136 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

I'd guess that at that temp the yeast won't do much, if anything.

I thought that might be an issue. I brought the kettle inside and put it on the stove on a low flame. Maybe that'll help it.

[denny]

I thought that might be an issue. I brought the kettle inside and put it on the stove on a low flame. Maybe that'll help it.

 

Just don't get above 105 F or you may kill the yeast

[Big Nake]

It's been sitting between 80° and 90° now for about an hour. It's 5 gallons of water on the lowest setting on the stove. Another 10-15 minutes and I'm going to turn it up and start heating it to 160°. I probably should have planned this better but I didn't know the schedule today. Now my wife tells me we're going to a Christmas party tonight and I feel compelled to bottle some beer for it. Cheers Denny.

[neddles]

I figured for sure you were going to try this first with a lager.

[Big Nake]

I figured for sure you were going to try this first with a lager.

No. Use the ale as the guinea pig and then use the polished-up routine where it really counts.

[HVB]

Kids: I'm going to take a half-assed swing at some of this today with an Amber Ale I'm making with 1469. I realized that there is nothing on the calendar today so I'll have a little extra time to do this. I filtered my water just now and then put 6.6g each of bakers yeast and sugar into 5 gallons of strike water and 3.3g each into the sparge water. That started at 10:30 central so I have to wait for about two hours. The containers with the water are outside on the front porch at about 40°... will that be okay? Then I'll use the SMB and BTB (I don't have the AA yet) in the mash along with my mineral additions. Then I'll use the hi-temp tubing to transfer the water into the MT with the grains waiting. Get temp and pH correct and then I'll just use some heavy duty foil I have... it won't be a "mash cap" as much as it will be a temporary "pesky O2 barrier" since I haven't gotten the foam board yet. After 60 minutes I'll recirc (using this short length of tubing for less splashing), runoff into the kettle, transfer the sparge water with the hi-temp tubing, recirc, runoff, boil gently, chill and then probably transfer through a strainer into the primary, add pure O2 and pitch this active 1469 slurry. No clue if any of that will make a noticeable difference but I'll be alert on my first sampling of it. Not sure if I'm ready for a spund yet but if anyone has a "by the numbers" process for that, I'm all ears.

The tests were done at about 80*.

[Big Nake]

We'll see what happens. Next time I'll be more prepared. I just added the lactic acid, CaCl, CaSO4, ¼ tsp of BTB and .66g of SMB. I'm approaching this experiment with the attitude of "it may make a noticeable difference and it may not but it shouldn't hurt". Right?

[Big Nake]

In all the excitement I forgot to add the acid addition to the sparge before racking it to the MT. Luckily this is a darker beer and the pH was probably okay but I added it afterwards directly to the MT, gently stirred and took a reading... 5.23. I'm about halfway through the boil. I'm getting a truly malty aroma from this batch but I did sub out 2 pounds of the Swaen malt for Munich 1 to give the beer more depth.

[Big Nake]

Okay, quick recap: I need to get my brain into a more low-O2 mode. Stir gently, boil gently, transfer gently, etc. I feel like I have too little control over O2 intake with my current system and I don't have an O2 meter so I really don't know how things are going. I also feel very foolish being SO conscious of O2 pickup and then doing an open transfer of wort from kettle to primary, through a screen whilst splashing like crazy and THEN adding pure O2. I won't know how this beer compares to others until after the first of the year because I will be on vacation at some point. I'm not even sure what to expect if anything but I'll try to tune up my tastebuds in preparation for sampling this beer.

[MyaCullen]

As for boil btb, I plan to use it but have the dreaded copper chiller.

what's the supposed reason to not use copper?  

[HVB]

what's the supposed reason to not use copper?

Something about copper ions turning into dissolved oxygen. I guess all SS it preferred but I have some parts of brass and copper that I just don't feel like replacing now.

[MyaCullen]

Something about copper ions turning into dissolved oxygen. I guess all SS it preferred but I have some parts of brass and copper that I just don't feel like replacing now.

good thing none of the traditional german brewers use copper 

[HVB]

good thing none of the traditional german brewers use copper

There is a lot that I question about this new process but as I said, it seems the only way to know is to try it and compare. Luckily for me it is just a few more things added to the mash and a minor equipment tweak.

[MyaCullen]

There is a lot that I question about this new process but as I said, it seems the only way to know is to try it and compare. Luckily for me it is just a few more things added to the mash and a minor equipment tweak.

sulfites and copper don't play nice, of you're adding SMB it could contribute to off flavors

[HVB]

sulfites and copper don't play nice, of you're adding SMB it could contribute to off flavors

That will only be added in the mash. My big amount of copper is my CFC.

[denny]

good thing none of the traditional german brewers use copper 

 

heh heh....

sulfites and copper don't play nice, of you're adding SMB it could contribute to off flavors

 

According to the lodo guys posting on the AHA forum, BTB in the kettle is supposed to compensate for an copper in your system.  They say that if you don't use copper, you don't need BTB in the kettle.

[MyaCullen]

That will only be added in the mash. My big amount of copper is my CFC.

umm, it's still in there, right

[HVB]

umm, it's still in there, right

Yup and I will use Brewtan-b in the boil.

If you read some of the post they say you don't have to remove all copper.

Edited by drez77, 17 December 2017 - 10:50 AM.

[pkrone]

good thing none of the traditional german brewers use copper 

Most are stainless steel.   Copper-jacketed to keep it pretty. 

[Big Nake]

Guys: I'm headed to the store later today and had a thought... I remember seeing somewhere (like a Walgreens or maybe health supplements store) a big canister of "brewers yeast". I know that pkrone mentioned "baker's yeast and sugar" and my guess is that it doesn't matter much but would the brewer's yeast work or make any difference? You really just want it to take action, right? You're going to kill it when you heat the water anyway. Does anyone think that the yeast in the water (even though it's being killed) has any flavor impact on the final beer? My amber ale smells delicious but I swear I can smell some additional yeastiness.