Designed an AG recipe - your thoughts

[rotten]

can you elaborate on the kolsch?
I have read about them as I did like the sound of Kolsch11
(sorry i don't want to sound lazy after visiting another forum)
Cheers

hey bullfrog you just beat me.
I plan on adding a firdge with a tempmate or similar over next few months so I'm not going to bother with coolers etc. faux or pseoudo lager will be fine for now.

[bullfrog]

Fermenting fridge will be your best investment yet, mate. Picked up mine (520L) off gumtree.com.au for $60. Add whatever cost my tempmate was (got it from Ross) and the heat pad that I've thrown in there for the heat cycle and I came out all grins. 6 months later, haven't looked back.

[drsmurto]

As mentioned the kolsch yeast (WY2565) is an option, as is the german ale yeast (WY1007).

Both have quite broad temperature ranges (13-20C). When fermented cool they produce lager like beers, at higher temps they get more estery and produce ale characteristics.

Then there is the californian lager strain (WY2112) used in california commons (steam ales). It has a temp range of 14-20C.

Whilst Speedie will continue to tell you dry yeasts are the bees knees they lack the flexibility and variety found in liquid strains. Very few liquid strains have been successfully dried and as such there are far fewer dry strains compared to liquid strains. They may well be used extensively in commercial breweries but that point is completely irrelevant amongst small scale homebrewers who aren't constrained by financial pressures.

[rotten]

This will be my last lager type brew for the year,, or until fridge happens . If I can get a liquid yeast that may be suitable for lager or ale depending on temp, that would be beneficial to me. Good experiment too for learning purposes. I would probably top crop while it's in the lager, than use it in a ale in the other fermentor.
Cheers

[rotten]

Alright here is the final recipe, placing order tomorrow.

Bohemian Pilsener
4.5 kg Pilsener (Weyermann)
25gm Northern Brewer (8.5%AA)(hallertau) @ 60 min
25gm Sterling (7.5%AA) @ 25 min
20gm Ultra (3%AA) @ 10 min

60 min mash @ 66c
1050 OG
42 IBU
21 ltr
gone for Kolsch WY 2565, will have to see what beerbelly has at time though.

These hops have similar qualities to more known hops for this or similar styles.
Thanks again guys, I reckon it will be a winner.
Cheers

[speedie]

what are your overnight temps in remark
at present it goes down to 2 in perth

[matr]

It might go down to 2C speedie but my brews maintain 18C inside.

[speedie]

pick a room on the out skirts of your pad and check out what average temps youy get
sort of like free fridge stuff
i always brew to seasonal temperatures
winter lagers summer ales

[Bum]

So what's that big coolroom in your brew gear pictures for?

[speedie]

for me to ferment in (coolroom)
rotten put your brew outside at night try wrapping it to keep it warmer that ambient then bring it in in the morning
only a suggestion

[earle]

pick a room on the out skirts of your pad and check out what average temps youy get
sort of like free fridge stuff

I would be wary of the large temp fluctuations such a location could offer. These outer rooms that get cool at night can also get very hot during the day and a fermenter only has so much thermal mass to prevent huge temperature swings.

[Bum]

for me to ferment in (coolroom)

As I thought. Please disregard (talking to everyone else).

[rotten]

Gday guys. I CAN hold 16 or 20c stable for the ferment process, and do a diacetyl rest if needed. I won't risk fluctuating temps, be like taking 10 steps backwards. I have modified recipe to brew tomorrow, Beerbelly didn't quite have what I was after, no biggy though. Here she is, still a bohemian pilsener.

4.5 kg Pilsener (Weyermann)
20 gm Northern Brewer - german @ 60 min (9.6%AA)
25 gm Hallertauer - german @ 30 min (4.4%AA)
25 gm B Saaz FLOWERS - NZ @ 10 min (8.0%AA)
WY Yeast 2112 (Kolsch not there until tomorrow-bugger)
16c ferment
40.4 IBU
OG 1050
21 ltr

The B Saaz flowers bring another question. Should I just use them for aroma & design a basic hop-back?
Or should I just throw them loose in kettle or use a hop-sock?
Is 25 gm Saaz flowers too much? sorry haven't used flowers yet.
Cheers

[bullfrog]

B-Saaz isn't your normal Czech stuff. B-saaz is very fruity. If you've ever had Little Creatures Bright Ale then you'll know what I'm talking about as it and Cascade are the only hops used in that drop. If you haven't tried LCBA, then just know that when I couldn't get my hands on B-Saaz for a recent clone attempt, I subbed it for Nelson Sauvin.

Just as a general rule, when dealing with flowers as opposed to pellets or plugs, you generally want to add about 10% more. I think 25g will be perfect.

I like B-Saaz as a flavour addition, so I'd be throwing it into my kettle (in a hop-sock as I don't have a filter or mesh around the outlet on my urn - if you do have one of these, then throw them in loose -- if not boiling in a kettle that has a tap, use the sock and remove at flameout) but if you'd prefer them more for the aroma then I'd be really interested to see the hop-back you put together.

[speedie]

Rotten is this 16-18 stable temperature
IF IT IS you have little chance of using nature for temperature control
During fermentation there is a process named heat of evolution
There is a substantial amount of energy produced during fermentation
That is why we use mechanical means of temperature extraction (fridge)
My suggestion is to do what you feel correct brew with your heart
You’re lager will do well
Earl what do you do in the passage for temperature control?

[rotten]

Good onya bullfrog.
I really enjoyed NS in recent brews and only used D Saaz before I bought B saaz today. I have some time to brew tomorrow so a hop-back is not out of the question. Have only heard of them on an old grumpys forum re LCPA, where a Little Creatures guy spoke about using one (larger scale of course) basically your kettle contents after the boil run through it on way to fermentor. So mesh and a little box maybe is all that's required, too farkin easy, I'm gonna give it a go.
Thanks mate, let ya know how it goes.
Cheers

[rotten]

Gday Speedie, yes it's stable temp. Not low enough but it's stable at least.
I have only noticed temp increase when I brewed a high OG beer using a high OG yeastcake if that makes sense, think I overpitched a bit. It went NUTS.
Cheers

[speedie]

dude we will be brewin on saturday
strong ale with fermentation temperature control
as all would put to it(brewing) personal love in your brew
cheers and good night

[bullfrog]

Good onya bullfrog.
I really enjoyed NS in recent brews and only used D Saaz before I bought B saaz today. I have some time to brew tomorrow so a hop-back is not out of the question. Have only heard of them on an old grumpys forum re LCPA, where a Little Creatures guy spoke about using one (larger scale of course) basically your kettle contents after the boil run through it on way to fermentor. So mesh and a little box maybe is all that's required, too farkin easy, I'm gonna give it a go.
Thanks mate, let ya know how it goes.
Cheers

My understanding is that you want it to be a sealed vessel (I've actually seen pics of people converting jam jars to do the job) and you want it in-line between kettle and chiller.

Apparently Speedie has never heard the word 'exothermic.' Heat of evolution indeed.

[rotten]

Thanks Bullfrog, will see what the morn brings.
Gotta take tribe to their respective places so will see how enthusiastic I are. You made it sound harder than I had invisaged.
Cheers