Prioritising Brewfridge For Mead Vs Dunkelweisen

[moovet]

Hi all,

Just after a bit of advice as I have screwed things up a bit.

I currently have a "Wife Pleaser Mead" in the brewfridge at the moment and was making preparations to do my first extract brew with some specialty malts, a DunkelWeissen http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...amp;recipe=1056

Where I have screwed up is that I have ordered and received my specialty malts, already milled not realising they have about a 2 week shelf-life when milled. Additionally, as the amounts were relatively small, I ordered more for future brews.

Anyway, as it seems the temperature for fermenting weizen beers seems to be fairly critical, I was thinking of getting a 60L fermenter with a blow-off tube and make a double batch with the ingredients I have and put it in the brew fridge. However, this means my mead will have to come out for a spell (1wk or two) which may affect its quality and composition. It has been in the fermenter for a bit over a week now.

I have put the malt in the freezer part of the fridge/freezer which is abut 4-6 degrees. It seems a shame to waste it all.

Do you think it is better to swap the brews over so the Dunkelweisen is at the right temperature or leave the mead where it is and chance fermentation in the garage for the Dunkel? Or can you store milled specialty grains in the fridge/freezer for longer than 2 weeks with no real problem?

Any advice as always appreciated.


Moovet

 

[Dazza_devil]

My spec. grains come milled and I have used them 6 months later without any problems. I just store them in a double zip lock bag in an airtight container in the cupboard. A cool dark place, airtight and no probs. Craftbrewer send their grains in vacuum sealed bags which is a bonus.

Edit - Just realised that is my recipe you are brewing Moovet. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, it's all gone
I'm about to use the remainder of those ingredients in a Weizenbock next week.

 

[peas_and_corn]

Meads ferment pretty slowly, just stach it somewhere cool and it should be fine for the fortnight.

 

[Dazza_devil]

Make sure to read the brewers notes in my recipe.
What sort of wheat extract and yeast will you be using?

 

[jiesu]

Well you could allways boil it up and stick it in a no chill for a few weeks if you were really concerned about it. I know a few people on these forums have left No chill cubes for upwards of 6 months without problems.

 

[moovet]

Make sure to read the brewers notes in my recipe.
What sort of wheat extract and yeast will you be using?

I have all the ingredients per the list including 3 kg of Muntons Wheat DME and Wyeast 3638.

Cheers,


Moovet

 

[Dazza_devil]

I have all the ingredients per the list including 3 kg of Muntons Wheat DME and Wyeast 3638.

Cheers,


Moovet

Good onya mate. That extract wasn't cheap, Grain and Grape? I remember John recommended to me that some cracked grain I purchased from G&G be used within 2 weeks, I reckon it would be OK for a couple more though if stored correctly. Somebody else might back me up on that one.
Was you gonna make a starter from the Wyeast pack or just pitch the smack pack?

 

[moovet]

Good onya mate. That extract wasn't cheap, Grain and Grape? I remember John recommended to me that some cracked grain I purchased from G&G be used within 2 weeks, I reckon it would be OK for a couple more though if stored correctly. Somebody else might back me up on that one.
Was you gonna make a starter from the Wyeast pack or just pitch the smack pack?

Happy to do either really. When you say you may have overpitched what exactly does that mean? Too much yeast/starter or to
hot a temperature for the yeast?

I got the specialty grains through Craft Brewer so they are pretty well sealed and the yeast from G & G. Both guys were very helpful to a newbie. However I got the Muntons wheat DME from my local outfit for $12/kg which was the cheapest I have found it. Could possibly get it cheaper from them in larger amounts.

Cheers,


Moovet

 

[Dazza_devil]

Happy to do either really. When you say you may have overpitched what exactly does that mean? Too much yeast/starter or to
hot a temperature for the yeast?

I got the specialty grains through Craft Brewer so they are pretty well sealed and the yeast from G & G. Both guys were very helpful to a newbie. However I got the Muntons wheat DME from my local outfit for $12/kg which was the cheapest I have found it. Could possibly get it cheaper from them in larger amounts.

Cheers,


Moovet

With the yeast,
I made a starter with the smack pack which puts brewday off by around a week. I did this because I wanted to save some samples to use in future brews. There are many methods of doing this and you will decide what is best for you. What I did was step the starter up from 1 litre to 3 litres, fermented it out, swirled it up and kept 3 X 330ml stubbies full of the starter wort, Cold-Crashed it for 2-3 days then decanted the beer from the top. While my wort was cooling to pitching temperature I fed the yeast around a litre of cooled wort. By the time the wort was at pitching temp my starter was at high krausen, (about 3-4 hours). This may have been too much yeast, not sure. Some say to underpitch with this particular yeast to stress it a little, producing more esters. My yeast didn't stress at all, unless the pressure build-up in the blocked airlock caused a high concentration of CO2 before it blew off and exploded krausen all over the roof of my brew fridge. I installed a blow-off tube and witnessed an exciting vigorous ferment. The brew turned out really nice to my tastes but there was a lot of sediment in the bottom of the bottles after the yeast came out of suspension. It settled out OK and I decanted the beer into a jug before drinking. Some people enjoy this style with the sediment suspended as I think it is traditionally enjoyed but I didn't stir it up.
Here's a post on the yeast sediment http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...ic=42235&hl=

I hope you get something from this and it all goes well for you. The easiest way would be to just pitch the smack pack and perhaps save some samples from the trub after fermentation for future brews. I figured that after taking 3X330ml stubbies from the 3 litre starter I had a 2 litre starter left. There really was a shitload of yeast, I stirred the starter up during fermentation numerous times, but it all ended up really well and I would do it the same way again. A friend and my brother have been at me to make this one again since they were lucky enough to have a drink of it.
Don't hesitate to ask if you want to know any other details on my method.

