My Latest Effort...

[chartster]

Hi everyone,

Well i have just put down my latest effort:

1x Coopers Bavarian Lager (Can only)
1x 1.5Kg Black Rock "Amber" LME
US-05 yeast

I had to figure out a way to use the Bavarian kit I had in the cupboard, though I dont have the facilities to use the 'real' lager yeast...i.e. keep things at about 10 degrees. Hopefully this "Franken-Lag'Ale" will turn out alright.

I've also, HOPEFULLY, sorted my infection problems. I used a few caps of the BrewClean stuff from my local HBS and a little water and shook the fermenter, airlock, spoons etc really well. Seems to have cleaned everything within an inch of their lives. Following that, I *marinated* the lot with BrewShield diluted in an atomiser.

Fingers crossed the dreaded sour/off tasting beer is history!

 

[sponge]

Whenever i brew i let my fermenter sit in hot water and no name nappysan overnight. then give it a rinse with more hot water before im about to use it. I get an old tap on the fermenter, and stick the one im about to use in with the hot water/nappy san as well. also, if u use grommets, and an airlock, stick them in also, and then of course, the stirring spoon ..... well pretty much anything that will touch the wort haha.


hasnt failed me... yet


Sponge

 

[chartster]

Cheers Sponge,

This one seems to be a quiet one in contrast to the brews ive done in the past with coopers yeasts and BE1 / BE2. Virtually no airlock activity, though there is a thin layer of krausen on the top of the brew. hopefully my bath of no rinse sanitizer before making the brew hasnt killed the yeast!!

 

[white.grant]

. hopefully my bath of no rinse sanitizer before making the brew hasnt killed the yeast!!
[/quote]

If you've got Krausen you have liftoff. The thing about sanitising is that it only removes what ever's already there, and there is nothing to stop somne other bug or wild yeast coming in and taking up residence after you've sanitised. That's why you seal your fermenter.

grant

 

[chartster]

Cool...thanks for that. In the past, the frothing has been pretty intense, but this time there has been very little at all. I was just concerned given the significant difference! Would it possible be due to the fact I am only using LDME and not the BE1/2? Would those provide more stuff to make yeasts go mad?

I took a sample of the brew today, and it has slight carbonation and the gravity had changed a little, so yes it appears to be working well. Fingers crossed it turns out alright.

 

[Farnk]

. hopefully my bath of no rinse sanitizer before making the brew hasnt killed the yeast!!


If you've got Krausen you have liftoff. The thing about sanitising is that it only removes what ever's already there, and there is nothing to stop somne other bug or wild yeast coming in and taking up residence after you've sanitised. That's why you seal your fermenter.

grant

Hear Hear!
With this very point in mind, I fill the fermenter to the very top with a strong hot water, detergent/sanitiser mix and then put the airlock and other stuff inside. I put the lid on and let the hot water come through the lid through the airlock hole. I leave it like this for a good few hours.

I place the fermenter on the laundry sink, with the tap overhanging the trough. Then When I'm starting to mix / boil the ingredients, I open the tap and let it all drain out through the tap.

A quick rinse of everything just as the wort is ready and there's little chance of infection. Works a treat for me!

 

[chartster]

Alrighty - she has sprung into life as of yesterday morning and started bubbling quite merrily. The smell coming out of the airlock isnt some funky sour one like before, so here is to hoping there is no infection. Krausen is still far less than when I have used Coopers yeasts / BE, but I guess that is no bad thing as long as beer is made.

Did another test today to check the gravity, its going down pretty quickly. Wort is still very 'malty' and is starting to get a beer-like flavour (sweet but bitter with a little something else I cant identify). It either that or the yeasts have caught me out again!