26 replies to this topic

[SchwanzBrewer]

Are you selling beer yet?

 

Nope. Still working on that.

[SchwanzBrewer]

So I kegged this beer last night. It didn't finish completely. 1.032 final gravity from 1.078. Supposed to be about 1.025. It doesn't taste that sweet though. It has a little sweet on the finish that is all, but it isn't cloying at all. I think I need to revamp the recipe a bit and use some techniques from BLAM. I'm gonna do a long 148 mash next time and use lower temp sparge water <167 so that I get conversion until the enzymes denature in the kettle. Also I think I'm going to try a longer fermentation schedule and watch the gravity a little more carefully. 

 

Once this beer is carbed up I'm gonna get some people to drink it up and use the lessons learned to adapt the recipe for a dubbel. I'm gonna need to use a heater in the ferm chamber though since temps have dropped.

 

I wish I had read BLAM a little sooner.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Except for the sweetness I'm liking the flavor of this beer.

 

I think I'm going to get some fresh yeast, let the other keg warm up, and pitch a couple smack packs into it and see if it ferments out a little more. I'll let it sit at 55 degrees for two weeks and see what I get for the FG.

Probably add some yeast nutrient too.

[positiveContact]

what do you suspect caused the under attenuation?  I have to think there is more to it than just the mash temp.  what was the ferm temp profile like?  I've had good luck with ramping the temp up after the first 2-3 days.

Edited by Evil_Morty, 11 December 2015 - 02:56 PM.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Most likely a combo of needing more yeast, more o2, and starting a little higher like 50 or 51, plus using nutrients. Then it's just a matter of taking samples and customizing the fermentation schedule. Raise the temp when it's 45 to 50 % fermented
I'm gonna rebrew it probably this weekend.
Also I'm gonna change the recipe. Make pils the main malt and reduce the Munich and use dehusked carafa. Try for a longer boil and a little less bitterness.

[SchwanzBrewer]

OK new recipe formulation to help dry it out a bit...

 

Title: Doppel Bock 2 - Pilot

Author: Rich

 

Brew Method: All Grain

Style Name: Doppelbock

Boil Time: 90 min

Batch Size: 32 gallons (fermentor volume)

Boil Size: 40 gallons

Boil Gravity: 1.064

Efficiency: 82% (brew house)

 

STATS:

Original Gravity: 1.080

Final Gravity: 1.018

ABV (standard): 8.1%

IBU (tinseth): 21.55

SRM (morey): 20.12

 

FERMENTABLES:

55 lb - German - Pilsner (65.5%)

20 lb - German - Dark Munich - 10L (23.8%)

7.5 lb - German - CaraMunich III - 54L (8.9%)

1.5 lb - German - De-Husked Caraf III - 470L (1.8%)

 

HOPS:

2.5 oz - Nugget, Type: Pellet, AA: 14, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 18.36

2.5 oz - Hallertau Mittelfruh, Type: Pellet, AA: 3.5, Use: Boil for 25 min, IBU: 3.19

 

MASH GUIDELINES:

1) Infusion, Temp: 148 F, Time: 90 min, Amount: 23 gal

2) Fly Sparge, Temp: 165 F, Time: 30 min, Amount: 25 gal

Starting Mash Thickness: 1.1 qt/lb

 

YEAST:

Wyeast - Bohemian Lager 2124

Starter: No

Form: Liquid

Attenuation (avg): 75%

Flocculation: Medium

Optimum Temp: 48 - 58 F

Fermentation Temp: 50 F

Pitch Rate: 2.0 (M cells / ml / deg P)

[SchwanzBrewer]

I think I figured out why the beer under attenuated...

 

Potasium metabisulphite

 

I didn't have time to get some purified water so I used tap water in my starters. I added kmeta to evolve the chlorine and bind the chloramines. Well, I recall in one of them I put a bit much in, like it spilled in from the bag. I didn't think much about it at the time, but I probably killed a lot of yeast when I pitched into the starter. I recall thinking one of the flasks was thin on yeast when I pitched into the beer.

 

I had this revelation while taking a dump and thinking about what I needed from the grocery store this morning. All my best thinking is done on the can. I should keep a notebook titled Idea's On Down the Crapper.

 

Cheers!