VIC. 2015 Xmas in July - Recipe.

[Mardoo]

Pullin' a Homerrrrrrrrr...

 

[Nullnvoid]

So I have a stout in the fermenter at the moment using Wyeast 1084. Once this has finished am I right to just dump the Bummock onto that slurry? And shake like there is no tomorrow?

Is it as simple as that or am I forgetting a few steps.

Excuse the ignorance but never used the previous slurry bed of goodness before.

 

[MartinOC]

Wyeast 1084 is a good choice. It's an absolute BEAST! Nice one Centurion!

A few things to think about...& it can be as simple or complex as you want to go/try:

How good was the initial fermentation (ie. vigorous & clean)? If it was a good, strong one, then you're on the right track. If it was piss-poor, then we'll need a re-visit.

You'll need to get as much of the original beer off the lees as you can get soas not to "contaminate" the Bummock with too much of the original. Keep it clean & sanitary during your runoff/transfer.

If you've got a spare fermenter, the easiest way is to dump a bit of the Bummock cube into the original fermenter & swirl/shake the crap out of it to loosen-off the original cake & introduce oxygen, then dump the rest in with MAX aeration. LOTS & LOTS of aeration!

The next day (at least 12 hours later - by this time, it should be well on it's way), transfer/dump (& I mean VIGOROUSLY DUMP!) the whole lot into your freshly clean/sanitised second fermenter. The reason for the 12 hours is that you want at least one cell-division (ie. a doubling of the yeast population), which gives you a good start on such a high-gravity beer.

Leave it alone to do it's jiggy-jiggy thang....

'Reckon that's simple enough without too much to think about or do.

Good luck with it!!

 

[AJ80]

So I have a stout in the fermenter at the moment using Wyeast 1084. Once this has finished am I right to just dump the Bummock onto that slurry? And shake like there is no tomorrow?

Is it as simple as that or am I forgetting a few steps.

Excuse the ignorance but never used the previous slurry bed of goodness before.

Funnily enough I've an Irish red ale fermenting on 1084 right now and my plan is to dump the swap brew cube right on the cake. Aerate heaps and then again around 12-24 hours.

 

[Nullnvoid]

Thanks Martin, I reckon even I can follow all that. It sounds simple enough

The current ferment was I think strong enough. It took maybe 2 days to get going but when it did it was good and quick. I didn't make a starter or anything that's why I think it too a bit to get going.

 

[MartinOC]

Funnily enough I've an Irish red ale fermenting on 1084 right now and my plan is to dump the swap brew cube right on the cake. Aerate heaps and then again around 12-24 hours.

Great minds, attuned to the great fermentation-god think alike...

Thanks Martin, I reckon even I can follow all that. It sounds simple enough

The current ferment was I think strong enough. It took maybe 2 days to get going but when it did it was good and quick. I didn't make a starter or anything that's why I think it too a bit to get going.

You'll be fine. If your initial fermentation was a good one, then following the suggested plan will work wonders. GO for it! Don't be shy with the initial/second aeration, then just leave it alone.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Is doing a partial wort dump 12 hrs apart beneficial if I have an O2 setup to borrow/use, or would actual Oxygenation be the bulk benefit out of the two and therefore simpler to dump it all in at once?

 

[MartinOC]

Is doing a partial wort dump 12 hrs apart beneficial if I have an O2 setup to borrow/use, or wiuld actual Oxygenation br the bulk benefit out of the two and therefore simpler to dump it all in at once?

To quote Churchill: "This is the sort of English, up with which, I will not put!".

What's your actual question?????

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Haha I was wondering if I bother with the staggered dumping of the wort if I am oxygenating directly?

I've calculated for an OG of 1.100 and 22L I need around 400mL of my yeast slurry. If I just double and round up to 1L of slurry, plus oxygenate, am I in a certain good space? Or is there a possibility of overpitching with this one?

 

[MartinOC]

Aha! NOW I get it!!

