[Pinski]

It's pretty straightforward otherwise.

In my long experience, nothing is ever straightforward the first time, except things like falling off a cliff or something similar.

No offense, but it doesn't seem that you have incorporated this life lesson into your approach to brewing. Nobody here will fault your enthusiasm, yet don't be surprised when rushed projects end up with frustrating results like beer-gun "malfunction" or off flavors like diacetyl.  The learning can be fun too if you slow down, get it right and enjoy the results.

[homoeccentricus]

I grant you the beergun problems I had. Nothing to do with express brewing, and I'm sure I'll get them under control pretty soon. However, the faint diacetyl (not even everybody perceives it) IS a fundamental part of the express brewing experiment, and so the question is how to avoid. Not that I have plans to redo the experiment

BTW, my beer was tasted by 30+ people and in general they were very surprised one is able to make decent beer within 5 days or so. So no frustration here.

[Pinski]

I grant you the beergun problems I had. Nothing to do with express brewing, and I'm sure I'll get them under control pretty soon. However, the faint diacetyl (not even everybody perceives it) IS a fundamental part of the express brewing experiment, and so the question is how to avoid. Not that I have plans to redo the experiment

BTW, my beer was tasted by 30+ people and in general they were very surprised one is able to make decent beer within 5 days or so. So no frustration here.

Hey, if you're happy, I'm happy. Is your goal to make consistently decent beer in a hurry?
I would look at yeast strain and fermentation temp scheme to address  your diacetyl.

[erockrph]

I would look at yeast strain and fermentation temp scheme to address  your diacetyl.

I agree with this. Pick a low D producer that flocs quickly and rouse often as you bump the temps. You should probably incorporate a forced diacetyl test before you cold crash as well to ensure that you won't run into issues down the line.

[homoeccentricus]

I blame Drew. He recommended the yeast

[homoeccentricus]

Hey, if you're happy, I'm happy. Is your goal to make consistently decent beer in a hurry?

That is not my intention. I was just reproducing Drew's express brewing procedure.

[homoeccentricus]

I would look at yeast strain and fermentation temp scheme to address  your diacetyl.

I agree with this. Pick a low D producer that flocs quickly and rouse often as you bump the temps. You should probably incorporate a forced diacetyl test before you cold crash as well to ensure that you won't run into issues down the line.

The rousing part I did not know. Does it really help? And the forced diacetyl test (you mean rest, I assume?), who would that work if fermentation should be done after two and a half days?

[Pinski]

I would look at yeast strain and fermentation temp scheme to address  your diacetyl.

I agree with this. Pick a low D producer that flocs quickly and rouse often as you bump the temps. You should probably incorporate a forced diacetyl test before you cold crash as well to ensure that you won't run into issues down the line.

The rousing part I did not know. Does it really help? And the forced diacetyl test (you mean rest, I assume?), who would that work if fermentation should be done after two and a half days?

Well, both solutions would likely blow-up your target drinking time. Rousing can help if you have yeast flocculating well before the wort is attenuated to the desired degree. A forced diacetyl test, you warm a sample more to room temp, while covered with a coaster or somesuch, swirl, smell, taste.  You are "forcing" the diacetyl to become more discernible at warmer temperatures. Again, if confirmed you then need the rest, which moves the goalpost.

[erockrph]

You actually warm it to like 120F for 10-15 minutes while covered. What happens is any diacetyl precursors still left in the beer are converted to diacetyl, and you will be able to smell it in the heated sample. If its clean, then you know that the yeast won't be creating more diacetyl over time.

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[erockrph]

As far as rousing goes, it will help ensure that flocculent yeast stay in suspension longer to ensure it finishes up fully. I don't know how that would factor into a speed fermentation, but it certainly helps with diacetyl producing yeast like 1968.

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[homoeccentricus]

Aha, so I did not pick a good yeast for this experiment. Just for the fun of it, which yeast would have been better? So finishes the job in 2 days, no diacetyl, clears rapidly...