Poor mans, garbage can beer #2

[Libertytree]

How much yeast do you use? How many gallons do you make at a time? I know it has to be substantial and can only imagine the costs are out of this world.

Speaking of yeast... You ever heard of Mauribrew Dry Ale yeast? Know anyone that's used it? Supposedly its temp range is 60-90!

Edit to add. http://www.maurivin.com/yeast.aspx?i...=286#Ale%20514 pdf spec sheet at link.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/produc...ducts_id=13614

I also ran across this... http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/b...-ardennes.html

[Libertytree]

I bottled it all up, the 1006 readings were consistent over 3 days, this seems screwey to me but that's another matter, the yeast by visual count had played out and was by far the worst yeast I've dealt with so far, it almost has me a little scared but the smell and taste of the beer is very good. It's a lot darker than the Pilsner from the last batch, this being an Amber malt extract but I do like the flavor. Every 5 gals was primed with 1/2 cup table sugar and then bottled.

I wound up with 9 cases total. Next week on Thanksgiving day I'll be able to tell ya if it was a failure or a success.

[BrewTech]

I bottled it all up, the 1006 readings were consistent over 3 days, this seems screwey to me but that's another matter, the yeast by visual count had played out and was by far the worst yeast I've dealt with so far, it almost has me a little scared but the smell and taste of the beer is very good. It's a lot darker than the Pilsner from the last batch, this being an Amber malt extract but I do like the flavor. Every 5 gals was primed with 1/2 cup table sugar and then bottled.

I wound up with 9 cases total. Next week on Thanksgiving day I'll be able to tell ya if it was a failure or a success.

What's screwy about a 1.5 Plato finish? If you want a dry beer (like a lager) then that's ideal... essentially what you made was an alt-bier... try adding some wheat extract next time to get the real style.

If the beer tastes good then I hope you took good notes!

Oh wait, you posted them to a forum, so that's good!

[BrewTech]

How much yeast do you use? How many gallons do you make at a time? I know it has to be substantial and can only imagine the costs are out of this world.

Speaking of yeast... You ever heard of Mauribrew Dry Ale yeast? Know anyone that's used it? Supposedly its temp range is 60-90!

Edit to add. http://www.maurivin.com/yeast.aspx?i...=286#Ale%20514 pdf spec sheet at link.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/produc...ducts_id=13614

I also ran across this... http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/b...-ardennes.html

With its high temperature tolerance this ale yeast can ferment from 59°F up to 90°F (15-32°C) with desirable flavor characteristics resulting in the 61-75°F (16-24°C) range.

...meaning you will get some undesirable phenolics and esters at higher temps. Keep it in the 70F range and it will be good.

The ardennes yeast is good, but if you're trying to make a Bud, you will probably not be happy with it.

If you are going to use it, use pilsner and wheat extracts, with low level hopping, preferably something like Saaz. And when I say low level hopping, just putting some hops in the same room as the fermenter should be fine...

[Libertytree]

What's screwy about a 1.5 Plato finish? If you want a dry beer (like a lager) then that's ideal... essentially what you made was an alt-bier... try adding some wheat extract next time to get the real style.

If the beer tastes good then I hope you took good notes!

Oh wait, you posted them to a forum, so that's good!

I had to bring myself up to speed about Plato measurements, kinda sorta, need to study that more as I still don't fully understand it or the bearing it truly holds. I did find some online converters that gave me a Plato number of 3.0 but then I found a nifty little chart that reads the 1.5. Like I said, need to bone up.

[Libertytree]

...meaning you will get some undesirable phenolics and esters at higher temps. Keep it in the 70F range and it will be good.

The ardennes yeast is good, but if you're trying to make a Bud, you will probably not be happy with it.

If you are going to use it, use pilsner and wheat extracts, with low level hopping, preferably something like Saaz. And when I say low level hopping, just putting some hops in the same room as the fermenter should be fine...

The Ardennes note was for you in relation to what you said earlier. Sorry, should have been clearer.

'I like the flavor of s04 but the performance leaves something to be desired. If I do another English style ale I'm going with White Labs WLP 002. That is, if I can get the boss to pony up for it... easy to talk when it ain't your money!"

The Ardennes caught my eye about how well it was with English style ales.

I'm just gonna have to deal with my insanely high fermenting temps until I can rig up something cheap to knock it down 10-15 degrees. Yet another project.

I'd definitely using the Pilsner LME next time unless this Amber is exceptional. I'm still up in the air about the yeast, though I know it'll either be the Coopers or the Mauribrew. Working on the next recipe but that's for another thread later.

[BrewTech]

I had to bring myself up to speed about Plato measurements, kinda sorta, need to study that more as I still don't fully understand it or the bearing it truly holds. I did find some online converters that gave me a Plato number of 3.0 but then I found a nifty little chart that reads the 1.5. Like I said, need to bone up.

One degree Plato is approximately 1% sugar. Each degree Plato equates to about .004 when converting to specific gravity, e.g. 1.004 = 1.0 Plato, 1.008 = 2.0 Plato, 1.040 = 10.0 Plato... you get the idea. At home I always used specific gravity, but the brewer here before was doing everything in Plato, so it just grew on me.

[Libertytree]

One degree Plato is approximately 1% sugar. Each degree Plato equates to about .004 when converting to specific gravity, e.g. 1.004 = 1.0 Plato, 1.008 = 2.0 Plato, 1.040 = 10.0 Plato... you get the idea. At home I always used specific gravity, but the brewer here before was doing everything in Plato, so it just grew on me.

Ahhh, I see. It's really a way of saying the same thing. So, a reading of 1.006 or 1.5 degrees Plato is a good thing? 1.5% sugar means exactly what? Is there a target one hopes to hit in these regards? Or is it more of a guide to help in formulating adjustments for a recipe?

[BrewTech]

Ahhh, I see. It's really a way of saying the same thing. So, a reading of 1.006 or 1.5 degrees Plato is a good thing? 1.5% sugar means exactly what? Is there a target one hopes to hit in these regards? Or is it more of a guide to help in formulating adjustments for a recipe?

Appropriate final gravity depends on beer style, as well as what the brewer is trying to achieve.

I highly recommend downloading and looking over a copy of the BJCP Guidelines. SG/FGs for each style are listed, as well as other defining characteristics for each style.

Not to mention, you'll learn a lot about beer in general.

I still haven't read the whole thing, even though it would do me well to memorize it!

[Libertytree]

Test 1- 8 days after bottling. Richer flavor than the 1st batch, not nearly as sweet, carbonation is under developed as well but the 1st test on B1 was 18 days and I expect some variance in that regard. It is clearer and the sediment at the bottom of the bottle is not nearly as pronounced, it also sits at the bottom of the bottle better.

On a scale of 1-10, so far I'd give it a 5, drinkable fer sure but the jury is still out and I expect it to get better with a few more days.