If you've calculated 400ml of slurry & can introduce pure O2, then you'd probably be fine with just rounding-up to 500ml of slurry. A full Litre would be overkill. My suggestion for Nullnvoid was on the assumption that he doesn't have pure O2 available.

The negative effects of overpitching are better than negative effects from underpitching.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Thanks Martin - all clear now sorry about my spangdanglish!

Will see how much thick slurry settles of the 1.5L I collected in a flask tonight. But is there a percentage of full pitch which is scientifically deemed an "overpitch"? Say 120%, 150%, 200% etc? I'm guessing the bigger the beer the more the negative effects of overpitching would be dampened, is that correct?

I should have at least 200% of the recommended pitch in slurry available to me, wanna work out whether to dump it all in or show restraint for good reason?

 

[Mardoo]

Well now, whose recommended pitch, and do they re-hydrate?

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Mr Jamil Zainsheff (I'm sure I just barstardised his name) aka Mr Malty. Based on MY interpretation of how thick the slurry I collected which is yet to settle is.....



I'm just gonna pitch the lot.

 

[MartinOC]

Woah, Tiger!!

Whilst overpitching is generally better than underpitching, you can still get bad effects: Increased ester production, yeast autolysis flavours & poor head retention.

Stick with your plan of 400ml of slurry. If you go slightly over, not a worry, but don't over-do it.

I don't think I've ever read anything scientific about a percentage-overpitch, but best stick with the calculations.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Right-o! Thanks for the being the voice of reason. I had the pleasure of smelling autolysis first hand from some old slurry recently, so definitely dont wanna risk that in a finished beer. Specially such a precious high gravity one!!!

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

It would appear the yeast gods would have their own way whether I liked it or not. 500mL smack bang on!

Doesnt seem like much from 22L of 1.054 Altbier... I only left 100mL in the fermenter or so and that was quite "frothy" and wouldnt flow out the tap! It was a cold 15C ferment with 1007 though...

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Two weeks more and we're down to 1.034... From the yeast I'm using I've had 85%AA from a OG 1.058, 79%AA from some 1.080's, so I reckon at best I'll be seeing an OG around 1.024 to 1.026 (~72%AA).

Tasting damn fine from the hydro samples.

Any recommendations for adding fresh yeast for bottling?

How's your going mate? What are your plans for fresh yeast?

I'm guessing if we have a thin slurry of fresh (90+% viable) yeast then we would only need 1-2mLs per long neck? If this is the case then a 1L starter made with the same yeast strategically aimed to finish at bottling time and a sterile syringe should do the trick?

I suppose the alternative method would be for me to finally try bulk priming, putting the starter slurry into the secondary with sugar solution and mixing well?

 

[mofox1]

How's your going mate? What are your plans for fresh yeast?

I'm guessing if we have a thin slurry of fresh (90+% viable) yeast then we would only need 1-2mLs per long neck? If this is the case then a 1L starter made with the same yeast strategically aimed to finish at bottling time and a sterile syringe should do the trick?

I suppose the alternative method would be for me to finally try bulk priming, putting the starter slurry into the secondary with sugar solution and mixing well?

It was down to 1.022 a few days ago and finally seems to be slowing down. Only 2 pts in the 4 days between the last readings.

Still not sure about the bottling method, I think I'm with you on the bulk priming + fresh yeast. To much kucfing about if you start adding syringes.

I'm assuming there is very little point to cold crashing this one?....

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Hmm, I'd still cold crash. I find you can still see 'clarity' of darker/thicker beers. An Altbier I recently brewed looks amazing after a decent cold crash and it's very dark, in fact the photo of harvested yeast above is that same beer and 24 hours settled in fridge after I swirled the yeast cake up, so you get the point

How many gravity samples you been taking?! You got any beer left? Hehe, or you using a refrac and correcting the reading?

 

[mofox1]

How many gravity samples you been taking?! You got any beer left? Hehe, or you using a refrac and correcting the reading?

Why, every night just before bed! Best sleep ever.