Newbie Questions

[DrewCarey82]

I've never tasted any off flavours.

Please provide examples, or is this just an assumption?

 

[Steve]

Drew - Bobby wasnt having a go. Its just the general consensus in the brewing world that 18 is the best temp for any ale yeast whether it be any brand of dry or liquid
Cheers
Steve

 

[tangent]

u really want to stay under 22 if you can

can someone confirm my assumption that Brix=Plato?

 

[Uncle Fester]

I've never tasted any off flavours.

Please provide examples, or is this just an assumption?

[post="110714"][/post]​

Would a quick read of the Gospel according to John Palmer suffice?


How-to-brew web link

M

BTW, remember we all brew for ourselves. If 26+ degrees works for you, then fill your boots. I just reckon that @ 26 degrees, you will end up with pina-Colada Lager.


[Edit - Added some more stuff, and removed typos]

 

[Stuster]

Try this link Tangent. It seems they are the same for our purposes. Brix is used by winemakers, Plato by brewers.

Sorry for going off at a tangent.

 

[Trough Lolly]

u really want to stay under 22 if you can

can someone confirm my assumption that Brix=Plato?

[post="110720"][/post]​

Degrees Brix, Plato and Balling are similar measures of the percentage of sucrose in solution by weight. Most non-tech brewers like to use Specific Gravity which is a ratio of the density of the wort/beer, compared to the density of water (SG 1.000).

As an approximate measure, you can convert SG to Plato or Brix by dividing the gravity by 4. Eg, 1.040 is 40/4 or roughly 10 degrees Plato.

Hope this helps - now I'll get back to you re the fermentation temp, but I strongly recommend ales at 20C and lagers at around 10, with variations due to strain types....facts to follow.

Cheers,
TL

 

[tangent]

my refractometer is in Brix and i'm using the doctors orders conversion chart but my software wants Plato or SG

"If you do want to use the refractometer, use it on wort only and then you will be fine."http://byo.com/mrwizard/730.html

So no urine tests? Does he mean non-innoculated wort only? Zero alcohol samples only?

 

[DrewCarey82]

Ah well 24-26 degrees works great for me so I guess thats what matters, though thats going by the stick on thermometre which I hear can be highly inaccurate.

 

[Trough Lolly]

You can brew at 24 to 26 degrees, hell, you can brew beer at 30C plus if you want to! The higher the temp, the quicker the ferment - but that doesn't mean you'll have a good beer...Will a lager brewed at 30C taste good? That's up to the drinker, but when it's all said and done, you will find the yeast will ferment cleaner, ie, have less higher alcohols, as opposed to higher alcohol levels, at a lower temp.

Higher temps generally result in increased fusel / higher alcohol production which can leave a solvent or nail polish like flavour to the beer - and unless you have a particular desire to brew Belgian Ales, they should'nt be present in a well fermented beer. If you want to compare the difference the fusels make to beer compared to less aggressive tasting ethanol alcohols, try drinking a strong belgian ale (eg Delirium Tremens) and follow it up with a Carlton Cold!

At warm fermentation temps, the alcohol in the beer (actually the Ethanol to be more correct) will esterify into ethyl acetate which is detected as a fruity but solventy flavour. You can also have ethyl hexanoate (apple flavour) and isoamyl acetate (banana and bubblegum) flavours, which as I mentioned before, are quite desireable in some beers, but not all types...

It's also worth noting that esters typically appear late in fermentation, when acetyl levels rise and the yeast cells are ready to esterify the alcohols - fusel and ethanol. This tends to explain why some brewers have a short warm fermentation and don't detect high levels of solvent notes in their beer - but this risk drops away substantially if they simply fermented their beer at lower temps to begin with. Some mega brewers ferment at highter temps to speed up the fermentation process so they can shove their beer out the door and on to an unsuspecting public as quick as possible...

There's plenty out on the web, covering warm fermentation, but to get a much better beer, you should try to use fresh yeast (preferably from a liquid smack pack or tube) and give the wort a bit of aeration prior to pitching. An ale brewed between 18 to 20C or a lager at around 10C will give you the best chance at producing a fine beer at home.

Cheers,
TL

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

I've never tasted any off flavours.

