236 replies to this topic

[johnpreuss]

 

Generally domestic 2 row pale malt (I like Great Western or Rahr) and crystal malt, usually around 60L.  Also, get your sulfate up to around 300 ppm.

 

My basic pale ale is 2 row, C60 and some wheat.  Bitter to 35-40 IBU (Columbus, Centennial, Target, Northern Brewer, Perle) and 1 oz additions at 15 and 5 min (C Hops, Willamette, Sicoe, goldings, etc) 1.050ish OG then 1056/1272/002/S-04 for yeast. Dry hop if you get the itch.  Usually this or some variation.

[Gus13]

Also a very good book. Did you make a starter for the SD Super?

I did not. It was really fresh and not recommended by the LHBS. Should I have?

[Gus13]

 My basic pale ale is 2 row, C60 and some wheat.  Bitter to 35-40 IBU (Columbus, Centennial, Target, Northern Brewer, Perle) and 1 oz additions at 15 and 5 min (C Hops, Willamette, Sicoe, goldings, etc) 1.050ish OG then 1056/1272/002/S-04 for yeast. Dry hop if you get the itch.  Usually this or some variation.

Awesome I've got one worked up similar. No wheat but 10lb 2-row and .5lb C60. Haven't picked hops yet but want to start with something simple then go from there. Think I may do 3 gallon batches at first.

[neddles]

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]I did not. It was really fresh and not recommended by the LHBS. Should I have?[/color]

 

I didn't see your OG but if it is standard IPA range then, yes. I think doob asked because the SSY should not have taken forever as you indicated. Perhaps the same reasons it took forever are the same reasons you got an off flavor. I don't know how this yeast typically reacts to being underpitched and undernourished. How did you go about suppling O2 for the yeast? I would consider future advice given by your LHBS as suspect if they don't think that a starter is necessary for typical IPA OGs.

[Gus13]

I didn't see your OG but if it is standard IPA range then, yes. I think doob asked because the SSY should not have taken forever as you indicated. Perhaps the same reasons it took forever are the same reasons you got an off flavor. I don't know how this yeast typically reacts to being underpitched and undernourished. How did you go about suppling O2 for the yeast? I would consider future advice given by your LHBS as suspect if they don't think that a starter is necessary for typical IPA OGs.

I pump pure O2 in all my brews. Not saying they are a bad LHBS but I do know there have been other times I've heard things I knew were wrong. How many packs of US-05 in say a 1.050-1.054 pale ale?

[neddles]

How many packs of US-05 in say a 1.050-1.054 pale ale?

https://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

 

Assuming 95% viability you would only need one 11.5g pack of US-05 @ 1.054 and 6 gallons of wort.

 

Also your yeast may have had a fresh date but if it had been mistreated somewhere along the way that could also explain your sluggish performance.

[Gus13]

So I just popped one of the IPAs that I brewed. It's been about 5 weeks in the bottle. Maybe even longer. And it's much better. More carbonated so the body is lighter, hops are coming through better and the rye gives it a spicy finish. Hmmmm fresher the better?Still not where I want it but better than when I first had it.

[Genesee Ted]

IPAs, for sure fresher the better.  As ettels was thinking, I think you need to make a starter and your problems will be solved with the off flavor.  As a homebrewer, it is almost difficult to overpitch, especially for big beers like IPA.  Your LHBS isn't necessarily steering you in the wrong direction, they are going by what the manufacturer tells them, and that is that the vial or smack pack is good for 5 gallons of wort.  It is a bit deceptive, but you should always make a starter.  A stir plate is one of the best investments that you can make as a homebrewer!

[MolBasser]

two week fermentation is very wrong.

 

Did you make a starter?

 

How many cells did you add to the wort and what was the gravity?

 

MolBasser

[Gus13]

The starting gravity was 1.062. In my Belgian brewing I never use a starter until 1.070. This looks like it will have to change for pale ales. I took a reading after a week and it was at 1.046. Then I had to raise temp to 70F to get it to finish. I swore off SDSY then. I will go with California or US-05 from now on. US-05 will work great for my 3 gallon test batches.

[neddles]

In my Belgian brewing I never use a starter until 1.070.

 

I recall either reading in BLAM or hearing S. Hieronymus in an interview about BLAM saying that the pitching rates at the trappist breweries were "scary low" with extremely viable and fresh yeast. Not using a starter in your belgians has probably accentuated the belgian flavors you like.

 

Something was very wrong with your fermentation. Even a single vial of fresh yeast should have gone faster than that. I'd question how fresh that yeast really was.

[Clintama]

two week fermentation is very wrong.

 

MolBasser

Yup, most of mine go 3 weeks.

[neddles]

Yup, most of mine go 3 weeks.

How are you defining the fermentation? 3 weeks until you move them from primary or 3 weeks until they hit their FG?

[Clintama]

How are you defining the fermentation? 3 weeks until you move them from primary or 3 weeks until they hit their FG?

3 weeks to FG. I should add that I ferment very cool, IE 50F for US05

[neddles]

3 weeks to FG. I should add that I ferment very cool, IE 50F for US05

While unusual and unnecessarily long it sounds like an effective way to get a cleanly fermented beer. I did a 1.072 hydromel with US-05 @55-56F and it took about 2 weeks and came out very clean.

[Gus13]

 

I recall either reading in BLAM or hearing S. Hieronymus in an interview about BLAM saying that the pitching rates at the trappist breweries were "scary low" with extremely viable and fresh yeast. Not using a starter in your belgians has probably accentuated the belgian flavors you like.

 

Something was very wrong with your fermentation. Even a single vial of fresh yeast should have gone faster than that. I'd question how fresh that yeast really was.

 

 

This is what I'm leaning towards.  On the vial the yeast was only a few weeks old.  Not even two I don't think.  I'm going to go back to basics and just use US-05 for the next few.

[Gus13]

3 weeks to FG. I should add that I ferment very cool, IE 50F for US05

 

 

What would be the reason for fermenting so cold?  I'm honestly wondering btw.  No sarcasm.

[brewman]

My Belgian will go at 63 for a week then I'll let it creep up to the low 70's for 2 more weeks.

[EWW]

Cool ferments reduce ester production

Edited by EWW, 14 June 2013 - 06:12 AM.

[Gus13]

My Belgian will go at 63 for a week then I'll let it creep up to the low 70's for 2 more weeks.

 

I start mine around 68-70 and let them creep up to close to 80 almost every time.  Fruity goodness!

 

Cool ferments reduce ester production

 

Ah makes sense.  Like how I ferment warmer than normal with my Belgians and Saisons.