Excited for toucan stout brew!

[Josho]

If you have a fairly decent Krausen I wouldnt fret too much, the packet yeasts are fairly versitile,

However the proof will be when you pour the thing into a glass,

 

[bum]

Well, you're an encouraging one huh?

I asked you a question.

Dried yeast is packed with a bunch of goodies to get them off and running in the best condition possible. If you burn through this in a "starter" a couple days before pitching then you're wasting it all, hey?

The purpose of re-hydrating dried yeast (which is not necessarily an essential process) is to get it ready to be put in a sugary environment. Putting sugars in your "starter" damages the yeast cells. Something to do with the cell walls not being ready yet, I've been led to believe. Google it if you care for the details.

Dry pitching is fine if you cbf doing it right - just pitch more.

Re-hydrating dry yeast for days? 30 minutes is good.

 

[sp0rk]

Very cool.
Although i've just shown my face enough in there the last few weeks i'm at "conversation" status with Jeff (or Geoff, i don't know...)

Sp0rk, where abouts are you in Coffs? I'm at Jetty - right near the old hospital.

I'm in Boambee East, in between the turn off from Sawtell Rd onto Linden Ave and the IGA out there

 

[mattdean4130]

I asked you a question.

Dried yeast is packed with a bunch of goodies to get them off and running in the best condition possible. If you burn through this in a "starter" a couple days before pitching then you're wasting it all, hey?

The purpose of re-hydrating dried yeast (which is not necessarily an essential process) is to get it ready to be put in a sugary environment. Putting sugars in your "starter" damages the yeast cells. Something to do with the cell walls not being ready yet, I've been led to believe. Google it if you care for the details.

Dry pitching is fine if you cbf doing it right - just pitch more.

Re-hydrating dry yeast for days? 30 minutes is good.

Thanks, it looks like i've misinterpreted what i read about starters, or perhaps i took something i learned from re-culturing bottle yeast and applied it to something else out of context thinking i was doing good.
Thanks for that - good to know

 

[mattdean4130]

starters are one way of doing this (search the website/google for how to make starters) or even getting different/more yeast to suit the style you're brewing. your LHBS will come in handy for amazing styles of yeast to try.

Yes that's the tidbit i'd read somewhere that made me think doing it that way would be a good idea.

 

[fletcher]

starters are good for liquid yeasts, but dried yeasts often only require rehydration that bum mentioned.

 

[mattdean4130]

starters are good for liquid yeasts, but dried yeasts often only require rehydration that bum mentioned.

Yep, good to know!
I didn't realise there was a difference.... :blink:

 

[GuyQLD]

Bum may not be the hero we want. But he's the hero we deserve.

 

[bum]

The Dark Bum?

 

[manticle]

I prefer not to think of it in shades.

 

[mattdean4130]

Ooookay guys. Bit of an update.

We're at day 5 with this. Took a gravity reading this morning (these are temperature corrected and adjusted to my dodgy hydrometer BTW).

Started off at 1.053
Day 5 - 1.013

Taste - AMAZING. I am really blown away with this actually. ***** on anything i've made so far :chug:

Coffee hint seems spot on (somehow, fluke'd it) - just enough to be there, not enough to be too much.
Smells good.

Very close to a Best Extra in smell and taste, maybe slightly thinner in consistency and a slightly harsher bitter aftertaste (that i'm assuming may mellow with age)

I have some questions that have been floating around in the back of my head regarding this one, if those in the know would like to advise...

I've read a lot of posts floating around about leaving beer in the fermenter for longer periods of time.

What is the advantage of this, and how is it different to ageing in bottles?
I'm no expert, but was always under the assumption to bottle as soon as gravity was stable to reduce the risk of infection....

So it looks like this one will be ready to bottle in a few more days. Should i leave it in the primary longer? And if so, why?

Secondly - i've been doing a lot of brewing lately and have a bunch of odd bottles left for the stout.

A lot of 500/550ml... I've been using carb drops (would like to investigate bulk priming, but i really don't want to try it out on this one seeing as it's shaping up so far to be potentially really nice and i'd rather not cock it up) - so what should i do for a 500ml situation? One drop per 375/330ml, two per 750ml... Should i try cut a bunch in half for the 500's or just stick to one drop???

Thanks a bunch! :beer:

 

[sp0rk]

I'd just stick to the single drop in the 500s
I find 1 in a 300/330 is a little over carbonated, but 1 in a 470ml grolsch bottle is perfect

 

[mattdean4130]

I'd just stick to the single drop in the 500s
I find 1 in a 300/330 is a little over carbonated, but 1 in a 470ml grolsch bottle is perfect

I'd just stick to the single drop in the 500s
I find 1 in a 300/330 is a little over carbonated, but 1 in a 470ml grolsch bottle is perfect

Kinda what i was thinking, it IS a stout too so you don't want it super carbed...

What do you think about the fermenting time?

I've read a lot of posts floating around about leaving beer in the fermenter for longer periods of time.

What is the advantage of this, and how is it different to ageing in bottles?
I'm no expert, but was always under the assumption to bottle as soon as gravity was stable to reduce the risk of infection....

So it looks like this one will be ready to bottle in a few more days. Should i leave it in the primary longer? And if so, why?

 

[mattdean4130]

Hey all.

Well an update to this one.
Been bottled for a couple of weeks, just tried one. It's very nice!!!

Smooth, roasty flavours. Slight coffee hint. Had a good initial head, has faded now about halfway through... Leaving some lacing behind.

My only complaint - doesn't seem "thick" enough... More a Tooheys Old consistency than a stout.
Does anyone have any idea's on how to get a thicker consistency? I kind of thought because this was two cans it would automatically be thicker...

Here's a flick



Cheers!