# Wild Beers



## bindi (28/10/08)

In August I put down a WILD beer [after a big session]  put 23L of fresh wort in a glass carboy after no chilling it overnight [some will say this is where the wild yeast started, not me] left it uncovered for a few days and away it went for a couple of weeks, then into 2ndry until now, made sure my medical insurance was paid up and had a taste, a big taste.

WOW, great and complex,rum, Saison?,spices?,leather, can't tell etc, still alive after drinking a couple of large glasses yesterday [warm], it's going in a keg for those game to try it [if I don't drink it all].
Hit and miss I suspect but fluked this one.

This is the mash I did:
23L
4.10 kg Pale Malt (Barrett Burston) (2.0 SRM) Grain 68.11 % 
1.00 kg Munich I (Weyermann) (7.1 SRM) Grain 16.61 % 
0.15 kg Carafoam (Weyermann) (2.0 SRM) Grain 2.49 % 
0.15 kg Melanoidin (Weyermann) (30.0 SRM) Grain 2.49 % 
0.10 kg Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 1.66 % 
25.00 gm Hallertauer, New Zealand [6.90 %] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 15.7 IBU 
25.00 gm Hallertauer, New Zealand [6.90 %] (30 min) Hops 12.2 IBU 
25.00 gm Styrian Goldings [5.60 %] (15 min) Hops 6.4 IBU 
0.37 kg Dememera Sugar (2.0 SRM) Sugar 6.15 % 
0.15 kg Candi Sugar, Amber (75.0 SRM) 

House yeast :lol: :lol:


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## raven19 (28/10/08)

I dare say being Wild Yeast, it will be hard to reproduce this again!
Great work nonethelss Bindi!
Feel free to send a few down this way....


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## buttersd70 (28/10/08)

Wow. Brave effort.
So, how far did it attenuate? Did you salvage some slurry to use again?


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## Fents (28/10/08)

your a mad man bidi. i've been tempted to let a hydro sample ferment out but 23L is next level, biggups.


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## bindi (28/10/08)

buttersd70 said:


> Wow. Brave effort.
> So, how far did it attenuate? Did you salvage some slurry to use again?




Refrac reading was 9 so I crash chilled it, OG was [from memory, can't open Beersmith here] 16.5-17 Brix, and not a drop is going in a bottle, I am not that brave. B)


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## buttersd70 (28/10/08)

bindi said:


> and not a drop is going in a bottle, I am not that brave. B)



DOn't blame you. :lol: 

would have been interesting to see how low it would go on its own...


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## warrenlw63 (28/10/08)

Crazeeeeee The bindinomyces strain?  B) 

Warren -


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## PostModern (28/10/08)

Lucky! The only wild beer I made was unintentional. Gave the taste of almonds (not in a good way). Took a good boil with caustic to get rid of it.


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## Stuster (28/10/08)

Great stuff, bindi. Might be good to keep some of it and see how it changes over time. Anyway, interesting that it came out alright.


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## bigholty (28/10/08)

That's awesome, good work. Did you end up with a yeast cake (or cake of whatever microbe did the deed) in the fermenter?


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## Bizier (28/10/08)

Good work, I was thinking of embellishing what I thought was an infected batch (APA using solely NB) with wild yeasts by just opening, and maybe adding the orval dregs, and just bottling 1 year or so to see what it turns out. haven't done it because it is actually looking cool now.

I am interested in what the trub looks like too.


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## SJW (28/10/08)

Waiting for Darren to chip in with a wild Botulism warning


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## PJO (28/10/08)

bindi said:


> WOW, great and complex,rum, Saison?,spices?,leather, can't tell etc, still alive after drinking a couple of large glasses yesterday [warm], it's going in a keg for those game to try it [if I don't drink it all].
> Hit and miss I suspect but fluked this one.
> 
> House yeast :lol: :lol:



Good Stuff Bindi,

if its really good then keep it for future wild brews. I have a 5L glass flaggon with some wild stuff mixed with Roeselare dreggs, I occasionally have a taste and then top up with some fresh (low bitterness) wort to keep it ticking over. Plan on doing another wild batch soon...

If you have some space you should age some to see what happens.

Happy wild brewing!!

PJO


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## bindi (28/10/08)

bigh said:


> That's awesome, good work. Did you end up with a yeast cake (or cake of whatever microbe did the deed) in the fermenter?




Have photos of the top and bottom of the 2ndry fermenter and saved some of the turb in a clean jam jar [what are some of those white bits in there?  ]
Will post some shots in the next couple of days.


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## bindi (29/10/08)

Here are the photos.
1 of the top before I crash chilled it and 2 after racking it cold.
I took a refrac reading this morning and it was 7 :huh: , I let it warm up in the keg to 20c.
Think I will let it go a few more days.

Edit: The white in the 2nd shot is the flash [well I hope/sure it was].


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## PostModern (29/10/08)

That looks like yeast! Are you sure you washed the fermenter after the previous batch?


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## Stuster (29/10/08)

It does. Are you sure it's not that 3787 you seem to like that's escaped and running free in your kitchen.


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## bindi (29/10/08)

PostModern said:


> That looks like yeast! Are you sure you washed the fermenter after the previous batch?



That's what I thought  and yes the first fermenter [glass carboy] was very clean and so was the plastic 2ndry, 
The smell is odd though, not bad a little earthy, musty [not good at smells].

