Pictured: 1. Yeasts compared in this batch 2. The boil 3. Enjoyed an imported and a domestic beer while brewing; these are shown next to the Mr. Beer bottles used for this fermentation.
Note: I am no longer writing a blog. I am only providing notes, observations and data records of my homebrew batches. I am exploring a variety of ingredients, brew waters, temperatures and recipes. I will be analyzing taste and possible improvements I can make to the next batch. I may make some yeast reviews here. Taste is subjective. Make what you want to drink. Draw your own conclusions...
Goal: Test cold lagering outside the ideal range of yeasts, which has been addressed before in a beer magazine.
Real Objective: Find out what yeast I like better: Bavarian Lager, Wyeast 2206, or Southern German Lager Yeast, WLP838.
Brew Date: October 18, 2016. Still attempting to find best Paulaner Wiesn clone recipe. I don't reach 58 degrees F until mid-winter in the basement closet. Mini-fridge can hit a high of 47 degrees year round.
Water: 1/16 each of baking soda, calcium carbonate and calcium chloride added to each gallon of (31% RO and 69% Lansing Brita-filtered water). This was the result brew water after I had miscalculated. Hopefully, the miscalculation will lead to a new discovery. Used just over 1.5 gallons of brew water with remainder used during end of lauter/sparge below.
Grains: Total 3 pounds for a 1 gallon batch, mostly German Pilsner except 12% of the weight was Light Munich.
Mash: Grains sat in brew water for 1.5 hours as I had trouble finding all my brew supplies, raised temperatures slowly to 150 - 157 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour.
Mashout: Raised to 170 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Lauter/Sparge: Using 2 strainers and 2 larger pots, I divided the grains and liquid into 2 separate strainers and pots, pouring back and forth alternating between strainers for 1/2 an hour, added the remainder of the brew water through some of the grains to make a full pot to boil.
Possible New Failure: Noted 2 larger stock pots have slight rust spots in them leading me to believe they weren't real stainless steel - will need to replace them. Introduction of iron oxide to the batch?
Boil: One hour at the 6 setting. I never heat quickly as I now I don't have to watch to prevent boil overs.
Hops: Bittering at 60 minutes (begin boil) with Herkules 2 grams, last 15 minutes to go with German Tradition 2.5 grams.
Yeast: Wyeast 2206 was placed in 2 Mr. Beer bottles approximately 1 quart for each bottle, White Labs WLP838 placed in the other 2 bottles. Tried to give each bottle slightly less than 1 gallon's worth of yeast. There is some waste due to the fact that the packs are meant for 5 gallons; at least I don't have to grow more yeast.
Ferment: Using mini-fridge, highest setting is 67 degrees. Fahrenheit for 10 days and will check to see if it is still bubbling. Colder temps should make fermentation go longer.
Bottled: Should occur after the 10 days.
Lagering: Will lager as the same as has been mentioned in previous entries of this blog: lagering will approach 32 degrees F. Will start tasting after about 4 weeks of lagering hoping to try remainders by 5th week.
Note: I am no longer writing a blog. I am only providing notes, observations and data records of my homebrew batches. I am exploring a variety of ingredients, brew waters, temperatures and recipes. I will be analyzing taste and possible improvements I can make to the next batch. I may make some yeast reviews here. Taste is subjective. Make what you want to drink. Draw your own conclusions...
Goal: Test cold lagering outside the ideal range of yeasts, which has been addressed before in a beer magazine.
Real Objective: Find out what yeast I like better: Bavarian Lager, Wyeast 2206, or Southern German Lager Yeast, WLP838.
Brew Date: October 18, 2016. Still attempting to find best Paulaner Wiesn clone recipe. I don't reach 58 degrees F until mid-winter in the basement closet. Mini-fridge can hit a high of 47 degrees year round.
Water: 1/16 each of baking soda, calcium carbonate and calcium chloride added to each gallon of (31% RO and 69% Lansing Brita-filtered water). This was the result brew water after I had miscalculated. Hopefully, the miscalculation will lead to a new discovery. Used just over 1.5 gallons of brew water with remainder used during end of lauter/sparge below.
Grains: Total 3 pounds for a 1 gallon batch, mostly German Pilsner except 12% of the weight was Light Munich.
Mash: Grains sat in brew water for 1.5 hours as I had trouble finding all my brew supplies, raised temperatures slowly to 150 - 157 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour.
Mashout: Raised to 170 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Lauter/Sparge: Using 2 strainers and 2 larger pots, I divided the grains and liquid into 2 separate strainers and pots, pouring back and forth alternating between strainers for 1/2 an hour, added the remainder of the brew water through some of the grains to make a full pot to boil.
Possible New Failure: Noted 2 larger stock pots have slight rust spots in them leading me to believe they weren't real stainless steel - will need to replace them. Introduction of iron oxide to the batch?
Boil: One hour at the 6 setting. I never heat quickly as I now I don't have to watch to prevent boil overs.
Hops: Bittering at 60 minutes (begin boil) with Herkules 2 grams, last 15 minutes to go with German Tradition 2.5 grams.
Yeast: Wyeast 2206 was placed in 2 Mr. Beer bottles approximately 1 quart for each bottle, White Labs WLP838 placed in the other 2 bottles. Tried to give each bottle slightly less than 1 gallon's worth of yeast. There is some waste due to the fact that the packs are meant for 5 gallons; at least I don't have to grow more yeast.
Ferment: Using mini-fridge, highest setting is 67 degrees. Fahrenheit for 10 days and will check to see if it is still bubbling. Colder temps should make fermentation go longer.
Bottled: Should occur after the 10 days.
Lagering: Will lager as the same as has been mentioned in previous entries of this blog: lagering will approach 32 degrees F. Will start tasting after about 4 weeks of lagering hoping to try remainders by 5th week.