" Ditch's Stout " Master Class .....

[Dadstaxi]

Time for a taste test: best described as Dandelion and Burdock with attitude so quite nice really.

[woodburner]

Morning guys, I've attempted to do a brew along the lines of Ditchs stout and its just over 3 days in with an appley smell to it.
The 'foam explosion' stage has passed and the temperature is hovering around 19-20C in a water bath with a FT heater in it.

Is the appley smell normal or is my brew f**ked?

[Jim]

Morning guys, I've attempted to do a brew along the lines of Ditchs stout and its just over 3 days in with an appley smell to it.
The 'foam explosion' stage has passed and the temperature is hovering around 19-20C in a water bath with a FT heater in it.

Is the appley smell normal or is my brew f**ked?

Perfectly normal to get that smell. In fact brewing beer can smell pretty funky.

[Dadstaxi]

It sure can - imagine a small bathroom with a Ditch's stout and 5 x 5 gallons of Elderflower all underway...

[woodburner]

Thanks for the replies, the brew has been left for 2 weeks and still stinks like cider (and tastes a bit like it too).

I was on the phone to bungle666 (old member on here I know personally) who suggested the fermentation had stalled and that making a yeast starter using Safale S-04 would help to restart it. I'll give that a try and see how it turns out!

[sonicated]

Thanks for the replies, the brew has been left for 2 weeks and still stinks like cider (and tastes a bit like it too).

The second brew I ever did was a pale ale and tasted like sour cider, I was really worried about it. Once fermentation is complete (including secondary if bottling) leave it for at least a week per ABV percentage and it will all be gone.

Yeast doesn't turn sugar straight to alcohol, it goes through a number of different chemicals. One of these is acetaldehyde which gives the apple taste. When I started I used to do six 330ml bottles so I could taste it week by week and see how it developed - I'd recommend it.

[davew]

Reduced to £10 in Boyes thought it would be rude not to do a pressure ferment experiment in the Fermentasaurus. Seems to be keeping the Brain in Check at 15PSI

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[steviebobs83]

Wish I could put a Ralph Lauren on my Fermentasaurus...

At the moment I have a Matalan shirt on my wilco FV

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[davew]

The jacket is about 10 years old and not really needed in this weather

Wish I could put a Ralph Lauren on my Fermentasaurus...

At the moment I have a Matalan shirt on my wilco FV

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[steviebobs83]

I can't resist a dig sorry. I'd effin love a fermentasaurus though, are they worth the outlay?

The jacket is about 10 years old and not really needed in this weather

Wish I could put a Ralph Lauren on my Fermentasaurus...

At the moment I have a Matalan shirt on my wilco FV

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[davew]

I can't resist a dig sorry. I'd effin love a fermentasaurus though, are they worth the outlay?

The jacket is about 10 years old and not really needed in this weather

Wish I could put a Ralph Lauren on my Fermentasaurus...

At the moment I have a Matalan shirt on my wilco FV

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Err yes i would recommend, start to glass in 7 days with no off flavours, carbonated and air free transfer to cornie. Can't see any reason not to recommend so far. Will take longer for a crystal clear brew if that's what you like.

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[jinjahbiscuit]

I'm exhausted! I read through the whole thread, 120 pages, took me about 4 days.
I've ordered the Coopers stout kits and dark DME from my local HBS, The Homebrew Centre in Keynsham, cracking little shop if you're in the locale. Don't know how they squeeze everything in to such a tiny space.
Anyway, this'll be as close to to the Maestro's original as I can get it, the bare bones of True Ditch.
I got enough gear to make four brews; two full 20 ltr brews and two 3 gallon brews (for Christmas).
I'll do one of each at home in the UK when I get back in a couple of weeks from my work, then the other two I'll do in Philippines a week or so later.
The advantage I have there is that I just put a new aircon unit in one of the bedrooms and can control the temperature quite accurately (I know, I got an IPA and a Porter on last trip and they both fermented out as they should in ten days). Hmm, I guess it could be considered as cheating?
I'm excited!

[WalesAles]

jinja,
Did you make these for Christmas?
If so, how were they?

WA

Sent from my torking tap.

[jinjahbiscuit]

Yeah, I did make them, both the "standard" version and the XXX version, by the time I got back to the Philippines just before Christmas, my brother in law had drank the lot! I guess they were ok then.....?
I still have my other batch at home in the UK, so when I get back later this month I'll be getting into them

[MartyMcFly]

Just found a crack in the lid of my cheapo Wilko pressure barrel, which will explain why the couple of pints of stout had no pressure when I drew them off...

Found a spare lid with a valve on it and swapped it this afternoon, so hopefully it's still good. Also have it a blast of CO2 to be on the safe side.