Open Fermentation and/or Different Fermenter Geometry.

[matt76]

Most of the time once there's sign that the krausen is about to drop, rack the beer into a purged corny keg via a tap on the bottom of the FV. Letting it ferment out. Occasionally, I'll just put the stainless lid on.

I could also drop after 16 hrs and replicate another method of British brewing, the Double Drop system, used by Brakspear.

Presumably you're still taking sensible precautions to guard against oxidation when you transfer?

And presumably you leave the yeast cake (such as it is at this point) (and any kettle trub you may have ) behind in the FV? I suppose there's enough yeast still suspended in the beer at this point to finish fermenting the last few gravity points and clean up etc?

Do you need a spunding valve on the corny keg, or do you just chance it and/or know by feel that the last few gravity points are enough to yield about the right level of carbonation?

Need to check again if my kegs will fit in my brew fridge with or without a spunding valve (if not I can just go old school) but I'm seriously tempted to give this a whirl

 

[Sadfield]

Yes the receiving keg gets purged. There should be enough yeast activity to scrub oxygen though.

The spunding is often just set to 5 PSI at room temperature, it doesn't really carbonate much at that, it's more about using the keg as a maturation tank and retaining positive pressure.

When I come to package I've options depending on what suits. Serve from keg or bottle, either carbonated or bottle conditioned. I favour the latter for most of what I brew.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Anchor steam beer is open fermented in a fermenter about 18 inches deep and takes 200 barrels. A twenty litre ferment in a brew bucket might have a higher surface to volume ratio than this.

 

[matt76]

Yes the receiving keg gets purged. There should be enough yeast activity to scrub oxygen though.

The spunding is often just set to 5 PSI at room temperature, it doesn't really carbonate much at that, it's more about using the keg as a maturation tank and retaining positive pressure.

When I come to package I've options depending on what suits. Serve from keg or bottle, either carbonated or bottle conditioned. I favour the latter for most of what I brew.

Sounds like you're doing something different, but once I'm happy the beer is ready I could just serve straight from that keg right? Maybe just a bit of sediment in the first glass or so?

 

[Galena]

Interesting that the Head Brewer at Black Sheep Brewery says during open fermentation they "round it" to "re acquaint" the yeast.

 

[Sadfield]

Typically in the UK and Europe a 1:1 ratio or less is used. As can be seen in the examples in the opening post.

 

[MashBag]

Interesting that the Head Brewer at Black Sheep Brewery says during open fermentation they "round it" to "re acquaint" the yeast.

Do 'e mean stir it?

 

[Galena]

Do 'e mean stir it?

Watch the video, certainly no stirring as such more recirculation.

 

[Sadfield]

Stirring or recirculation, it's just keeping a highly flocculent yeast in suspension, extending fermentation and increasing attenuation.

 

[6Trails]

Seen a couple of breweries here doing that too. Was a regular stainless tall fermenter but it was recirculated via a fan nozzle in through the hatch at the top.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Harveys they have to Rouse, seen in the video and mentioned.

 

[marshbrewer]

I don't want to be Captain Pedant, but that Black Sheep video doesn't show rousing, but the fundamental way a Yorkshire square operates, doesn't it? It's showing the yeast being pumped from the lower deck to the upper deck.

 

[Sadfield]

I don't want to be Captain Pedant, but that Black Sheep video doesn't show rousing, but the fundamental way a Yorkshire square operates, doesn't it? It's showing the yeast being pumped from the lower deck to the upper deck.

They say rousing here. It's all words for puttng yeast back in suspension.

https://www.blacksheepbrewery.com/our-story/our-brewing-methods/

 

[MashBag]

Are they the same thing?

 

[Twostage]

Interesting that the Head Brewer at Black Sheep Brewery says during open fermentation they "round it" to "re acquaint" the yeast.

Pale with a bit of crystal.
Bittering hops and then fuggles.

Classic bitter.

When my Poe’s Boston runs out and I’ve done my next planned brew I might just give it a go.

 

[Sadfield]

As we're talking Black Sheep Brewery. They only started in 1991-92 had all options available as to type of fermenters to use, yet eschewed stainless steel conicals, instead opting to acquire slate Yorkshire squares from Hardy & Hanson, of Nottingham, along with their yeast.

 

[Sadfield]

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/post1617/

An old but great interview with the head brewer of Black Sheep, here. Breaking down the recipe of Riggwelter for a 'Can You Brew It' challenge, amusingly set by a listener that sounds remarkably like Herbert The Pervert from Family Guy.

Most interesting to me, is a the confirmation of my own findings that open fermentation gives a softer mouthfeel. An observation posed by the late Michael Jackson (not Wacko Jacko), and corroborated by the brewer.

 

[Twostage]

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/post1617/

An old but great interview with the head brewer of Black Sheep, here. Breaking down the recipe of Riggwelter for a 'Can You Brew It' challenge, amusingly set by a listener that sounds remarkably like Herbert The Pervert from Family Guy.

Most interesting to me, is a the confirmation of my own findings that open fermentation gives a softer mouthfeel. An observation posed by the late Michael Jackson (not Wacko Jacko), and corroborated by the brewer.

I wonder if its the continued contact with the air. The Black sheep video shows that the recirculation is aerating.

Brew after next...

 

[matt76]

I'm feeling the urge to make another Czech pilsner* and I'm seriously tempted to ferment it open for the first few days at least, then when we get to about day 10-11 (based on a 10-11°P wort) transfer to a purged corny keg with a spunding valve to finish off.

(* as long as I can get the yeast to wake up! Actually, if I can't then I suppose I could just go with some K-97 and claim it's a Kölsch )

@Sadfield going back to your s/s catering trays ("Gastronorm" is the term for anyone searching on eBay etc) I've had a look but discovered that the one that would fit in my brew fridge has a very similar cross sectional area to my existing buckets - so the depth of liquid would only be 1-2cm less (or 5-10% less) so as much as I'm curious I'm not sure it's worthwhile for me.

 

[Twostage]

I do wonder about the geometry. Does square make a difference, I've a feeling it does.