Fizzy Nd

[unclebarrel]

Hey all.
Just want to find out if anyone else who uses the ND fresh worts has had an issue lately with them seeming carbonated while bottling.
I dont always use these, but I sometimes do them for the quick and easy factor.
The one I usually go with is the heff, it actually stacks up against commercial heffs pretty well.

The issue I had today while bottling was that the brew seemed kind of carbonated even while going into the bottles....wierd.

It had been in FV for 2 weeks, at 22 degrees. Tested gravity over two days, same reading, I would think the fermenting was well and truly done.
OG was 1.038, FG 1.005
I bulk prime, I use 210 dex to carbonate.
Use a bottling wand to fill bottles.

Nothing fancy.

If anyone else has come across this, or has some odd explanation as to why it seemed to have fizz while bottling, I would love to be enlightened !

I am not stressed, but just don't want bottle bombs !

UB

 

[carniebrew]

Which yeast did you use on it?

 

[unclebarrel]

Ha !
Knew I would forget something there.
I am pretty sure I used US-06, I think the packet said Safwheat WB-06.

 

[carniebrew]

Yes, that would be the Safbrew WB-06, a perfect dry yeast for authentic wheat beers. My experiences to date with WB-06 is that it's completely fermented within about 6 days, and i've used it at temperatures between 19 and 22 degrees. At your 22 degrees it would certainly be done within two weeks. As for the carbonation, obviously the yeast produces co2 while fermenting, but normally that's lost in the headspace of the fermenter, and/or out through the airlock. Anything different about the fermenter you used?

How many litres did you bulk prime? If it was around 23 then 200 grams of dex will give you a good carbonation for a weizen. If you're worried about how fizzy it was going into the bottle perhaps open one carefully after a couple of days, if it gushes out the top then that's a bad sign. I've always found my wheat beers are fully carbed within a week, often sooner.

 

[mikec]

You'll always have some residual CO2 in solution.
A few things can "help" it to come out of solution, which you want to try and avoid.
Bottling wand obviously reduces the exposure to air and agitation against other surfaces by filling from the bottom of the bottle - which I assume you're using correctly (pretty hard to stuff it up). The first bit into each bottle is the most likely to foam.
Did it happen to be a hot day when you filled the bottles? If they're warmer than the beer, this will cause some CO2 to come out of solution, again the first part of the fill will be the worst.

 

[unclebarrel]

Hey guys, thanks for the replies.
Carnie, it was 20 litres, hope its not too carbed upon opening.
I used my usual FV. N damage in there, very careful when cleaning.
I will open one on wednesday night, thats two days, good idea dude.

Mikec, it was low 20's when I bottled and yes the first 6 or so were the ones that seemed to have a mini head on them in the neck of the bottle.

Like I said, not stressing about it, but thanks for the replies, lets see how we go !

Ill update you next week.

UB

 

[unclebarrel]

Hey guys, just in case you care the beer is fine. I have made my way through many pints so far, no bombs, none overcarbed.
Also, if anyone was thinking about using ND kits, I recommend the hefeweizen. It is easy and IMHO it tastes as good as store bought.


Anyway, mike and carnie, thanks again for your insights.

peace

 

[carniebrew]

No probs, thanks for reporting back. I love brewing hefe's, fermented in the first week, carbed in the 2nd, drinking in the 3rd. And with the bulk extract I'm using these days all for under $1 a litre. Beats the $23 I used to pay for a 6-pack (3 litres) at Dan's.

 

[unclebarrel]

For sure carnie !
I love them too, I plan to do a hefe every second brew through summer. So easy to drink !

 

[carniebrew]

I have an Amber Ale and Fat Yak style Pale Ale lined up as my next two brews, but then I'm going to do a WB-06 hefe fermented entirely at 23.5 degrees. I've done quite a few in the very low 20's and high teens, but re-reading the spec sheet for it again this morning it specifically says ideal ferm temp is 18-24, with below 22 "for clover flavours" and above 23 "for banana flavours". I'm yet to find anyone who's done a temp controlled ferment above 23 on a wb-06, so I figure there's only one way to find out what it'll taste like!

I've got a couple packs of wb-06 still in the fridge...once they're gone i'm going to try the Wyeast (Weihenstephan Wheat) - 3068 liquid yeast.

 

[unclebarrel]

Dude, you sound like you have the same taste for beer styles as myself !
I pretty much rotate on an, amber then pale then hefe then back to amber system. pretty much all I like to drink really. I just play with hops and malts, and brewing times/temps.
During winter this year I am going to brew a few lagers to sit until next summer, hope they work.
Its good having a dedicated fermenting fridge that has an STC1000 on it! I might try the hefe at 23ish also, I love the banana flavour.

I am keen on trying liquid yeast, maybe even making a starter for an ale too. Have you ever done that ?

catch

 

[carniebrew]

I'm doing the amber Monday night with a buddy of mine. Will be my first amber. He likes James Squire AA, so looking for something in that style, but not trying to clone it. Was going to do:

25 litres:
2kg Light LME
1kg Wheat LME
600gm Amber DME

Steeping 80 grams Carafa Special 3 and 250 grams Crystal 120.

16 grams Warrior @ 60 (for 26 IBU)
20 grams Willamette @ 10 mins

Was going to leave it there, but after a couple of Pale Ales full of Cascade, i'm thinking I might even throw 15 grams of Cascade in there at flameout....I've read a few posts lately where people are raving about Willamette and Cascade together.

