Split Extract Batches

[Jus]

Hi all

What i am wanting to do is get an idea of what a particular hops characteristics are like, eg flavour & aroma. The idea being that i can start to put together some of my own recipes down based on what hops i like.

My plan was to get a fairly neutral extract base and trial different hops. I thought that i'd speed things along by doing a stove top boil, splitting the contents evenly between 2 fermenters and i'd come up with 2 beers with unique hops characteristics. Al least that was my theory - is this sound?

I used the following:
-1.7 Wal's Dry Lager (used kit yeast)
-1kg TCB Ultrabrew (500g Light Malt / 250g Maltodextron / 250g Dextrose)
-12g Cascade hops (standard method in fermenter 1)
-12g Saaz hops (standard method in fermenter 2)

I heated the extract, Fermentables, and disolved in a couple of litres of water. Poured half into fermenter 1 and half into the other. Topped up both fermenters to 11 litres (22 litre total batch size) and added hops. Dropped half the yeast into one, half into the other.

24 hours later one fermenter is bubbling away and the other shows zero activity. Both are the same temp, around 17 degrees. When i had a peek inside both batches appeared to look the same.

The only difference that i could think of is that one fermenter was probably cooled better than the other but both were still less than 30 degrees so i dont think i;ve killed the yeast.

Any suggestions as to what may be going on?

Cheers
Justin

[earle]

Justin,

I'm guessing that one of your fermenters is not sealing, a check of hyrdrometer readings would confirm.

What you're doing sounds like a great idea except that by only dry hopping you may miss some of the hop characteristics. Dry hopping will mainly give you aroma, some of which may be driven off during fermentation, which is why some people don't add the hops until fermentation has slowed. To get more of the flavour from the hops you need to boil them for about 15 to 20 minutes. This will add some extra bitterness as well though so you could adjust by either
- diluting the kit more to reduce its bitterness
- using malt extract rather than a kit and adding all the bitterness yourself (this also means you will have no hop flavour/aroma contribution from the kit to spoil your experiments)
- choosing the lowest bitterness kit you can find - maybe mexican cerveza.

[Jus]

Thanks Earle

The Dry Lager i'm using is billed as "for lovers of a good cerveza" so i thought it might do as a good substitute. Whilst im not a cerveza fan it seems we are both on the same wavelength re bitterness.

Point taken re using malt extract instead of kit as well.

The hops method i'm actually using is referred to as "standard" on some of the previous instruction sheets i've read but it involves soaking the hops in boiled water in a sterilised coffee mug for 10-15 mins. I'm hoping this will get closer to the desired boiling effect you described withour releasing much bitterness.

I have actually checked the fermenter seals but just by sight/feel. I'll see if it bubbles when i take a hydrometer reading, hadn't really thought of doing it that way but it makes sense

[aurelius121ad]

I do all my batches of beer this way (split between 2 fermenters) because I am forced to due to my makeshift fermenters (19 liter water cooler jugs). They wont hold a full 23L batch let alone leave room for the krausen. I usually leave half of the batch as a control then add various stuff to the other fermenter. Works out well in gaining experience and knowledge as to exactly what happens when you add certain ingredients since you have the control batch to know what it would taste like if you didn't add anything to it.

I agree with earle though... the not bubbling probably wasnt sealed perfectly for some reason. Especially since it looks the same as the other one that is going fine.

[Jus]

Works out well in gaining experience and knowledge as to exactly what happens when you add certain ingredients since you have the control batch to know what it would taste like if you didn't add anything to it.

Exactly what i'm aiming to achieve. If anyone else has any other ideas on how to do this it would be great to hear them

[earle]

One of my fermenters never seals but I'm not that worried about it. Its probably a good reason to give cling wrap a whirl though.