My Session Ale

[Fendercaster]

Hi all,
I asked on some input and thought id see some suggestions on a Session ale. After a little research of what i wanted i put the brew down yesterday. Here is my progress.

The beersmithbrew is attached and notes detail what i was looking for and how i did it.
View attachment Knock off IPA Session.html





Here is my first attempt at steeping specialty grains


Weighing out my Chinook Hops


Boiling my Hops

All put into fermenter and fermentation has started. Looking at fermenting this out for 2 weeks, (i was spewing as i was hoping i would have had this done for aussie day) I will keg and force carb and get back with color and results as to my expectations to what has come out.

Any feed back is appreciated.

Cheers
Fendercaster

 

[Adr_0]

Nice! Which yeast did you use?

I think your wort-making process is pretty well spot on. Not sure on your yeast and fermentation regime (do you have temperature control, or stable temperature somewhere?) but this plays a big part in the beer that comes out at the end. You can clean up the flavour a bit by removing chlorine as an easy win, but good fermentation is really important.

 

[Fendercaster]

Hey Adr_0, i wanted to use us-05 but i went with the s-04 as its a little English ale and more so my local store didnt have 05 in stock.

As for fermentation i have found that reg temp is the best too. I dont have room for another fridge yet. So i have now put it in my laundry (southern central part that is the coolest.) Regularly around 20c maybe push to 22c. I had other brews in my shed for a while but they are reaching temps of 28c maybe more. Yuck.

 

[Adr_0]

Cool. Haven't used S-04 for a while but should actually be really nice. I often use English yeasts in American PA's/IPA's though generally the cleaner versions rather than the really estery ones.

The only issue with that yeast is it can struggle for the last 5 points or so, particularly with extract where there are not a lot of nutrients (amino acids/nitrogen - lots in grain but not much in extract). When did you pitch, today? If you can duck to your LHBS and get another pack I think you would be helping yourself a lot. You can sprinkle this on top of the wort or if you have a clean glass measuring jug you can put 100mL of not cold water from the tap in the jug, sprinkle yeast on top and cover with alfoil. Yeast will be fine if it has been sitting on the table*.

Let it sit covered for 15min, then stir with a teaspoon and re-cover, stir again in 15min. Then stir just before you add it into the fermenter and just gently pour into the wort and cover quickly. Don't breathe on wort.

Test the gravity on the 20th or 21st and see where she's at. Might need 50g of sugar in some water to kick things along again.

*get into the habit of making sure yeast is within 5-10°C of whatever you are adding it too. Same for rehydrated yeast and starters when adding to the wort. Reduces stress on the yeast, lets it kick off faster.

 

[Fendercaster]

Unfortunately no, as fermentation only takes a little would monday be fine to do this?

 

[Adr_0]

Did you pitch this morning? In terms of making a cleaner beer it should really be done as part of the initial pitch. I guess that Sundayish the growth phase will start. The yeast will keep reproducing for a few days though, so yes adding extra yeast Monday will help the cell count and should also finish up fermentation faster, as well as condition faster.

 

[Fendercaster]

ok, would another yeast suffice? partial one from the pale ale can or maybe another. i have a mangroves us west coast too?

 

[Adr_0]

If you are going for consistency in working out a good session ale, no.

You should proactively swirl (don't shake) when you start to notice the compact layer on the bottom, prob from Monday night. If you do this in the morning and night you should get to your elected FG.

 

[Fendercaster]

Ok cheers. Different things i have never heard of or tried. Much appreciated!

 

[Adr_0]

You might actually find that you stick with S-04 for its flavour and presentation of you can finish it off.

FYI when i use dry yeasts i will always use two packs and rehydrate. For normal ales anyway. There are so many advantages to pitching the right amount of yeast, and so many issues with underpitching that it's just not worth the hassle, vs $5 extra.

 

[Fendercaster]

You should proactively swirl (don't shake) when you start to notice the compact layer on the bottom, prob from Monday night. If you do this in the morning and night you should get to your elected FG.

Hi Adr_0,
I have noticed a significant slow up on fermentation on this wort. Getting very little activity now. i have just performed a swirl of sorts, Hopefully this will help.
In regards to the 2 dry yeast packs, would it be an idea to get 1 pack and try and grow them?
cheers for all your input so far!
FC

 

[Adr_0]

With your swirling, try not to agitate the beer. So build up a gentle swirl and that should do it, ideally once at morning and once at night.

A lot of people say not to make starters with dry yeast. The point of dry yeast is meant to be that it's convenient, i.e. you pitch it straight in or rehydrate rather than waiting days for starters to grow the yeast, and the extra handling. So a lot of people just throw in another packet rather than go through the effort of a starter.

It's worth knowing how to make a starter, as they are essential for liquid strains and, as you said, if you only have one pack but have a couple of days up your sleeve.

Have you made a starter before?

 

[Fendercaster]

I have only rehydrated this brew and my other one i did yesterday. everyother time i just pitched them dry on top of the wort.

I havent done a starter yet, it interests me for those very reasons. i have only started brewing again and properly started looking into different styles and the depth of beers. (inc yeasts strains, temps, bacteria, malts, etc)

 

[Adr_0]

There are a few good resources out there:
http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/
http://howtobrew.com/book/section-1/yeast/preparing-yeast-and-yeast-starters
https://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_makingastarter.cfm

I have a 3L erlenmeyer flask which I just clean then pour boiling wort straight into. I leave it in the kitchen sink for at least a few hours, and throw in the yeast pack once it's basically at room temp. I'm sure there are other ways of doing it.

