What are you brewing?

[nzbrewer]

Since this is the most popular thread on the RealBeer.co.nz forum I thought I would start it here just to see what happens

[Scarrfie]

When you say no action do you just mean the airlock? Have you got a light source close so you can see if small bubbles rising from the bottom? Is there any sign of a Krausen?

[Nathan McKEnzie]

There is a very small amount of bubbles on top and no sign of krausen. No airlock action

[Chris P]

Hi Nathan,

What is your OG and how many liters? I would hit it with Dry (lager) yeast from a local hbs as soon as possible but if readings are not dropping by now you are almost at a point where not much good can come of it without some negative effects.

Mr Malty calculator predicts you need either way more yeast via vials or needed to do a starter. I have seen many people make a minimum 3ltr starter with most lagers.

Underpitching seems to be the issue here.

Some people also use an ale yeast (US 05 type) and can go down to 15 or 16 deg C and make faux lagers with it.

First time I used liquid yeast I didn't make a starter and it went south also. To the point I have only used dry since.

Welcome to AG. A bit more to focus on but you can make some wicked beers.

[Nathan McKEnzie]

Hi chris,

O.g was 1050 and 22liters. Thanks I will get some dry yeast (dam)

[Scarrfie]

I second that. I generally yeast of dry origin but reuse it, so usually make a starter as well although sometimes dump on the yeast cake. Yes I do use 3L for my lagers. Have top harvested a couple of times in recent weeks as the timing was right :-)

[Nathan McKEnzie]

Yes we have fermentation and krausen. I will be making starts from now on!!! Thanks everybody for your input, I ended up just sitting on my hands and waiting.

[Thies]

i've made a smoked ale, did a partial mash , followed by steeped grains and extract & hops. the OG was 1.060 , now after 9 days in the fermenter the reading is 1.022. do i wait a few more days and hope the reading will drop more? or is there anything else i can do to make it do this? i sampled some but there was no smokey flavor to be detected?

[Dave W]

Brewed an almost clone of Bells two hearted today (almost cos I couldn't get Dennys 50 yeast and Cascade hops when shopping yesterday)

5.44 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 1 79.9 %
0.91 kg Vienna Malt (Weyermann) (5.9 EBC) Grain 2 13.4 %
0.23 kg Cara-Pils/Dextrine (3.9 EBC) Grain 3 3.4 %
0.23 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (39.4 EBC) Grain 4 3.4 %
21.26 g Centennial [10.30 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 24.5 IBUs
14.17 g Centennial [10.30 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 6 15.0 IBUs
14.17 g Centennial [10.30 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 7 12.6 IBUs
21.26 g Centennial [10.30 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 12.2 IBUs
0.30 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) -
14.17 g Centennial [10.30 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [124.21ml]

30.70 g Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 14.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
26.00 g Centennial [10.00 %] - Dry Hop 14.0 Days Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
Beer Profile
Measured Original Gravity: 1.057 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.9 %
Bitterness: 64.2 IBUs Calories: 534.7 kcal/l
Est Color: 13.1 EBC

[Thies]

not sure if i am calculating this wrong? but if you try and work out the alc% it's the OG - FG *131 ?

is this correct ? so in this example would it not be 5.4% ?

[Dave W]

Dunno.... It's just what the beer smith software worked out?

I usually never pay attention to that bit, the yeast usually ferments out lower than the software plans on.

[Gareth Kerr]

Yeah, something looks a little amiss there, OG of 1.057 finishing at 1.016 wouldn't be that high, more around the 5.5% mark I'd say. Maybe check your beersmith settings, although I wouldn't know what might cause that. Maybe there are differing formulas to choose between much like IBU with tinseth, rager etc.

[Crusader-Rob]

Nelson Sauvin & Galaxy Hops, would this still be called a NZ IPA?