18/04/08 - Yellowbelly Burst

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 12:19 pm

A cutting remark!

BarrowBoy · Post by **BarrowBoy** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 12:23 pm

SiHoltye wrote:I knew someone would ask that! Had a look and it was from Thermometers Direct, spare probes here. Bottom of the page.

Thanks for that - I ordered 2 just to be on the safe side.

spearmint-wino · Post by **spearmint-wino** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:30 am

Out of interest, is there a particular reason you use 2 sachets of S-04 on a 25l brew as opposed to just one?

Asking as I was thinking about this when I did the Simmonds not too long ago - Mr Malty pitching-rate calculator stated 1.3 packs of dried yeast for a 1.063 wort, so I chucked 2 in.
Normally I use just 1 pack for up to about 1.055. Having said that the 2 packs of S-04 absolutely rampaged their way through the Simmonds wort - it had almost finished by 36hrs. Do you find a benefit from pitching 2 packs into a "lower" gravity wort?

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:53 am

It was what I rehydrated just after taking the 'incorrect' post mash gravity. I thought the wort might be 1.060ish so rehydrated 2 packs together. I heard that above 1.050ish 2 packs are good, keep forgetting to look at the useful Mr Malty to check though.

I'm now wondering if the effect of using a little more (in this case dried) yeast cells means potentially a cleaner taste as the yeast won't have to work so hard. Since I'll be fining I'll get it all out at the end. 'Cos don't you have to create the right stresses to bring out characteristics in (for example) Belgian strains using temperature and perhaps to a lesser extent pitching rate? By giving S-04 an easy life would it work to reverse that sometimes fruitiness excentuating trait.

I should just use a cleaner yeast I know, I'm gonna order something from Brewlab today, just gotta decide what. Not necessarily for cleanliness but to move away from S-04 for a bit. At the Derby comp the beers were so varied, I don't think I could make some of the Bitters I'd like to try with S-04. Also I have the feeling my palate might be getting used to my house yeast (S-04) and would like to dip my toe in the wide world of yeasties.

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:45 am

Dropped 27 points to 1.017 in 45 hours.
Tastes good too. Hair of the dog Hydro sample this morning. Feeling rufftee tufftee.

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Mon May 19, 2008 11:19 pm

Been tucked up in the keg for a bit now. Took a sample last night and that extra bittering hops I incorrectly put in have screwed any balance. I think it'll be lovely, I'll just have to wait 12 weeks or so

for it to mellow out.

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Mon May 19, 2008 11:33 pm

Yeah really puckering, a bit numbing, so you'd imagine yourself not so able to taste afterwards. Nothing horrendous, just overbearing at the mo. I was confident enough I could taste some really nice characteristics underneath so I guess time will prove that or otherwise.

ChrisG · Post by **ChrisG** » Tue May 20, 2008 8:53 am

Excellent run down and a great set of pics.

Thanks for posting them!

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 10:28 pm

Tasting this again now, and it's not good

The harsh bitterness has gone, it just tastes of S-04. Nothing interesting in this at all. Also think I was batch sparging too hot perhaps as there is a haze, or though perhaps the outside variable temperature storage may have done this. Also doubled the necessary CRS for a bitter 'cos I didn't know what I was treating then, and used ph5.2.

Boring beer, but think it's my fault

It's another lesson, or more hopefully an explanation as to how guessing technique is worse than leaving well alone.

Vossy1 · Post by **Vossy1** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 10:35 pm

Sorry to hear that SH, as long as there's a lesson learned there's no waste IMO

That's the way I look at it when it happens to me anyway

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18/04/08 - Yellowbelly Burst