As I've said previously, any time you add yeast (or a starter) to wort, try to get the temperatures matched as closely as possible. More than 10°C out and you will stress the yeast - slow start, bad flavours. This is important when you put the yeast into the starter, but absolutely critical when you put it into your batch of beer.

A 1:10 ratio is generally spot on for light dried malt extract to water, i.e. 100g to 1000mL of water. Half a teaspoon of yeast nutrient is good at this stage if you have it. This really just has to come to the boil on the stove, boil for a couple of minutes maybe, then cover and cool (alfoil) and pour through a sanitised funnel into a sanitised coke bottle. Alfoil over the top is all you need.

You're not that fussed about temperature at this stage - you just want growth - but if you can keep it around 20°C that's great.

Let that sit for a couple of days and the yeast should settle out into a layer on the bottom. How well it cakes will depend on the yeast - US-05 stays in suspension unless you chill it, while S-04 will drop out clear - and also whether it's finished or not. Try to pour off the liquid and keep some in the bottom to swirl up with the yeast and you're basically ready to throw it into your batch.

 

[indica86]

I have noticed a significant slow up on fermentation on this wort. Getting very little activity now.

What do you base this on? Has the specific gravity stopped getting lower? If you are basing this on airlock bubbles please don't.
Airlock activity is not indicative of anything really.
I would be very surprised if fermentation has slowed in two days to the point where you need to rouse the yeast.

 

[Fendercaster]

What do you base this on? Has the specific gravity stopped getting lower? If you are basing this on airlock bubbles please don't.
Airlock activity is not indicative of anything really.
I would be very surprised if fermentation has slowed in two days to the point where you need to rouse the yeast.

I was, but since reading i have found out im an idiot. I knew this yet i think i see no 'activity' doesnt mean there isnt any.
Im carrying on with the swirl and ill post how it turns out.

 

[Fendercaster]

There are a few good resources out there:
http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/
http://howtobrew.com/book/section-1/yeast/preparing-yeast-and-yeast-starters
https://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_makingastarter.cfm

I have a 3L erlenmeyer flask which I just clean then pour boiling wort straight into. I leave it in the kitchen sink for at least a few hours, and throw in the yeast pack once it's basically at room temp. I'm sure there are other ways of doing it.

As I've said previously, any time you add yeast (or a starter) to wort, try to get the temperatures matched as closely as possible. More than 10°C out and you will stress the yeast - slow start, bad flavours. This is important when you put the yeast into the starter, but absolutely critical when you put it into your batch of beer.

A 1:10 ratio is generally spot on for light dried malt extract to water, i.e. 100g to 1000mL of water. Half a teaspoon of yeast nutrient is good at this stage if you have it. This really just has to come to the boil on the stove, boil for a couple of minutes maybe, then cover and cool (alfoil) and pour through a sanitised funnel into a sanitised coke bottle. Alfoil over the top is all you need.

You're not that fussed about temperature at this stage - you just want growth - but if you can keep it around 20°C that's great.

Let that sit for a couple of days and the yeast should settle out into a layer on the bottom. How well it cakes will depend on the yeast - US-05 stays in suspension unless you chill it, while S-04 will drop out clear - and also whether it's finished or not. Try to pour off the liquid and keep some in the bottom to swirl up with the yeast and you're basically ready to throw it into your batch.

Cheers, great info and ill give it a go after these brews. Might even try and wash and start the 04 as a trial. Cheers again

 

[indica86]

I'd suggest stop the swirl and just let it be. Layer on the bottom is not indicative of the yeast flocculating.
Give it at least a week before checking the gravity with a hydrometer sample taken from the tap.

 

[Blind Dog]

What he

I'd suggest stop the swirl and just let it be. Layer on the bottom is not indicative of the yeast flocculating.
Give it at least a week before checking the gravity with a hydrometer sample taken from the tap.

What he / she said. I know it's easy to stress about stuff like no bubbles in the airlock, daily testing of gravity etc., but relax, and don't stress.

Or at least, not until you need to.

S-04 is perfectly adapted to its job of turning wort into beer, has been specifically designed so that 1 packet is enough for most standard batches (manufacturer's recommended pitching rate is 0.5g to 0.8g per litre), turns out decent beers that have a little more yeast character than cleaner strains. Although I don't use it a lot, I can't recall it ever stalling on me, but in any case I'd not be stressing unless the gravity was way off a week or so into fermentation

Just my 2c

 

[Adr_0]

mate, sorry. 9 times out of 10 with homebrew, the best thing to do is absolutely nothing and just leave it: don't take the lid off, don't add anything, just have a beer and get back to your day job. you will be anxious enough as it is and we should be encouring you to chill out, not adding to anxiety.

looking back on early times, I wish I'd known to pitch more yeast... but I also wish I'd known to just relax and wait.

maybe on Thurs/Friday 21st/22nd take a gravity sample and see where you are from there. while some of what I've described with S-04 has happened to me and other brewers, it means absolutely zero with respect to it happening to you - so sorry again.

relax, have a beer, see how you go Thurs/Friday.