Should get me ~30 IBU, 32 EBC, 5.1% abv after bottle conditioning. US-05 yeast @ 18 degrees. Was thinking S-04 but for every good report I read 2 bad ones. Got a packet there...might save it for my next Irish Ale (the same mate likes his Kilkenny).

I made a yeast starter for a DSGA the first time I used US-05....before reading that you can just pitch it dry. Have done that ever since. I've bought a Wyeast Kolsch liquid yeast recently, so will definitely need to do a starter with that.

 

[unclebarrel]

Sounds good !
I am a fan of cascade. I have used it alot ! Never tried warrior, read good things about it though.
Will have to try willamette and cascade as well.
Have you used hop flowers ? I am keen to try them.
I am yet to dip into steeping grains, I have read that it takes a bit more time, and I am working six days a week at the moment.
So extracts and ND kits it is for me for a little while.

Will be moving house in a few years and will look at setting up for AG then, even though I am still new to brewing, 6 months all up ( but have done 11 brews ), but I am keen to learn all I can ! Still yet to work out the whole IBU and EBC kinda stuff, I just brew and hope it tastes good !!
The more I read here the more I will learn I guess.
All you blokes are a wealth of knowledge !

 

[carniebrew]

You don't have to worry too much about IBU's and EBC's when kit brewing outa cans, as you say, brew 'em up and see how they taste.

Full extract (i.e. the non-hopped extract LME that I now use) brewing with steeped grains does take a fair bit more time, 3-4 hours to do a brew, when you count steeping the grains for 30 mins, then starting the boil, adding hops, boiling for 60 minutes then cooling. The ability to freshen my brews with steeped grain, and having full control over hop additions is what attracted me to full extract brewing. It's very similar to AG without the need for mashing grain. I have no plans for AG at the moment, but would never rule it out completely.

I have only used hop pellets to date, never whole flowers. I use warrior as my bittering hop in everything bar my weizen's...because it's a high AA% hop I can use less of it to reach my desired IBU's, and with the neutral profile it has all my late hop additions completely overpower it. I've done back to back Pale Ale's using Amarillo at 60/20/0 in one, and Warrior @ 60 with Amarillo @ 20 & 0 in the next, and they taste the same to me. But with the low hop character in a weizen i'm not sure they'd suit, so I'll stick to Hallertauer in my hefe/dunkel's.

Fresh Wort kits make a heap of sense when you're time poor...

 

[unclebarrel]

Yeah, hopefully I get more time to put in to it soon, will play around more !
might have to give warrior a spin.
I have never used amarillo, but had beers with it in there, and like it.

I only use the hefe fresh wort kit, is is seriously as good as the big boys gear.
I also only use it every second brew just after bottling, once I clean out the FV I just tip it in and away it goes !

anyway, great chatting, I am off to dinner.

UB out.

 

[pk.sax]

I want to tear my eyes out reading some of your generalisations Carnie.

You're prolly well intentioned so I suggest you try things before comparing to them. Extract with bits ain't close to full gran brewing, the processes talk for themselves in the finished product.

As a side point, even if you brew full volume all grain, unless you've got your processes down pat it's probably a good idea to buy fwk hefeweizens. There is no hop deterioration issue with NC in them. I'm not knocking fwk's. bought one today. Just saying the hefe are the pick to buy even if you AG brew yourself.

 

[carniebrew]

Tear away prac, but please don't assume. I've had more than my fair share of AG brews, all of them top notch. I choose to brew with extract for many reasons, but most of all 'coz my finished product is indistinguishable. YMMV.

And please remember which forum you're in here...and keep comments like "Extract with bits" to yourself. There's nothing "with bits" about my brewing. I steep/boil/hop/ferment for just as long and with just as much care and attention to detail as any AG brewer. The ONLY difference is I don't mash grain.

Do I get to assume you made plenty of brews with unhopped extract and full 60 minute boils, with proper temperature control and appropriate yeast selection?

PM me if you'd like to swing by and try my latest full extract dunkelweizen, happy to hear your thoughts. Bring an FWK hefe stubby with you if you can?

 

[goomboogo]

I've had more than my fair share of AG brews, all of them top notch.

You're lucky. I've tasted plenty that were rubbish.

 

[unclebarrel]

Hahaha!
Tearing you eyes out sounds like a really bad idea practical !

dudes, who gives a toss what type of brewing each other does ?
if it tastes good, why not do what you like ?

For the record, ' extract with bits ' sounds to me like its pretty close to AG. Maybe a step or two away.

I do extract with great results.......so far !
I do use FWK hefes often because they taste good and are easy and quick.
I also have tasted AG brews, and WOW they are good.

As far as I know, AG can be expensive to set up, and needs a little bit of space to work. I would like to do it in the future, just cant now.

Lets all get along.
I am kinda new to brewing (6months in), and I would rather read constructive criticism than digs at other users.
If you feel like someone needs to be corrected, do it.
Please dont criticise or belittle other blokes/girls who use this site to share, does not make it too inviting for me or other noobs to jump on and ask questions or start threads.

 

[pk.sax]

Heh, it was all meant well. I've read some of Carnie's threads here, he is very forthcoming with advice but I noticed he makes some generalisations I've found not always true. I'll admit right away that I quit making beer from extract or kits 2 brews in. Didn't like it much/expense of tarting them up was horrible. Been all grain brewing as much as I can find time for since.
Brewing a saison from a hefe fwk atm. My get back into it in brissy, I'll get ya a bottle when I come down Carnie.