaming the lip of the repitch vessel, etc.) seems to have helped.

Offline thomasben

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #39 on: October 01, 2012, 06:30:57 pm »
Good idea. Ill give that a try

Offline majorvices

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #40 on: October 02, 2012, 05:19:01 am »
Fermentation temperature is essential to producing great beer. You need to cool your wort down to at last under 68 degrees and never let the fermentation temp (which will be 4-6+ over ambient during high krausen) over 68-70, 72 at the highest - and for most yeast strains the low to mid 60s on pitching and fermenting works even better.

The most important time for fermentation temp control is first 48-72 hours, after this if you want to warm the temp to low 70s to speed fermentation and possibly help with attenuation that is perfectly acceptable. But definitely keep a close reign over fermentation temps during the first 72 hours.

Offline thomasben

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #41 on: October 02, 2012, 10:36:31 am »
What you just described is my exact fermenting schedule. I ferment in a chest freezer and have a digital controller. 

Offline thomasben

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #42 on: October 05, 2012, 07:24:47 am »
Im wondering if its because I haven't sterilized my wort chiller ..I just starsan it....maybe I have a wild yeast problem

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #43 on: October 05, 2012, 08:05:50 am »
Im wondering if its because I haven't sterilized my wort chiller ..I just starsan it....maybe I have a wild yeast problem

Is it an immersion chiller?  If so, the wort should be hot enough to sterilize it when it goes in, shouldn't it?

I starsan my immersion chillers, toss them into the hot wort, and away we go.
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Offline euge

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Re: Last three batches terrible
« Reply #44 on: October 05, 2012, 08:16:56 am »
Im wondering if its because I haven't sterilized my wort chiller ..I just starsan it....maybe I have a wild yeast problem

Is it an immersion chiller?  If so, the wort should be hot enough to sterilize it when it goes in, shouldn't it?

I starsan my immersion chillers, toss them into the hot wort, and away we go.

Same here. But at the end of the boil. Drops the temp an immediate 10 degrees.
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