What a faff

[stz]

Aimed to make approx 30L with an og of 80. Assumed a efficency of 75% as a starting point, usually poorer efficency on high gravity brews. Decided at the last minute to use 1kg of cherry smoked malt. Even with the extra potential extract ended up with an efficency of 83% so continued the sparge for a total of 50L with an og of 66. Whirlpool for about 15m and collected fast assuming I'd have cold wort after the whirlpool. Fv temperature ended up being 37c. Into the ferm chamber, 5 hours later at 26c. Decided to pitch, can't be fussed to hang on any longer. Chilling is on anyway.

It'll be 2 kegs ,split batch. One cranberry, fig, cocoa nib, chocolate extract and vanilla. Other lactose, peanut extract, strawberry and vanilla.

Grist was x% best ale, 10% flaked oat, 10% chocolate malt, 1% roast barley, 1% black malt, 1% special b, 2% dark crystal. Oh and the cherry smoked malt. Hops were random for 38 theoretical ibus at 90m. Chloride 200ppm, 80ppm sulphate, sodium carbonate to correct pH in mash, approx 1.3g. 68c mash.

 

[Sadfield]

Why didn't you put it into the fermenting chamber at 37c and chill it down to the correct temperature, before pitching yeast?

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

 

[stz]

It went in at 37c (modified freezer). After 5 hours it was at 26c. I decided to pitch then because I'm off to bed. I just checked on it and it is at 24c. I'm sure it'll be fine, probably be at 20c (set temperature for ferm) within the next couple of hours.

Just very surprised that the groundwater temperature made my usual chilling process so pathetic, it is not normally this bad. Also surprised the freezer was being so pathetic, it'll usually cold crash a beer in only a few hours, but usually it isn't 27 degrees in here and I guess it doesn't always have 50L of warm wort sat in there!

Generally a bit of a off the cuff brew day.

 

[Jakeyboi]

My tap water is 22C ATM. I thought my thermometer was knackered! Best I could get into the fv was 23.5, pitched anyway under the pretence that it should be below 20c before the yeast gets going.

 

[foxbat]

My tap water is 22C ATM. I thought my thermometer was knackered!

Mine's at 22C as well. That certainly raised a surprised eyebrow. I was only chilling DME solution for a starter but now I know what it's going to be like come brewday on Sunday.

I could get into the fv was 23.5, pitched anyway under the pretence that it should be below 20c before the yeast gets going.

Nothing wrong with that. I regularly pitch at 24C knowing it'll be down to 20 in the fridge in a few hours.

 

[stz]

Most dried yeasts I use recommend hydration at 26C or thereabout anyway. Prefer to pitch slightly low and allow a free rise to fermentation temperature, but my ground water is 21-23C at the minute so no chance. Usually without a whirlpool I have to collect very slowly to get that in one pass, with a whirlpool I'm usually sending it through chilled to 60-70C so can afford to run full speed. Both beers currently smell fantastic btw, regret using whole fruit, I'm totally a puree/freeze dried kind of guy these days. Trying to ignore the cranberry and fig are about 48g carbohydrates per 100g therefore 1kg has probably given me 9 points on top of the og of 66. Strawberries better at 6g per 100g, but used 3kg so still 3.x points in the batch.

 

[stz]

Kegged both today. Gave both 200g of lactose. Cranberry/fig tastes like a boozy stout, smoke character is evident, tastes thick and heavy, no doubt due to the enhanced abv. Peanut butter and strawberry has a moderate strawberry flavour, but not a strong one. The smoke seems almost gone in that one, slightly thin by comparison with a slight hint of a metallic note? Of course can't really tell much cold and flat. I'm sure they'll be better with some time.