Flanders Red

[j1gsaw]

Hey all.
A year ago today i pitched a packet or Roselare into the brew, racked it to a big glass carboy, and put it in the dark out of sight/mind.
It was a surprise this morning to still see a big pellicle sitting nicely on the top. I imagine if i put it in the fridge now, it will all drop out? I want to keg it over the next 2 weeks. cheers

 

[vykuza]

I've been doing as much reading about Flanders Reds as possible over the past few weeks, as I just pitched the bugs into my first attempt.

I've read in a few places that the pellicle doesn't need to drop. Just work around it and keg/bottle when you think it's ready.

 

[raven19]

What is your gravity reading?

If its still a bit high, you could simply prime your bottles lower to allow for any further minor fermentation in the bottle.

Pellicle presence does not mean its still fermenting, nor finished - from my readings on the subject.

And how does it taste? :icon_drunk: or :icon_vomit:
Piccies please!

 

[j1gsaw]

There is a fair bit of crap floating around in the brew once i moved it. I just put her in the fridge. I dont know if the pics do it any justice though. I will take a grav reading once it settles out and have a taste. Not sure if i will keg or bottle, but it will depend on the grav id say.

 

[winkle]

There is a fair bit of crap floating around in the brew once i moved it. I just put her in the fridge. I dont know if the pics do it any justice though. I will take a grav reading once it settles out and have a taste. Not sure if i will keg or bottle, but it will depend on the grav id say.

Bottle it if the FG is ok, then bring a bottle down here next time you're around. Hope it's worth the year wait :icon_cheers: .

 

[j1gsaw]

Bottle it if the FG is ok, then bring a bottle down here next time you're around. Hope it's worth the year wait :icon_cheers: .

I will def bottle a few mate. I have the old ale that has been sitting on diffrent oak chips coming up to a year now as well.

Also, how do these beers go for carbing after so long resting? will the flanders need some additional yeast at bottling or should some have survived the 12 month journey?

 

[raven19]

You can add some fresh dry brewing yeast along with your priming sugars if bottling. Thats how others often do it.

Or blend with a small portion of younger beer/wort that still have some fermentables.

If it tastes good, I would brew another batch and pitch onto some/all of the yeast cake.

 

[goatherder]

Add some fresh yeast. I did a test bottle from an FRA which had been sitting around for a year - priming sugar was added and there was almost no carbonation after a month in the bottle. Either make up a small yeast starter (100-200ml or so) or add a quarter of a packet of dried yeast to your bottling bucket.

 

[vykuza]

I'm looking at oaking the batch I put down, and I've seen wildly varying approaches to it. Does anyone have any tried and true, or rules of thumb about oaking one of these? I'll be buying oak cubes or staves somewhere to do it as well, so we can assume fresh oak.

 

[winkle]

I will def bottle a few mate. I have the old ale that has been sitting on diffrent oak chips coming up to a year now as well.

Also, how do these beers go for carbing after so long resting? will the flanders need some additional yeast at bottling or should some have survived the 12 month journey?

I said bottles with an eye toward QABC etc later in the year (and a glass or two between friends )
And yes to extra yeast as said above.

 

[j1gsaw]

I suppose the trickiest part will be how much yeast to add to say.. half dozen bottles etc. I have never had to add additional yeast when bottling etc. Is it possible to add say a small amount to each bottle with the priming sugar then fill?

 

[raven19]

I would be inclined to either:

1. rehydate some dry yeast in luke warm water, then add your cooled dissolved priming sugar mix, add both to beer then bottle,
2. pitch some liquid yeast with your cooled dissolved priming sugar mix, add both to beer then bottle

The amount of yeast surely will simply be based on fermenting your priming sugar out, you may need to bump up the yeast as its getting introduced to an alcoholic environment from the get go.