Edit: 3787 running wild :lol: Had to clean my fermenting fridge [freezer] out today because of 3787, filled up the blow off tube bottle, all over the lid and a puddle of around the base of the fermenter, so yes it's everywhere.


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## bindi (3/11/08)

Update on this wild beer, at room temp this brew is gassing up [by itself, no added sugars] and now dropped a few more points , has lost the leather taste but has gained a slight acid , citric taste like a wheat beer , still tastes Good with spices you can't pick.
Will give it at least an other week before chilling.


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## Weizguy (8/11/08)

Bindi, a suggestion from me.

You could bottle some in PET bottles and use OzTops to release the excess pressure as it builds.
You might need to disturb the yeast in the bottom of the keg before dispensing into the PET bottles though.

Worth a second thought?
Les


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## bindi (8/11/08)

Les the Weizguy said:


> Bindi, a suggestion from me.
> 
> You could bottle some in PET bottles and use OzTops to release the excess pressure as it builds.
> You might need to disturb the yeast in the bottom of the keg before dispensing into the PET bottles though.
> ...




Thanks for the advice, may try that.
Update: Nothing has changed much in taste and smell, it will now run its course as I nave no fridge/freezer space to crash chill it, but 2 kegs about to 'blow' will give me space soon.
At what temp does Brett [I am guessing he has found a home here] stop working? The bottle of yeast cake [whatever it is] is gassing up in the fridge at 4c.


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## Tao (8/11/08)

If you havent read it already id suggest wildbrews Sparrow (Link). Brews that rely on wild yeast/bacteria tend to sour over time, so you might have to blend it with a newer beer if it heads down that road.


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## bindi (8/11/08)

Tao said:


> If you havent read it already id suggest wildbrews Sparrow (Link). Brews that rely on wild yeast/bacteria tend to sour over time, so you might have to blend it with a newer beer if it heads down that road.




Yep, had for ages as well as Brew like a monk, that is what inspired me to try it.


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## goatherder (8/11/08)

bindi said:


> Thanks for the advice, may try that.
> Update: Nothing has changed much in taste and smell, it will now run its course as I nave no fridge/freezer space to crash chill it, but 2 kegs about to 'blow' will give me space soon.
> At what temp does Brett [I am guessing he has found a home here] stop working? The bottle of yeast cake [whatever it is] is gassing up in the fridge at 4c.





According to Jess Caudill's presentation at ANHC, brett keeps working at these temperatures, albeit slowly. I'm not sure how cold you need to go to stop it altogether.


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## kabooby (17/11/08)

I was fortunate enough to be at Bindi's yesterday and try this wild beer. Wow! 
Served straight from the keg, prob around 20C. 
Presents with a nice fluffy white head. Very complex aroma with a nice sour note. Flavours were just as complex and the sourness carried through. Finishes dry and tart with plenty of spice. Suprisingly drinkable and refreshing for a strong beer.

This is a great beer. Make sure you let us know how it develops

Kabooby


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## bindi (17/11/08)

OK brewers who tried my "Wild Beer" last night, Screwtop, Kabooby, your mate Chris, jayandcath and Humpy dad are you still all well and not laid up in bed/hospital?  :lol: .
What a brave bunch of brewers, willing to drink warm wild beer from a keg still fermenting ever so slowly in the said keg .


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## kabooby (17/11/08)

Still alive and well. Even topped it off last night with an Indian curry  

Kabooby


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## Pumpy (17/11/08)

bindi said:


> OK brewers who tried my "Wild Beer" last night, Screwtop, Kabooby, your mate Chris, jayandcath and Humpy dad are you still all well and not laid up in bed/hospital?  :lol: .
> What a brave bunch of brewers, willing to drink warm wild beer from a keg still fermenting ever so slowly in the said keg .




Where are the pictures of Kabooby at Bindis place?


Pumpy


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## muckanic (17/11/08)

Fruit provides a simple way of making a wildish brew that is not quite as hit-and-miss as complete spontaneous fermentation. IOW, get a starter happening off some grape or apple skins, then innoculate the main brew. Another advantage to the starter is that the combination of alcohol and acidity will knock out some of the common moulds and aerobic bugs before they have had a chance to contribute a significant level of byproducts. Play around with both aerobic and anaerobic ferments. Expect high ester levels and low terminal gravities.


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## kabooby (18/11/08)

Pumpy said:


> Where are the pictures of Kabooby at Bindis place?
> 
> 
> Pumpy



No pictures. Still under witness protection

Kabooby


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## bindi (18/11/08)

kabooby said:


> No pictures. Still under witness protection
> 
> Kabooby




Ah,  that explains the voice recorder on the bar when ...........What am I saying? "Loose lips sink ships".


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## pmolou (22/11/08)

on the topic of wild brews, can you actually get sick from them??? like very ill or just a stomach ache?


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## 0M39A (22/11/08)

The general consensus that ive heard is that if a beer really is bad enough to make you sick, it probably wont make it past your nose, let alone your lips


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## quantocks (22/11/08)

I had 'made' a beer at the Beer Factory place 6 months ago, each person in my family that drunk it developed a disgusting cough, where you'd wake up first thing in the morning _unable_ to breathe until you spewed. This went on all day at various times, mostly first thing in the morning. It lasted for months, the only thing we shared in common was we had this beer. It was the worst feeling in my life, I thought I was dying every single day. We only had two or three stubbies of this crap at the most as well.

since that day, never EVER going to one of them dodgy knock-up-brew shops.


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## kabooby (23/6/09)

How's this beer going Bindi? Any left?

Kabooby


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