re: Homebrewing Thread: Volume II

Does anyone have experience with Wyeast 2001 (Urquell lager yeast)? I brewed a Bo Pils last weekend and pitch an appropriate size starter. Fermentation didn't show visible signs until 24 hours after pitching, which is consistent with the other lagers that I have done. What is different about this batch is that it reached terminal gravity in just 5 days. I fermented at 50 degrees for 4 days and then ramped it up to 55 for a couple of more days. Not only did it ferment quickly, but it should have finished at 1.015, but it is currently sitting at 1.010. I am worried about an infection that is driving the gravity down. I tasted the hydrometer sample and it tastes like a pilsner. I didn't pick up any diacetyl or acetaldehyde, just a little bit of yeast bite.

I might be worrying for nothing, but I am shocked at how fast this beer has fermented.

I am basically using the brulosophy fast lager method. I'll just RDWHAHB.

JK used a bsi French saison strain before they started going full on house cultures. I have the recipe if you want it. I can post it in the morning.

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I loved the original black metal. Is your recipe any different than what they have posted on their site?

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Yeah, a little different. This is what they sent me for their recipe as of 2013.

Recipe
Brew date 2/5/2013 Yeast BSI S-11
Style Black Metal Imperial
Stout
Mash density
(quarts/gal) 1.1
Batch No. 13 Mash liquor
volume (gal) 885
Overall Batch No. Mash temp (F) 154
Batch size (bbl) 30 Copper-up target
volume (bbl) 33
O.G. (sg) 1.085 Copper-up target
gravity (sg) 1.082
F.G. (sg) 1.015 Boil duration (min) 90
Alc./vol. 9.3 Wort aeration 60 min @ 8 LPM
Apparent attenuation 81% 1 million 1M
I.B.U. 50 Fermentation temp
(F) 75F
S.R.M. 75 Priming sugar (g/750mL) - 2.0g Dextrose Reyeast w/ DV-10)

Malt Quantity (lbs) Percentage
Crisp Organic Pale Malt 2255 77%
Simpsons Roasted Barley 165 6%
Simpsons Chocolate Malt 110 4%
Simpsons Black Malt 110 4%
Simpsons Caramalt 55 2%
Simpsons Dark Crystal 55 2%
Crisp Brown Malt 55 2%
Carafa III Special 110 2%
TOTAL 2915 100

Hops Quantity (lbs) Addition Alpha acid % IBU
Millenium 6.6 60 EOB 17.4 46
EKG 5.5 Whirlpool 5.4 4

If I want to bottle, I soak the bottles in PBW, rinse, place a little square of aluminum foil over the top of each bottle, and then bake the bottles at 300 deg for an hour. I let them cool overnight. When it comes time to bottle, just rip the foil off and fill.

So, i have a gose question.

Brewing my gose friday. I'm dong the quick sour method from the sour beer blog. However, my recipe creation was based on a typical, 60 minute boil. So, my wort collection amounts are based on boil-off, hop trub, and water dissipation of a typical brew day.

That being said, i will have more than the 5 gallons that will be going in the keg, which means i may have about 3 gallons of wort left over that i can play around with.

So, the questions are.

1) The homebrew shop up North i got the Omega yeast lacto blend from, stated he kettle sours in true form, in the kettle, and simply places a blanket of CO2 in the kettle and puts the top back on with a blanket after pitching the lacto. If i go this route, wouldn't the CO2 escape? What are some ways to secure the lid to make it air tight? I thought of maybe taping the lid on after the kettle is purged, then draping a towel on top and placing a brick on top for good measure.
1a) Secondary question to this, wouldn't the low acidity (hope to have the wort to 4.5 ph) prevent some formation of bacterial infection?

2) If i'm able to kettle sour the whole batch, what should i do with the remaining 3 gallons? Thought about racking to my 3 gallon carboy and bitching a brett brux gigayeast blend. If i have to transfer the batch to sour in a keg, then i'll just tinker with some brett and some souring microbes.

3) Would it be easier to just kettle sour in a 5 gallon keg, and boil the remaining 3 gallons or so for 30 minutes, transfer to a carboy, then add a sour blend and long age sour it?


If i can kettle sour the whole batch in the kettle without any risk of infection, thats what i want to do.

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The only reason you need the CO2 is to prevent infection from bacteria that made it over from the mash. You can avoid all this by simply raising your wort to boiling temp for a couple minute and then chilling it back to pitch temps.

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That's the plan. Boil for 10 minutes then shut off the heat and pitch.

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Then your wort is clean and the only bacteria present are the ones you add. Once it's as sour as you want it, boil again and you can transfer with worrying about infections on the cold side.

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Same plan here.

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I've used Saran Wrap

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I may do this. And put some food grade tubing around the lid.

Thanks for the info.

So what's on everyone's brew agenda in the upcoming months? It's been relatively quiet in this thread for a few weeks now (not counting the storm).

I'm getting more and more into brewing sour/brett beers. Ordered a pack of Omega OYL-605 lacto blend for my gose this weekend, and i also got a pack of Omega OYL-218 - All the Bretts, brett blend with 12 different strains.

I was planning on using the brett blend for a 100% brett citra dry hopped pale ale.

Other than that, i will be re-brewing my coffee stout with a few changes thanks to some advice from Bmoney. (using whole coffee beans instead of ground), and i plan on brewing yet another IPA, until i'm satisfied with one. My Nelson/Galaxy IPA did not come out like i wanted it. Color was too dark, and the hops didn't shine through like i was expecting.

Found out today that my employment contract was cancelled so that's going to free up some time to brew.

Will probably start with a Kolsh or Premium American Lager. Something to keep on tap that will keep the wife happy.

After that back to IPAs