31 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

Is there a published process example for sauergut? Sounds pretty interesting. I usually use lactic but this sounds fun.

Try THIS. If you try it, let me know how it goes and how the resulting beer came out.

[Genesee Ted]

Alright I might go down a serious rabbit hole here

[positiveContact]

Alright I might go down a serious rabbit hole here

 

I know what you mean.

[Big Nake]

I see cans of wort for sale at my LHBS that people are supposed to use for starters. It's something like $10 and with homebrewers being so notoriously cheap, I can't see many people buying it. But maybe someone could can some sauergut for brewers to use. Could be interesting. Doobah, sincerely... keep me posted if you try it and let me know what you did, how tough it was and how [you think] it impacted the beer. I'd be curious.

[Genesee Ted]

I’ve got to rig something up. Maybe some cornies or a plastic container or something

[Big Nake]

Another piece of this:  I was talking with one of the low-O2 guys prior to all of the low-O2 stuff coming out.  Really good guy and I have not talked with him in awhile.  We were batting around the idea of the "German taste".  I was mentioning a bunch of irrelevant things: Use the best German ingredients, use fresh malt and hops, a good yeast that's in good health, make sure your water is in line, etc.  He said, "We've been through all of that".  The deep, lingering malt character that comes from a low-oxygen brew session is one of the keys and I think the sauergut is one of them too, now that I understand where that specific flavor is coming from.  Another one that was mentioned to me first about Czech beers and then about German beers is that the vast majority of both refrain from adding hops in the last 30 minutes.  It might seem unbelievable to American homebrewers and American Craft brewers but that's what they say and a number of texts, podcasts and videos have mentioned it too.  This could one spot where a homebrewer who does a 30-minute boil can feel like they're getting squeezed because it means that your only options would be a FWH and a 30-minute addition... if you were interested in any of it to begin with.  I ended up making a nice Czech Pilsner with five ounces of Saaz hops all added at FWH or at 30-minutes.  It was a very nice beer.  

[Big Nake]

Here's another LO idea that was batted around and I ignored it at first (because there were many other ideas that I wanted to look at first)... making pale beers where pilsner malt is mixed with a pale ale malt for added depth, color, etc.  When the LO steps are incorporated, beer color starts to get REALLY pale.  The less contact the wort has with O2, the lighter the color.  This may just look like a standard pale lager but this is probably THE most pale beer I have ever made...

 

 

... and a beer this color is not an issue but adding a bit of pale ale malt, MO or GP, etc. can bring out a more robust color.  This weekend I'm going to use some Barke Pils mixed with a bit of Golden Promise and Vienna (about 60/20/20) and then add Hallertau at FWH and the start of the boil for about 30 IBUs and then ferment it with 2278.  Should have more color, depth, body, etc. 

[positiveContact]

I like beer.

[pkrone]

I've made a pils/GP blend helles several time with great results.  

[Big Nake]

I've made a pils/GP blend helles several time with great results.  

I have one fermenting now with Barke & GP and I can tell it's going to be nice.  

 

In related news...  Pete, are you still conditioning your grain?  On my last two batches I skipped it because I had made a mill adjustment and milling was much smoother without the conditioning.  On Thursday I'm meeting a bud who's parting with his 3-roller mill so I will be using that shortly.  Cheers. 

[pkrone]

Yeah, still conditioning.  I like the much less amount of dust/flour produced.  It allowed me to tighten my gap a bit and still get a good crush.  I used to mill my grains twice, but now once does the trick.    Jealous of your 3 roller mill, though...

[Big Nake]

Yeah, still conditioning.  I like the much less amount of dust/flour produced.  It allowed me to tighten my gap a bit and still get a good crush.  I used to mill my grains twice, but now once does the trick.    Jealous of your 3 roller mill, though...

My hope is that I can condition the grain, set the gap where I want it (it might already be set in the perfect spot) and get a good, smooth crush without the swearing.