104 replies to this topic

[SchwanzBrewer]

It isn't the open ferment that would scare me, but i wouldn't ferment in my mash tun. I don't care how good your sanitation practices are. I have been thinking about getting a cooler for a backup fermenter, though. But it would only have one job -- fermenting.mike

You worry too much. Its fermenting very clean as we speak. When it falls, I'll stir it up so it can finish and then into secondary for a few days in the swamp cooler.Cheers,Rich

[drewseslu]

It is very likely if not inevitable that you'll end with some Brett and Lacto character in the finished beer, however, that sounds pretty damn tasty in a hefe, to me.

[SchwanzBrewer]

56 Hours: Still looks the same, less bubbling, I think its getting ready to fall.Cheers,Rich

[xd_haze]

It is very likely if not inevitable that you'll end with some Brett and Lacto character in the finished beer, however, that sounds pretty damn tasty in a hefe, to me.

I agree, to a point. I'm not sure if the brett and lacto flavors will play nice with the banana esters. mike

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

The banana/clove smell is a function of temp. If you ferment on the higher end, you get banana's. If you ferment on the lower end you get cloves. I don't believe you get both. So if you are smelling bananas, that is what you are going to get. I prefer the banana. I've got a SN Kellerweis in the fridge... guess what I'm having with dinner!

You get both. You're right about the higher/lower ferments favoring different characteristics. A good hefe should have a balance of both.

It is very likely if not inevitable that you'll end with some Brett and Lacto character in the finished beer, however, that sounds pretty damn tasty in a hefe, to me.

All homebrew has some wild stuff in it. The key is for the yeast you want to out compete the wild stuff you don't. Hefe is best young. If the mash tun was truely clean, you should not see any brett or lacto character.

[SchwanzBrewer]

You get both. You're right about the higher/lower ferments favoring different characteristics. A good hefe should have a balance of both.All homebrew has some wild stuff in it. The key is for the yeast you want to out compete the wild stuff you don't. Hefe is best young. If the mash tun was truely clean, you should not see any brett or lacto character.

Very clean. Scrubbed down with oxyclean, high pressure rinse, and then a starsan bath until I was ready to put the cool wort in.Cheers,Rich

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

Very clean. Scrubbed down with oxyclean, high pressure rinse, and then a starsan bath until I was ready to put the cool wort in.Cheers,Rich

Then you should be fine. The only thing I'd be concerned about is the fermentation temp. If you're keeping the lid closed, quite a bit of heat can build up in the cooler. It may present with lots of fruit but hopefully not fusels.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Then you should be fine. The only thing I'd be concerned about is the fermentation temp. If you're keeping the lid closed, quite a bit of heat can build up in the cooler. It may present with lots of fruit but hopefully not fusels.

Open baby. The lid is cracked so there is about a 2-3 inch complete opening along the front edge. No build up possible. Cheers,Rich

[Deerslyr]

The manner in which he is using the fermenter seems just fine. I just worry about the overall cleanliness of the environment and how that might affect it. I'm hoping it works as planned.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I'm pretty astonished at the worry over cleanliness in this thread. It will be beer. I have no way of fermenting in a sterile room and neither did thousands of brewers over thousands of years. I'll get what I get, and that's fine with me. I'll make a batch in a more normal manner and try and taste the difference. Cheers!Rich

[SchwanzBrewer]

68 Hours and the yeast is still sitting on top like icing on a cake. It isn't bubbling as much, but the banana smell has been subdued and the over ripe fruit smell is much stronger now.I wonder if I should stir it up?Cheers,Rich

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

68 Hours and the yeast is still sitting on top like icing on a cake. It isn't bubbling as much, but the banana smell has been subdued and the over ripe fruit smell is much stronger now.I wonder if I should stir it up?Cheers,Rich

why do you think it needs to get stirred up? My hefs never seem to have a problem fermenting out if that is your concern.

[SchwanzBrewer]

why do you think it needs to get stirred up? My hefs never seem to have a problem fermenting out if that is your concern.

It seems like the yeast is way too happy up on top. I'm just thinking it needs to be on the beer a little more. Its really interesting to look at and smell and I want to just get in there and do something because I'm excited over it! Cheers,Rich

[ncbeerbrewer]

[/quoteI wonder if I should stir it up?Cheers,Rich[/quote]Definitely not. There is no point in stirring up yeast that is actively fermenting. You are fermenting a wheat beer warm. The yeast should go crazy wheat beer ferments are wild an furious. Let it go until its done and check your FG then you can know for sure you are finished.

[SchwanzBrewer]

80 Hours this morning and still no changes.Cheers,Rich

[SchwanzBrewer]

92 Hours and still no new news. That is some happy top cropping yeast.Cheers,Rich

[3rd party JKor]

First, I'd definitely be worried about fermenting in my mash tun. Infection for sure (though yours looks a hell of a lot cleaner than mine). Second, you should cover it with something. Third, all homebrewer ferments are 'open'. Fourth, fermenting in a cooler is risky, especially with a hefe yeast which tend to be vigorous fermenters.All that being said, I hope everything turns out great. Keep us updated.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

First, I'd definitely be worried about fermenting in my mash tun. Infection for sure (though yours looks a hell of a lot cleaner than mine). Second, you should cover it with something. Third, all homebrewer ferments are 'open'. Fourth, fermenting in a cooler is risky, especially with a hefe yeast which tend to be vigorous fermenters.All that being said, I hope everything turns out great. Keep us updated.

+1 to all of that. the only advantage I see the cooler giving is the surface area exposure. otherwise it seems pretty risky to me.

[SchwanzBrewer]

+1 to all of that. the only advantage I see the cooler giving is the surface area exposure. otherwise it seems pretty risky to me.

How is it any riskier than in a bucket? Its food grade plastic, the only difference is the surface area exposed. So long as its cleaned and sanitized I don't see a problem.I don't agree that all home brewer ferments are open. Once that airlock starts bubbling and CO2 has replaced the air there is a slight positive pressure inside the vessel, just enough to push more CO2 through the airlock. Just the fact that there is concentrated CO2 above the beer (in a smaller area in a carboy) is enough to make a slight pressure difference between outside and in since CO2 is heavier than air.All breweries have a blow off tube or airlock of some sorts, so unless their chamber is completely sealed then they are basically doing the same thing we are, just on a larger scale.Cheers,Rich

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

How is it any riskier than in a bucket? Its food grade plastic, the only difference is the surface area exposed. So long as its cleaned and sanitized I don't see a problem.I don't agree that all home brewer ferments are open. Once that airlock starts bubbling and CO2 has replaced the air there is a slight positive pressure inside the vessel, just enough to push more CO2 through the airlock. Just the fact that there is concentrated CO2 above the beer (in a smaller area in a carboy) is enough to make a slight pressure difference between outside and in since CO2 is heavier than air.All breweries have a blow off tube or airlock of some sorts, so unless their chamber is completely sealed then they are basically doing the same thing we are, just on a larger scale.Cheers,Rich

it's riskier b/c the cooler is likely to have scartches and gouges in it for one. second you've been mashing in there and the chance of some of the bugs from that surviving in some of the aforementioned nooks and crannies seems very possible.the pressure you get from an airlock is pretty much nothing and I don't know about you but my bucket lids aren't really that air tight. I'll let someone with more knowledge of how commercial breweries do things chime in on their exact procedures.