Newbie from Brisbane - 10 brews in

[Patrick_BCB]

Hello all,

Have just started homebrewing with a mate this year. We are doing very small batches (6 litre tap-a-draft kegs) every week using the all grain BIAB method.
10 batches in and things need a little tweaking.

One thing I am finding hard to get information on is temperature schedules for post fermentation. After fermentation is complete I leave the primary in the fermentation fridge for another week. It then shares the fridge with the next batch. This generally means batch A is sitting at around 16 degrees whilst batch B is generating heat and the fridge kicks in trying to keep it at 18. After that second week I crash it to around 2 degrees and leave it sit at that for 12 days before force carbing and 2 days later consumption.

This abbreviated small batch brew cycle is intentional as we are trying to get as much brewing experience under our belts in as short a period possible (4 weeks from brewday to drinking)

I think though I need to change the temps post fermentation to something more like 22~25 degrees, and maybe hold that for 2 weeks instead of one. To do this I'm looking at another fridge and controller.

Could anyone point me towards any online resources around this? I have tried searching but I don't really know how to phrase the question.

Cheers.

 

[RdeVjun]

Sounds like you've got it pretty much licked as is, although I don't see the need for an additional fridge for post- ferment higher temperature conditioning at low- mid 20s. You may wish to put them through a diacetyl rest for a day or two at around 20C at the end of the ferment, but straight into cold conditioning after that, not resting at that evated temperature for any length.

 

[sixfignig]

Sounds like you've got it all under control.

FYI I'm regularly going from grain to glass in 2 weeks with anything under 1.055. On the occasions I've gone longer I've not found it to be beneficial whatsoever. Typical process is ferment 6-9 days, cold crash 2-3 days, force carb 2 days.

 

[Patrick_BCB]

Thanks for the feedback.

I am still finding it somewhat difficult to get information on post fermentation conditioning that is not related to bottling or lagers.
The words maturing and aging seem to come up and I found this article to be useful http://byo.com/malt/item/635-fermentation-time-line

What I might do with my next batch which will be a double black IPA is do the D-rest suggested above as I have not done this with any brews so far.

All my beers have been drinkable, some a little too dry if anything, and hops don't seem to impart too much when dry hopping. Just going to throw more at them....

 

[sixfignig]

For what it's worth I didn't get the impact I was looking for until I hit 6g/L minimum on the dryhop (for Pale Ales). My most recent XPA (dubious classification aside) has 10g/L.

 

[indica86]

What I might do with my next batch which will be a double black IPA is do the D-rest suggested above as I have not done this with any brews so far.

Ale yeasts won't need a dicaetyl rest....

 

[indica86]

For what it's worth I didn't get the impact I was looking for until I hit 6g/L minimum on the dryhop (for Pale Ales). My most recent XPA (dubious classification aside) has 10g/L.

That is a lot. I have decent dry hops from 50g in a 23 litre batch. 230g in that would be overkill by a long shot.

 

[sixfignig]

That is a lot. I have decent dry hops from 50g in a 23 litre batch. 230g in that would be overkill by a long shot.

Entirely depends on the style and personal preference. I love super juicy and dank IPA's which explains my somewhat excessive dry hop ratios

I do make a couple nice lighter blonde and pale ales that have about 40-60g in a 20L batch.

 

[Patrick_BCB]

Ok so no D-rest for ales, and chuck in massive amounts of hops. I can do this.

Final question is long term storage in a keg after crashing and gassing. Do I keep it cold or is it okay to let it sit at room temperature? Specifically APA's and IPA's

 

[Rocker1986]

I normally leave my kegs at room temp, or laundry temp. They sit next to the brew fridge on a concrete floor and remain surprisingly cool compared to the outside ambient temps.

It would be nice to have another fridge to store them cold so I don't have to wait for them to chill down when they go into the kegerator, but I work with what I've got.

 

[Patrick_BCB]

Thanks for the tips

 

[Patrick_BCB]

Update: have moved on to a 20 litre Braumeister with 3 SS brewbuckets, a wort aerator, 3 inkbird itc-310t controllers and 3 bigger fridges with 2 19 litre keg king kegs
Three brews in and the the first went into the keg this afternoon. Smelt spot on, normally I get a nose full of yeast. Looking forward to tasting on the weekend.

 

[Radshoes]

Patrick make sure you bring me a bottle. I am working this saturday and next saturday.

Bryan

 

[Rocker1986]

You'll probably want more kegs... :lol:

 

[winkle]

Patrick make sure you bring me a bottle. I am working this saturday and next saturday.

Bryan

Only because I've been banished to Wacol

 

[winkle]

Update: have moved on to a 20 litre Braumeister with 3 SS brewbuckets, a wort aerator, 3 inkbird itc-310t controllers and 3 bigger fridges with 2 19 litre keg king kegs
Three brews in and the the first went into the keg this afternoon. Smelt spot on, normally I get a nose full of yeast. Looking forward to tasting on the weekend.

You'll need a stir plate next lol

 

[LAGERFRENZY]

Patrick make sure you bring me a bottle. I am working this saturday and next saturday.

Bryan

You do tricks for a bottle Ladyboy?

 

[Radshoes]

You do tricks for a bottle Ladyboy?

a mans gotta do what a ladys gotta do

 

[LAGERFRENZY]

Just asking for a friend (if your catching my drfit).

 

[Patrick_BCB]

Just to dig up an old thread and give an update.

Last Saturday I put down my 44th brew. Absolutely loving the Braumeister, SS Brew buckets and inkbird temp controllers on the 3 fridges I have currently running.

Things I wish I did earlier:
1. Ditch the plastic fermentors.
2. Temp controllers + SS Buckets with the thermowells. Getting readings right from the guts of the fermentation.
3. Found www.brulosophy.com earlier. Love the way that guy challenges methods and backs them up with some testing and tasting.

Have met some great people along the way and had heaps of awesome beers (and some **** ones of mine, that I drank - no drain pours here, every mistake is a lesson to be learned)

Cheers,
Patrick