Please provide examples, or is this just an assumption?

Back in my early K&K day's (which was only about a year ago) i did a kit along the lines of:

1.7kg Wal's Lager
1kg brew booster of some sort
kit yeast
22L brew

fermented warm at around 26-27ish

came out quite fruity, over time turned cidery. I blame this on the high fermenting temp but what I might call an off flavour or a beer that tastes like shite, you might think tastes brilliant.

why don't you try and ferment lower (under 20C) and do a comparison with an earlier brew, brewed over 25C.

 

[DrewCarey82]

Will do, I am only getting my stocks up for footy season over winter when its freezing I'll be going burko

 

[Steve]

Drew - grab a 100 can cooler bag....$30 from Kmart...chuck in the fermenter....chuck in some frozen coke bottles....bobs yer uncle 18-20 perfick! :beer:
Cheers
Steve

 

[DrewCarey82]

Funds are limited in extreme jewish mode, got some legbreakers after me and they've threatened to kidnap my kids if I dont give them my wage so I am little tight.

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

less mouths to feed = more beer can be brewed :beer:

 

[DrewCarey82]

Havent seen my missus in 3 months cause I couldnt maintain the interest I'd hate too loose the kids as well.

Almost finishing work now got some hot tips for the horses and they have a new pokie machine @ paddy's

 

[Uncle Fester]

Will do, I am only getting my stocks up for footy season over winter when its freezing I'll be going burko

[post="110761"][/post]​

Heres the solution!

Brew darks and ales in summer when it is warm, and off flavours can be hidden by stronger tastes, for consumption in winter.

Brew lagers and pilsners in winter when it is "bloody cold" for consumption in summer.


As always, there is an exception to the rule - wheat beer. Tends to like the warmer brewing, especially if you like the clove flavours...

M

 

[Mr Bond]

while a few people seem to have jumped in telling me how important temperature is, few seem to have noticed that i was pointing that very fact out to elevhein, who has been misinformed that brew needs to be kept warm. thanks anyway though

[post="110658"][/post]​

Dude sorry if you were a little put out.

I was using your post quotated to reiterate and back up your excellent advice.As for the others post i think they may be a little under the influence of amber fluids when posting :chug: and addressing the wrong member

 

[Uncle Fester]

while a few people seem to have jumped in telling me how important temperature is, few seem to have noticed that i was pointing that very fact out to elevhein, who has been misinformed that brew needs to be kept warm. thanks anyway though

[post="110658"][/post]​

Dude sorry if you were a little put out.

I was using your post quotated to reiterate and back up your excellent advice.As for the others post i think they may be a little under the influence of amber fluids when posting :chug: and addressing the wrong member

[post="110775"][/post]​

Surely no-one here "forums under the influence" ??? h34r:

 

[Boozy the clown]

Higher temps generally result in increased fusel / higher alcohol production which can leave a solvent or nail polish like flavour to the beer - and unless you have a particular desire to brew Belgian Ales, they should'nt be present in a well fermented beer. If you want to compare the difference the fusels make to beer compared to less aggressive tasting ethanol alcohols, try drinking a strong belgian ale (eg Delirium Tremens) and follow it up with a Carlton Cold!

Trough Lolly, do you know if belgians use highish temps or if they just have extneded brew times? So would fusel alcs develop in a Tremens without the higher temps? Im confused.

 

[PistolPatch]

Trough Lolly: Great info above! Good of you to take the time to post all that info.

Mandraker and Brauluver: That was probably me foruming under the influence! I thought we were all meant to but now I know better! There are so many names and quotes in this post it's hard to keep track though and I think I actually did write that post sober! Hopefully what I wrote will be of some use to someone! I love the expression though, 'foruming under the influence!' Excellent.

Re Blow Off Tube in 100 Can Cooler...

As to what I wrote in that post re the blow off tube (Post #119 of this thread), forget that! I ended up having a lot of problems with the blow-off tube kinking or not sealing. I have since just cut a straight slit about 5cm long in the centre of the top of the cooler through which my airlock now goes. This has been a much better solution and there is no additional cooling loss that I am aware of.

Cheers
PP (This post written at B.A.V. of 0.06!)