Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Diacetyl, already in key  (Read 3038 times)

Offline nickcw

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 9
Diacetyl, already in key
« on: April 26, 2017, 01:17:30 pm »
I have kegged a pilsner and go to tap it, with a noticable diacetyl , buttery flavor.
I have a second kegged that has not been force carbed yet.  Can i do anything with either

My thought was to take the uncarbed keg, warm it up to 70F and put maybe a champaign yeast
to clean up the diacetyl?

Looking for suggestion on saving or correcting the beer. 

Offline stpug

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 742
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2017, 01:22:57 pm »
From what I understand, krausening the beers should get them cleaned up pretty effectively.

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2017, 01:30:57 pm »
From what I understand, krausening the beers should get them cleaned up pretty effectively.
If done well, it will also carb the beer.

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27129
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2017, 01:46:28 pm »
From what I understand, krausening the beers should get them cleaned up pretty effectively.

Worked for me more than once.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline nickcw

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 9
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2017, 04:00:39 pm »
From what I understand, krausening the beers should get them cleaned up pretty effectively.

Worked for me more than once.

Never done before, any suggestions on the play by play. Was going to consider rigging up a blow off tube to my keg and just re hydrate and pitch into keg. Any suggestions on exact yeast. Is there a bunch of champagne yeast options.

Down Falls with in the keg? too much spend yeast and crud left over in the keg?

Offline natebrews

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 484
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2017, 04:08:04 pm »
I have krausened many batches.  You want to use either the same yeast you did it with originally or with something neutral (US-05 has worked for me if I don't have any yeast left from the batch).  Basically, you want to get something up to high krausen and then put it in the keg,  you don't need a ton of it but it does need to be active and moving.  If you use a different yeast, you might have it attenuate down lower than the original yeast would have and change the profile of the beer. 

I usually do something like half a liter of wort @ 1.035 and some yeast, give it an hour or two to get going (krausen is up) and then dump it in. 

You will get some junk in the bottom of the keg but it will come out in a few pints after it all drops out.

Also, you won't need a blow off tube.  In fact, you can just seal up the keg and let it carbonate naturally from the yeast's action, just make sure it doesn't get too crazy high.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2017, 04:13:24 pm by natebrews »
Risk of failure should be no deterrent to trying.

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2017, 04:26:23 pm »
You would need about 3oz of DME to carb up to 2.3-2.5. I'd use about a pint as mentioned above.

Offline natebrews

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 484
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2017, 05:02:31 pm »
One thing I didn't mention, the keg needs to be warm (70F maybe) so the yeast stay awake and doing their thing.  After you start it, it happens pretty quick.  I think mine are usually done in 3 or 4 days.  Giving it a little extra time won't hurt, and then chill back down for clearing and serving.
Risk of failure should be no deterrent to trying.

Offline nickcw

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 9
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2017, 07:48:54 pm »
Thanks a bunch guys,  this is why i am apart of the home brewers association.
I will give this a try and see you in Minneapolis...

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11333
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2017, 05:46:44 am »
I did 3 test batches of pils malt (American, Canadian and German) recently and kegged all 3 beers only to discover that 2 of the 3 had very obvious signs of diacetyl. I was pretty bummed because I felt I could possibly fixed them had they still been in the fermentor. I let them all sit outr for a week at room temp and the diacetyl completely went away. I was pretty shocked because I had previously argued on this forum wiotyh a few folks that you had to have active fermentation to remove diacetyl. I was pretty pleased to see that I was wrong. Not saying it will work in your case but you may be pleasantly surprised.

Not sure the champagne yeast will do anything.

Offline santoch

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1000
  • Riverview, FL
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2017, 07:21:56 pm »
Yeah, that's why I'm a big fan of just letting them get to room temp for a week and RDWHAHB.
Easy, peasy,  No stress.  Plus it keeps the O2 Nazi's at bay.
Looking for a club near my new house
BJCP GM3/Mead Judge

Big Monk

  • Guest
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2017, 08:39:04 pm »
What is an O2 Nazi?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2017, 08:51:13 pm »
What is an O2 Nazi?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
A skinhead whose stomping grounds are primarily in North Greenwich London?

Offline stpug

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 742
Re: Diacetyl, already in key
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2017, 09:19:22 am »
What is an O2 Nazi?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I think he must mean the yeast are the O2 Nazi's.  They live to eradicate oxygen at any possible chance and do so with unrestrained determination.  Any by leaving the keg alone you are not introducing any extra O2 Nazi's, thus you're keeping them "at bay".

That's all I can think :-*