Imperial Star 240909

[mysterio]

Fruity isn't quite the right word, just slightly more fruity than i'm used to compared to some of the liquid lager yeasts. But the German lager white labs yeast was also a bit fruity and this is supposed to be the same. I would have done a 3rd pitch DB but I just can't brew fast enough and I don't have enough keg/fridge space. Although I just scadged another fridge from my brother so maybe I should have kept a jar of the yeast on standby

[ChrisG]

great pictures, really makes me want to get another brew on. Actually I think I will!

[adm]

great pictures, really makes me want to get another brew on. Actually I think I will!

You owe it to yourself!

[ChrisG]

great pictures, really makes me want to get another brew on. Actually I think I will!

You owe it to yourself!

Yeah was just thinking that, made one last Sunday so why not eh Xmas brew

[adm]

I never normally skim the yeast head on a beer, but this one has thrown up quite a lot of trub on the top - probably due to being a repitch and also due to connecting my pump backwards initially and disturbing the filter bed.

So - is it OK to skim a lager yeast head or should I just leave it? I presume as it's a bottom fermenting yeast, there should be no issue here?

[Deebee]

great pictures, really makes me want to get another brew on. Actually I think I will!

You owe it to yourself!

Yeah was just thinking that, made one last Sunday so why not eh Xmas brew

Exactly my excuse for the next one in 10 days.

I really should invest in another Fv... but that may result in divorce.... besides i'd have to build another bathroom for the family so my beer does not get disturbed.

[mysterio]

So - is it OK to skim a lager yeast head or should I just leave it? I presume as it's a bottom fermenting yeast, there should be no issue here?

Yes there is no issue, skim until your heart is content, you won't be removing any yeast. If you have a taste of the junk that you skim off it tastes disgusting and you don't really want it in the beer. At the same time though it doesn't really re-dissolve into the beer if you were to leave it alone.

[adm]

All done. I feel much better with myself now.

[adm]

I just had a quick test of this one, and its still fermenting away like a good 'un.

The sample tastes absolutely glorious. It's like drinking freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit juice! Lush.

If even half the aroma and taste carry on through the rest of the ferment and lagering, this is going to be a real cracker.

[Subsonic]

ADM - Whats that picture of a hop strainer lurking in there amongst your pics of the brewday Any chance of a bit of info on that as I am looking for something a bit simpler and that shiny SS thing looks pretty cool. Subsonic (on second pint of IPA Hic....)

[adm]

Sub,

It's from here: http://www.beerbelly.com.au/mashequip.html

About two thirds of the way down the page. It works an absolute treat with whole hops, pellets or any combination of the two. I just bung it in the dishwasher to clean it after every use.

Has to come all the way from Australia, but I ordered it with a bunch of hops and other bits so the postage was pretty decent all things considered.

[adm]

I really need just one more fridge....

Haha! FreeCycle comes up trumps! I've just scored another chest freezer to pick up over the weekend. That means we are a 5 fridge/freezer family now....3 dedicated to the art of brewing and two to the art of cooking! Fantastic.

That'll give me a chest freezer to use for serving at 10-12C, another one for cold conditioning, lagering and hop/yeast storage at 0-2C and a big larder fridge for fermenting at whatever temperature I need.

The only problem is I'm going to have to clear out some more stuff from the garage. The brewing is taking it over - and it's a big two car garage!

[adm]

Oooh ya bugger!

Just drinking the "runt" bottle of this one (the not quite filled one with loads of yeast in the bottom) and it's bloody lovely.

Definitely a clean lager taste, but awesomely hopped with loads of orange marmalade and almost apricot flavour to it. The 90 IBU really doesn't come through - it feels more like 50 or so and there's a big malty backbone to it that balances quite well.

Back in the fridge for another month and a bit. This is going to be a superb Christmas beer.