Storage Of Hops & Yeast

[griffo17]

Hello Everybody,

Well, after a few straight from the can brews (which tasted alright) I think it's time to graduate to something a little more challenging and add some decent yeast and extra hops.

This is the brew I'm going to try.

Thomas Coopers Heritage Lagar x 1
1kg light malt
Saflager W34/70 yeast
12g Pride of Ringwood Hops.

Does the yeast need to be stored in the fridge until I'm ready to go?
and the hop pellets came as a 25g bag, can the rest be sealed air-tight for use next time?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'd also be keen to hear from anyone who has tried a similar brew to the above.

Thanks

Cheers & Beers

Griffo

 

[Steve]

Hello Everybody,

Well, after a few straight from the can brews (which tasted alright) I think it's time to graduate to something a little more challenging and add some decent yeast and extra hops.

This is the brew I'm going to try.

Thomas Coopers Heritage Lagar x 1
1kg light malt
Saflager W34/70 yeast
12g Pride of Ringwood Hops.

Does the yeast need to be stored in the fridge until I'm ready to go?
and the hop pellets came as a 25g bag, can the rest be sealed air-tight for use next time?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'd also be keen to hear from anyone who has tried a similar brew to the above.

Thanks

Cheers & Beers

Griffo

Yep - done this a few times. It turns out very nice. Always store the yeast in the fridge until ready to use. Get a zip lock back for the hops (if they arent already in one), squeeze as much air out as possible by rolling into a sausage shape and store in the freezer. Im presuming you are going to be brewing it at LAGER temps? 12 degress ish?
Cheers
Steve

 

[Ross]

Hello Everybody,

Well, after a few straight from the can brews (which tasted alright) I think it's time to graduate to something a little more challenging and add some decent yeast and extra hops.

This is the brew I'm going to try.

Thomas Coopers Heritage Lagar x 1
1kg light malt
Saflager W34/70 yeast
12g Pride of Ringwood Hops.

Does the yeast need to be stored in the fridge until I'm ready to go?
and the hop pellets came as a 25g bag, can the rest be sealed air-tight for use next time?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'd also be keen to hear from anyone who has tried a similar brew to the above.

Thanks

Cheers & Beers

Griffo

Griffo,

Dried yeast has been designed to be stored without undue detriment up to 20c, though the fridge is preferable. Hops need to be stored airtight & again preferably in a fridge or freezer.

cheers Ross

 

[rough60]

Hi griffo,
If you were going to steep the POR and haven't bought the POR yet, I would use a less harsh hop for flavour/aroma try a hallertau, saaz etc for European/German style, amarillo etc for APA style or something like Goldings for an English style.
If you like the POR flavour, I would get a low IBU can and boil the LDME with some POR for 45mins to bring the bitterness up a bit (I like bitter beers) and not add flavour or aroma hops.
This is just what I prefer.
Cheers.


Edit: I'ma shocka spella

 

[0M39A]

I agree with what rough60 has said, if you havent already bought the POR, maybe look at getting some saaz or hallertau for an authentic lager taste.

POR isnt exactly renowned for its amazing flavour or aroma if you catch my drift...

 

[griffo17]

Hey Everybody,

Thanks for the feedback.

I have already purchased the POR hop pellets, so it looks like I'm stuck with those. My first couple of brews were OK but maybe a little on the bland side so maybe the POR might give it some bite?

Just a few quick questions if I may.

Should I still be pitching the yeast at about 26 degrees given that I'm using proper lager yeast that will ferment at about 12?

And how do I go about mixing the hop pellets, how much water for how long and do I need to strain through something? or just throw the lot in?

I did a quick search but failed to find anything useful.

Thanks once again.

Cheers & Beers

Griffo

 

[rough60]

I'd probably dislove your kit at as low a temp as possible, pitch at 18 and let cool, if you want it for aroma just steep for 20 mins, if you want it for flavour, boil them with the LDME for 20-30 mins.
I'd strain the POR out, hops I mentioned before I'd leave in.
If it's the yeast under the lid of the can it might be an ale yeast (mauri) and you would need a higher temp, if it's a lager yeast and 7g, you should make a starter to get the cell count up.
And pitch as cool as possible.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.

 

[deegee]

Griffo, in answer to the questions in your last post :

1. re W34/70 Yeast :- here is a quote from the Fermentis (Saflager) web site :-

"Pitching instructions: Re-hydrate the dry yeast into yeast cream in a stirred vessel prior to pitching. Sprinkle the dry yeast in 10 times its own weight of sterile water or wort at 23C 3C.
Once the dry yeast is reconstituted into cream by this method (this takes about 15 to 30 minutes), maintain a gentle stirring for another 30 minutes. Then pitch the resultant cream into the fermentation vessel.

Alternatively, pitch dry yeast directly in the fermentation vessel providing the temperature of the wort is above 20C. Progressively sprinkle the dry yeast into the wort ensuring the yeast covers all the surface of wort available in order to avoid clumps. Leave for 30 minutes and then mix the wort e.g. using aeration.

Recommended fermentation temperature: 9C 15C, ideally 12C." End quote

The easier way is to just sprinkle the dry yeast on the wort at about 23c then reduce it to about 12.

2. Hops - Instead of just dissolving your kit & kilo in 2-4 L of hot water as per the kit instructions, try this :
In a large saucepan, boil the LDME in 2-3L of water for about 20 minutes. Put half the hop pellets in for the whole time, and the other half at the end, when you turn off the heat. Let it stand for another 15/20 minutes, then strain into the fermenter ( it won't matter if a bit of the hop residue goes into the fermenter ) . Now tip the can into the fermenter, and follow the usual routine from there.

Cheers , Deegee.

 

[griffo17]

Hey DG & Rough60,

Thanks for the help on the yeast and hop procedure. Much Apppreciated.

Do I pitch the yeast and leave the fermenter unsealed before I give it a good stir about 30 minutes later?
Or do I fit the airlock and simply remove it again to stir the yeast in?

Thanks once again.

Cheers & Beers

Griffo

 

[Steve]

Hey DG & Rough60,

Thanks for the help on the yeast and hop procedure. Much Apppreciated.

Do I pitch the yeast and leave the fermenter unsealed before I give it a good stir about 30 minutes later?
Or do I fit the airlock and simply remove it again to stir the yeast in?

Thanks once again.

Cheers & Beers

Griffo

Pitch dry yeast (or re-hydrated if you so desire) on top , whisk with a fork and seal her up straight away. Simple.
Cheers
Steve

 

[rough60]

I used to just sprinkle it on top seal it and leave it.
Cheers.

 

[deegee]

Griffo, I just re-read the Saflager quote I posted, and I should have realised that it gave good info, but some of it could have been misleading too. It is really aimed at commercial boutique breweries, brewing on a larger scale than we do.

I put it on there mainly for the temperatures. The other stuff can be scaled down and simplified for HB's.

For instance, if you want to re-hydrate a typical sachet of dry yeast, just put about 200 -300 mils of sterile water (boiled then cooled) , in a sanitised bottle or jar, and tip the yeast on top. I use a 500ml bottle, so it's only about half full. Swirl it around for a minute or two to get the yeast dissolving, then give it another swirl every five or ten minutes for about half an hour.

And for adding it dry, Steve is spot on - as soon as your wort is at the right temp, sprinkle the yeast on top, whisk it in, and seal it.

Sorry about the information overload, but it was late (and I may have been slightly under the influence)

Cheers, Deegee.