Drink Belgian or nothing at all!!!!

[BREWsmith]

Soft candi sugar is something Belgian, that particularly Rochefort is mentioned for using in their ales to bring up alcohol without adding sweetness. It has a slightly different flavor, they say. I dunno. But the process is slightly different in obtaining the sugar.

Anyway, Rochefort is sold at Frontier on Greenriver. The 6 degree goes for 5.99 I think. Add another dollar for the other two degrees as they go up. If you get me one, do yourself a favor and get one for yourself, each one.

I'll bring it to the August meeting.

[sirgiovanni]

Been a while since I had anything new to talk about on this thread but I thought this was news worthy.

I've been really focusing on trying to maximize my 3000ml flask for yeast starters, trying to avoid buying two vials per batch or a second stir plate. Doing high gravities and 10 gallons is just a real challenge.

Anyway this was a first for me this morning. Have you ever seen a yeast starter blow-off? I had a freakin mess this morning. Flask was obviously covered, stir plate was covered, and about 2 ft. diameter radius was included in ground zero!!!

[Chris Alvey]

WOW! Which yeast?

[sirgiovanni]

550 but I stepped it up.

[Dwayne_Delaney]

Here is a link to a nice powerpoint on brewing sour beers at home by Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River.


http://www.babblebelt.com/newboard/brew ... tation.ppt

[john mills]

Brewed a 10 gal batch of Wit today spiced with ginger root, coriander, & orange peel.
Topped out the BJCP guidelines.
OG: 1.051
19.9 IBU's
I'm thinking of making 1/2 the batch a 7% Winter Wit with a small sugar addition in a day or two.

[sirgiovanni]

Awesome! the pencentage is the only thing that holds me back to make Wits. Love to taste that 7.

[sirgiovanni]

Good week. We kegged and bottled a 10% Blond and just finished kegging for bottle the zinfendel/shiraz braggot experiment. It finished at 11.6% and has been aging for 6 months.

[john mills]

Yesterday was a great day to brew. 12 gallons of 7% Wit. I'll ferment this one a little warmer than last time for more esters. Maybe like 65-68 for a few days to start then finish off at 73.

[john mills]

Jimmy,
Can you post your bottling method, ie. how you make your sugar solution, how much sugar solution you add/ml for your carbonization levels, any yeast additions, or other information you've learned about your process. Of course I'm lazy and could 'cipher out for myself, but I'll give you the opportunity to be lead monk, brother!

[sirgiovanni]

Absolutely!
Carbonate a keg, boil 1/3 cup malt extract or sugar with a 1/2 cup water. Add another 1/2 cup water at then end of the boil and cool to room temp.

At the same time, add 2 or 3 grams yeast, I use a dry wine yeast that does not effect the flavor or aroma of what I did in the primary, with an ounce or two water to rehydrate the yeast.

Mix the sugar water and yeast together and put in a teaspoon per bottle. Fill the bottles with extremely low pressure, I use a beer gun. Cap immediately and store on their side for a couple weeks. Cheers!

[john mills]

What size bottles? The 2L growler?

[sirgiovanni]

The teaspoon is for a standard bottle. Just increase proportionately.

[sirgiovanni]

10% Cherry Lambic at 3 months. I think that means it's time to keg. ;)

[john mills]

The all malt, no sugar Fantome golden strong I made 7 weeks ago is still hitting the airlock every 34-36 seconds. This beer fermented like gangbusters at first pitch. I had to change our my ice packs twice a day to help keep fermentation cool. After 3 days fermentation started to dinally show signs of slowing down. At day 8 I increased the ferment temp to 75, and it picked up like crazy again. Some how the heater got turned off when I was gone for a week last month and the temp dropped to 63-65 degrees and started to clear.
I thought it was finished then, but I turned the heat back on, roused the 1" yeast cake and it started to ferment again slowly hitting the airlock whey 20 seconds.
My hydro sample came in higher than I had hoped. 1.023 still a bit sweet, but 11.2% ABV. I roused the yeast again.
This is the longest I've had a beer in primary. It's still fermenting, but I'm worried about yeast autolysis. My thoughts are to let it ride some more to fully attenuate. Any other suggestions?