Home Brewing

[Bugman]

If you want the sugars to be less, then you want higher attenuation. You have low attenuation yeast so you will have a sweeter beer. (OK so I'm being simplistic but generally thats it).To calculate attenuation percentage, the following equation can be used:

[(OG-FG)/(OG-1)] x 100

BTW If yeast flocculate too early, the beer will be underattenuated and sweet. That could be your problem.

On S-33. According to internet lore, this yeast is the strain formerly supplied by Edme https://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/bmg/edme.html , in homebrew kits, I have read reviews of this yeast and don't recall anything good. It is recommended for dunkel-weizens. Here is a discussion on S-33: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=364613

 

[Bugman]

I was going to say something similar, but figured that he knew what he was going for.Have you ever tried Allagash Black before? It is quite good, but you do have to like the estery Belgian yeast flavor to enjoy it (which I do).

I have not tried that one. I have had a hit or miss relationship with Belgians. I will have to find it and try it.

 

[TomInPA]

You're saying the S-33 is low attenuation?

 

[Fred W]

I think you did, in the description from the producer.

@Bugman

I know what you mean about hit and miss with the Belgians; they are the most diverse, and difficult beers to appreciate.

I do like most of the stuff that Allagash (Portland, ME) makes in it's "American Belgian Style", but those are not true Belgians, and they don't make much sour beer (Brett fermented). Another US brewery that makes some nice Belgian styles is Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY (a fun visit if you are in the area for the Baseball HOF). Some of their brews are delightful, but I can't get into their Farmhouse Ales and Gueze as it is just too Brett funky for my taste.

Every once in a while I'll find some Rodenbach Red on sale and splurge on it. It is the most cleanly sour Old Bruin style beer I know of. You wouldn't want to drink more than one, but splitting one with someone is a big pleasure.

 

[Bounce]

And posts 13-23 are why I have a "brewing appliance".

 

[Bugman]

Tom, Quoting from your post:

From the S-33 Spec Sheet, Fermentis states: “General purpose ale yeast with neutral flavor profiles. Its low attenuation gives..."

S-33 is is listed a general purpose yeast. This yeast is supposed to have a neutral flavor profile, and has an apparent attenuation of ONLY 70%. They suggest this yeast is best used in specialty ales and Trappist type of beers. The workable range for fermentation temperature is 54°-77° F (12°-25° C) but should ideally use fermented between 59° -68° F (15°-20° C). Choices for styles to make with yeast would be English IPA’s, English Bitters, English Browns and milds, English Pale, Brown Porter, Barleywines, Cream Ale, Old Ale, English Barleywine*, Scotch and Scottish Ales.

Now if you had bought Nottingham Ale yeast...

This is the jack of all trades yeast, and has been the champion of dry yeast for a long time. It’s clean, consistent, and fairly forgiving. This train is highly flocculant and is highly attenuative. This can give you a clear, crisp, and fairly dry beer. The ester profile is on the lower end. The yeast works best between 57°-70° F (14°-21°C), and if you ferment on the lower end of that scale you will have a very clean profile. You can push the low end temperature threshold down to about 54°F (12°C) and treat this as a lager yeast. That is why many people keep this yeast on hand as a backup option. You can lager with it and you can produce an ale with it. Where you end up is completely temperature dependent. The yeast also has a fairly high alcohol tolerance level.

Have you looked at Safale S-04?

Don't forget to rehydrate! https://barleypopmaker.info/2014/09/21/a-case-for-dry-yeast-forget-the-stereotypes-part-2-get-the-most-from-your-dry-yeast/

More on S-33. Read this link and you decide whether its worth it.

https://homebrewhooligans.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/safbrew-s-33-dry-ale-yeast/

 

[TomInPA]

Aw crap! Back to the yeast store. How, or why should I save a yeast culture? I just normally do dryer beers. I'm going to transfer this to a carboy and see if it spontaneously restarts.

