First Stout Attempt Question

[Impy]

Hi guys,

I've got half a dozen or so extract brews under my belt so i've got my process down quite well but after doing my first stout something happened that I've never seen before.

Here's the recipe.

3kg light LME
1kg dark DME
500g roasted barley
200g chocolate malt speciality grain
200g crystal malt speciality grain

I steeped all the barley and speciality grains in 10L of just boiled water for 25min. Strained and started the boil, everything normal so far. I did a 60min boil, with 40g northern brewer @ 60 and 20g Willamette @ 15. After I shut the heat off to take the pot liquid to the bath to cool down I noticed that there was what looked like oil floating on the surface of the liquid. I didn't really think anything of it at that point.

Now after all the usual steps I put it in the fermenter and to be safe I put on a blow off tube because of the large grain bill I was expecting a huge krausen. 24hr's later and it's fermenting like crazy, but barely a 1inch krausen.

I did a bit of searching online and read that oil kills krausen/head... the problem is I can't work out where the oil could have come from. The barley?

Anyone else seen this?

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Hi guys,

I've got half a dozen or so extract brews under my belt so i've got my process down quite well but after doing my first stout something happened that I've never seen before.

Here's the recipe.

3kg light LME
1kg dark DME
500g roasted barley
200g chocolate malt speciality grain
200g crystal malt speciality grain

I steeped all the barley and speciality grains in 10L of just boiled water for 25min. Strained and started the boil, everything normal so far. I did a 60min boil, with 40g northern brewer @ 60 and 20g Willamette @ 15. After I shut the heat off to take the pot liquid to the bath to cool down I noticed that there was what looked like oil floating on the surface of the liquid. I didn't really think anything of it at that point.

Now after all the usual steps I put it in the fermenter and to be safe I put on a blow off tube because of the large grain bill I was expecting a huge krausen. 24hr's later and it's fermenting like crazy, but barely a 1inch krausen.

I did a bit of searching online and read that oil kills krausen/head... the problem is I can't work out where the oil could have come from. The barley?

Anyone else seen this?

What yeast are you using? It may not be a massive krausen producing yeast.

The crystal malt may be a little more oily, but certainly not at rye levels.

Otherwise, if fermenting like crazy, then don't worry. The yeast is doing its job.

I've never personally had a krausen krazy episode, and always produce good dark beers/stouts.

Goomba

 

[Lecterfan]

Do you have dedicated brew pot or is the pot in normal household rotation? Was it washed with a detergent of some sort before you used it?

Obvious, I know, but thought I'd ask...

 

[Impy]

What yeast are you using? It may not be a massive krausen producing yeast.

The crystal malt may be a little more oily, but certainly not at rye levels.

Otherwise, if fermenting like crazy, then don't worry. The yeast is doing its job.

I've never personally had a krausen krazy episode, and always produce good dark beers/stouts.

Goomba

I'm just using safale US-05. I've had brews with much more krausen than this with less speciality grains and stouts seem to be notorious for krausens... oh well happy so long as it tastes good! (it SMELLS amazing)

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I'm just using safale US-05. I've had brews with much more krausen than this with less speciality grains and stouts seem to be notorious for krausens... oh well happy so long as it tastes good! (it SMELLS amazing)

Go with that.

Lecterfan is right - it might be a detergent issue. My last dark ale was brewed with Windsor Dried Yeast, and that didn't produce much Krausen at all.

When all's said and done, how it smells is the best indicator of how it tastes. If it smells amazing, chances are it'll taste it too.

I wouldn't worry too much.

Goomba

 

[Impy]

Do you have dedicated brew pot or is the pot in normal household rotation? Was it washed with a detergent of some sort before you used it?

Obvious, I know, but thought I'd ask...

heh yeah I should have mentioned that. It's a dedicated brew pot, well rinsed out beforehand.

 

[mwd]

Could even be hop oil you got quite a lot included in your boil.

 

[TmC]

I put on a coopers stout on friday, made to 19L, has a 2 inch krausen with a tall volcano shape in the middle going a further 2-3". I am going to top it up to 21 litres as i think 18L is too strong for a first stout. Just used kit yeast at 20C.

 

[ben_sa]

Sorry to drag from the OP, Im about to start using my brand spanking 20L pot for my 10L boils, Should i treat this like my beer glasses, being NO detergent, Just hot HOT water to clean...?

Hope thats not a dumb question.... :-\

 

[TmC]

I have been using bicarb soda and a baby bottle cleaner steriliser. Works for me. There are heaps of ways you can clean your pots.