 

[Wolfy]

How long has the mead been fermenting for?

The weather forecast for Melb the next week or so seems to be in the low 20's so I'd brew your beer as soon as you're ready and take the mead out of the fridge.
You could even put it in a water-bath to stabilise the day/night temperatures and so that if it gets a bit warmer or cooler you can adjust the temps if needed.

 

[moovet]

How long has the mead been fermenting for?

The weather forecast for Melb the next week or so seems to be in the low 20's so I'd brew your beer as soon as you're ready and take the mead out of the fridge.
You could even put it in a water-bath to stabilise the day/night temperatures and so that if it gets a bit warmer or cooler you can adjust the temps if needed.

Mead has been in for a week and has been fermenting very well after the starter and nutrient additions.

 

[brettprevans]

So long as ur cracked grains are airtight then you've probably got some more time.
Take the mead out of the fridge it will be fine at ambiant temp

 

[moovet]

Currently boiling the wort after the hop addition. Took the Wyeast 3638 smackpack out of fridge at 8am. Put it in a water bath at about 22 degrees for an hour then broke the nutrient capsule inside (I hope!!)

Now it is almost 4:30pm and I do not really notice a whole lot of difference in the size and turgidity of this pack compared to the different Wyeast I still have in the fridge.

Has anyone had a dud with these yeasts? I am kinda committed as I am almost finished the boil. SHould I order a new one and put the sealed fermenter in the brewfridge at the right temp and pitch the new one when it arrives?

I thought it would be all swollen up looking like it was ready to explode. There isn't that much pressure there.

 

[Dazza_devil]

Currently boiling the wort after the hop addition. Took the Wyeast 3638 smackpack out of fridge at 8am. Put it in a water bath at about 22 degrees for an hour then broke the nutrient capsule inside (I hope!!)

Now it is almost 4:30pm and I do not really notice a whole lot of difference in the size and turgidity of this pack compared to the different Wyeast I still have in the fridge.

Has anyone had a dud with these yeasts? I am kinda committed as I am almost finished the boil. SHould I order a new one and put the sealed fermenter in the brewfridge at the right temp and pitch the new one when it arrives?

I thought it would be all swollen up looking like it was ready to explode. There isn't that much pressure there.

What's the package date on the packet? All mine have swelled in 3-4 hours but they were only around 1 month old. I think they can take longer if older, perhaps even 2-3 days.
If you took the yeast from the fridge straight into a 22 degrees water bath that would of shocked the yeast, best to let it warm up to ambient slowly.
Waiting for a new yeast to arrive could give time for an infection to take a hold in your wort but may be your only choice. What's the other yeast you have in the fridge?

Edit - the yeast you have may still be viable it could just take longer to swell the packet. If I was you I would leave the wort in the fermenter till the morning and see how the pack is then. If you are gonna wait for another pack it can't hurt as far as I can see to pitch the packet you have in the morning anyway. Some yeast has gotta be better than no yeast till the backup arrives.
You can still feel the smack pack inside if it's not burst.
Someone else might dial in to help out here.

 

[Dazza_devil]

This is a tricky one.
What do ya's reckon he should do?

 

[DUANNE]

if the brew is done and youre unable to nc id just pitch the pack straight in.it will take off given time.other wise nc the brew and wait for the yeast to wake up then pitch.

 

[Dazza_devil]

The brew could be OK to sit in the fermenter with some sanitiser in the airlock for a little while I reckon. I usually chill my wort a final 6-7 degrees in my brew fridge in the fermenter with no problems. I use starsan in the airlock and the backward airlock action hasn't appeared to be a problem.
A cube to no-chill would be a better option I guess.

 

[pdilley]

Don't worry moovet. If you are in Melbourne and your temperatures are going to be in the low 20s outside with lower temperatures inside the Mead will do fine outside of the fridge. Your Mead should be done with fermentation in 2 to 3 weeks easy and can start ageing. If you can wait to remove it until then your grain should be fine. If not then taking out the Mead into a cool area of the house will be fine. You have the flexibility of choice. I have a temperature meter that remembers the highest an lowest measured temps which is good for profiling the room beforehand and comparing to the forecasted temperature for the day. But looking at the forecast of 21C, 17C, 17C, 18C I'd say your safe to pull it. You can age outside over winter if you are not bothered and can free up the fridge for more beers and primary fermentations of Meads or whatever have you.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Dazza_devil]

I think that was the least of his worries at the moment Pete.

 

[pdilley]

We start all the old yeast in flasks, stirrer not required but beneficial. At the LHBS the owner ends up using all the old yeast on his own brews. I wouldn't stress the yeast. If there are no supplies on hand to make starter wort, sacrifice some of the existing wort. If a flask or flask and stirrer are not handy, boiled wort into a juice bottle (I use 2L apple from a huge collection left over from cider making) will easily make a micro sized no chill cube. Cools fast under refrigeration and can be used to pitch the pack contents into to build a larger number of yeast cells to pitch. We've all been in situations that call for creativity and thinking on the go.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete