[frumpland]

Weyermann's Boh Pils light floor malt is nice. It is not a bad idea to use a malt data sheet, which accompanies every sack of grain. It is a brewmaster map. Many home brewers are not aware that one exists.

[Phil_M]

I couldn't get the QR code on my bag to scan, the blank printing was kinda not all there. Threw the bag out, then later found another way to look up each bag's spec sheet.

Oh well. It would have all just been a note in the log anyway, I'm not adjusting for fine details like that at this point in the game.

BTW, I'm still waiting to brew this beer. It's turning into an experiment on milled grains staling though...

[brewinhard]

BTW, I'm still waiting to brew this beer. It's turning into an experiment on milled grains staling though...

Get in touch with Denny as I believe his latest experimental brewing test on brewing beer with old grains.

[blair.streit]

BTW, I'm still waiting to brew this beer. It's turning into an experiment on milled grains staling though...

Get in touch with Denny as I believe his latest experimental brewing test on brewing beer with old grains.

I have one of these too. A milled bag of Kolsch grist from April 18.

If I ever find time for a back-to-back this could be a fun experiment. It's not the chosen recipe so I can't submit it as an official IGOR, but more data is always good, right?

[Phil_M]

Finally, an update. Looks like I'll finally be brewing this beer tomorrow, after a 3-month delay. 

Grain was milled 3 months ago, but has been stored in air-tight Gamma buckets, so I expect it'll be just fine.

I'm going to look over my recipe again tonight when I get off work, I'll post any tweaks. I might try out a Hochkurz decoction of sorts. One rest in the upper 130's/low 140's, then decoct and raise to upper 150's, then mash out as normal.

I don't know which is worse, that I had to wait three months to finally brew this beer, or that I've only brewed twice in that timespan...

[brewinhard]

Hey man, its all good anytime you can sneak in a full all-grain brewday. Good luck!

[Phil_M]

Well I just can't catch a break. Forgot to make a starter last night, no big deal, do it this evening and brew tomorrow.

Except that I don't have anything to make a starter with. I'm out of extract, and I don't think I have the time to do a mini mash to get some starter wort.

 

[santoch]

Is there somebody nearby with some DME you can borrow?

[Joe Sr.]

Next time you mash, drain the last runnings into a freezer bag and store it for future starters.

[Phil_M]

I took another route, bought 3 packs of NB's canned starter. I hate making starters. I've canned my own, and if the NB solution works I'll gladly spend the money to have someone else can them for me.

[Phil_M]

Finally brewing this beer.

Does anyone know of a good decoction calculator? Beersmith didn't even get me close to my target temp...

[Phil_M]

34 hours after pitching...no signs of obvious fermentation. Fingers crossed...yeast were a bit old but not enough to worry about.

[Erik_Mog]

*Fingers crossed*  I should be bottling my first Lager attempt on Sunday.

[blair.streit]

34 hours after pitching...no signs of obvious fermentation. Fingers crossed...yeast were a bit old but not enough to worry about.

Depending on my oxygenation level and pitching rate, with lagers I usually see initial bubbles out of the airlock at 36-48 hours for 5G at ~50F. Remember, colder liquid will hold more CO2 before it becomes saturated, and a colder environment also means it takes more time for the yeast to reproduce and prepare to do its work.

I know you know all this stuff already, but when I'm in that "sweating it" phase I find a few calming words help keep me from doing silly things like opening the fermentor or adding things that don't need to be added

[Phil_M]

Depending on my oxygenation level and pitching rate, with lagers I usually see initial bubbles out of the airlock at 36-48 hours for 5G at ~50F. Remember, colder liquid will hold more CO2 before it becomes saturated, and a colder environment also means it takes more time for the yeast to reproduce and prepare to do its work.

I know you know all this stuff already, but when I'm in that "sweating it" phase I find a few calming words help keep me from doing silly things like opening the fermentor or adding things that don't need to be added

Actually, the cold temps/CO₂ thing were something I was wondering about. Pulled a taste yesterday, yep, if it was a British beer it'd almost be overcarbed.

The following morning things were rocking, both beers seem to be fine.

One of these beers smells like an egg though, lots of sulfur. What really contributes to this? Grist? Yeast? I do have copper in my plate chiller, so that "side" of it has been taken care of.

Yeasts used were WLP835 Lager X and Wyeast 2001 Urquell Lager. Sniffing airlocks makes me think the 835 is the sulfur bomb culprit.