 

[Bugman]

I wouldn't do that if I were you. When you transfer it you will expose it to the air and could contaminate it with wild yeast. The wild yeast will overpower the beer yeast and you will have weird flavors and headache inducing phenols. Just go get some S-04 or some Nottingham and pitch it.

You need to keep S-04 yeast on the cool side because it can get quite estery over 68*F. Nottingham is more forgiving. Nottingham is among the best attenuators as far as ale yeasts go 85-90% isn't anything out of the ordinary. Its supposed to go to 1.008. So if you want a dry beer...

Liquid yeast is a different story.

 

[TomInPA]

I'll pull a sample tomorrow and see if it is fermenting in the keg. I think I'll pitch the S-33 to the sink...bummer.

If I need some S-04 which is the original yeast in this beer, I can get some. There should be viable yeast in the keg.

 

[TomInPA]

Slow progress, but enough. Gravity has dropped from 1.032 to 1.028 in 12 hours, and tasting notes are improving. I'm going to let this sit in the sealed keg and bleed off the pressure a couple times per day for a week, and then check again. I expect it will finish without further intervention.

The IPA is at 1.015 in secondary, so I added fragrance hops. It should be ready to keg on Saturday or Sunday, then go to conditioning.

 

[Fred W]

You could just fit the keg with an airlock instead of continually burping it.

 

[Bugman]

Calculate what your final gravity should be. I would assume a 70-80% attenuation. If your OG was high then your final may be 1.028!

FG = OG - (OG x Att%)

With your OG of 1.093 your final will be 1.019 at 80% attenuation. 1.028 at 70% attenuation.

You can increase your attenuation by raising the temp of the beer toward 72F.

 

[TomInPA]

The double IPA (7-Deadly Cs) got racked to keg this afternoon at a FG of 1.012 after dry hopping for 4 days. Good hop character, but not overwhelming. OG 1.083. It will chill and carbonate for a week, and anyone that shows up can give it a try.

 

[Bounce]

First Draw from first batch. Tastes just right and the head was appropriate for a German pilsner (it took a bit to go grab my phone and take a pic).

It could use another day for forced CO2 to make it a little lighter on the tongue but it's a winner!

PicoBrew auto-settings on receipe's default except for ABV 2 notches. My guess would that would take the default of 5.4 up to maybe 6 or higher.

 

[TomInPA]

Nice pale color...just a little cloudy. That ain't Budweiser.

 

[Bounce]

That ain't Budweiser.

Thank goodness.

 

[TomInPA]

I have a Black IPA in the kettle this afternoon. The hard work is done, and we're 20 minutes into the boil Target OG on this is 1.065-1.070, and I will be able to check it for a change. I started a batch of White Labs WLP051 on Friday, and pitched half of it on Saturday to the stuck Russian Imperial Stout. The remainder has flocculated and will be re-suspended and pitched to this Black IPA. Thanks to Jamie (Bugman) for the recommendation. The stout just didn't attenuate last week, and I will put it back on carbonation by Friday regardless of final gravity. The taste has improved but gravity was still at 1.028 when last checked before adding the WLP051.

Edit: hit 1.069 on the BIPA and pitched the yeast.

 

[steve_g]

Tom - My recently retired co-worker lives in Bear Rocks has a sweet 20-gallon system. I also talked him into buying a pink 2014 FJR. We should get together and sample our brews.

I'm not brewing but fermenting 24 gallons of wine.

 

[TomInPA]

I can do wine...if we're not riding.

 

[TomInPA]

The black IPA went to secondary today after only 5 days. This was intentional. The Russian Imperial stout never attenuated, and It got transferred onto the settled yeast and trub of the primary Black IPA as a last ditch effort to kick it into gear. If it gets under 1.020 I will give it some time in secondary and try again. I wish I was equipped to distill, because this would make a good source.

The black IPA will get dry hopped, and allowed to settle until the new year before kegging. The imperial IPA 7-Cs is good, but not a session beer either. I might need to do a low gravity Marzen.