Bottled a batch last weekend. About when does it start to peak? This was my first time using that kit and the farmhouse reserve yeast.
I took a swig after measuring the FG and it had a curiously good flavor already. Had I not taken that taste, I wouldn’t have a problem waiting a month or so. I keep thinking about trying it soon, but I don’t want to drink too much of it before it is in prime form. I made that mistake a long time ago with an old ale, which was unremarkable for the first 6 months and amazing after about a year. I regrettably drank about half of it before 6 months.
I think you can drink it right away. Mine lasted for a while and it stayed pretty similar over time. If anything, I think I preferred it fresh the most (and there are definitely beers that I appreciate after they age, just not this one).
[quote=“breslinp”]I would say the fresher the better for a saison, but save some for the holidays
I should be brewing this next weekend, but I’m adding some wheat and using Hallertau hops at 5min.[/quote]
It’s pretty good. I’d like to think it could improve a hair over the next couple weeks.
I’m still new enough to NB kits that I’m not sure how much modification they’d need. I had previously been working with Brewer’s Best kits and modding the heck out of 'em. :cheers:
So some friends and I made this last weekend, my first outdoor session and we made it full boil.
In hindsight (and reading here) it occurred to me we made one big(?) mistake. We steeped the grains in too much water. Yeah, full boil, doesn’t mean right off the bat. Dumb mistake.
So, do you experienced guys think that we have extracted a bunch of tannins?
There is a lot of sugars in this recipe, so I am hoping that might help fight any astringency.
(Dumb mistake 2, the guy who bought the kit left the yeast at home, so he pitched it later. But I think he only used a smack pack, so we also under-pitched as well. D’oh!)
[quote=“ibeentired”]So some friends and I made this last weekend, my first outdoor session and we made it full boil.
In hindsight (and reading here) it occurred to me we made one big(?) mistake. We steeped the grains in too much water. Yeah, full boil, doesn’t mean right off the bat. Dumb mistake.
So, do you experienced guys think that we have extracted a bunch of tannins?
There is a lot of sugars in this recipe, so I am hoping that might help fight any astringency.
(Dumb mistake 2, the guy who bought the kit left the yeast at home, so he pitched it later. But I think he only used a smack pack, so we also under-pitched as well. D’oh!)[/quote]
Maybe some of the other guys would disagree, but I don’t think you will have any unwanted tannin extraction from steeping in too much water. IIRC (haven’t steeped in awhile), tannin extraction comes from steeping in water that is too hot, or for too long.
That’s reassuring. We did keep a good eye on temps.
[quote=“Pietro”][quote=“ibeentired”]
Now your underpitch, that’s another story…[/quote][/quote]
Tell me about it. I mentioned several times in planning that we needed a good starter or additional yeast packs. I should have just taken the initiative and got another yeast pack. The kit calls for Wyeast 3711 - which sounds like a work horse so I am keeping my finger crossed.
It’s kind of weird, not knowing all the details since the beer is fermenting at another guys house.
[quote=“ibeentired”]That’s reassuring. We did keep a good eye on temps.
[quote=“Pietro”][quote=“ibeentired”]
Now your underpitch, that’s another story…[/quote][/quote]
Tell me about it. I mentioned several times in planning that we needed a good starter or additional yeast packs. I should have just taken the initiative and got another yeast pack. The kit calls for Wyeast 3711 - which sounds like a work horse so I am keeping my finger crossed.
It’s kind of weird, not knowing all the details since the beer is fermenting at another guys house.[/quote]
sorry didn’t mean to leave you hangin.
The long and short of it is you are stressing the yeast if you underpitch. I don’t think your batch will be ruined or anything, but you won’t have as clean of a fermentation as is typically desired. Usually underpitching results in fruity esters, or in some cases, incomplete fermentations. I think given your conditions, I would recommend a much longer fermenation time (maybe 4-5 weeks), and don’t bother secondarying. The reality is that a great deal of homebrewers regularly underpitch and still make homebrew. Notice I didn’t say “beer”.
The upside is this is a winter warmer, and some of these esters may not be totally out of place. Give. it. time. though.
Not sure on temp controls.
I’ll ask the guy. I am also going to mention (again) not transferring the beer to secondary. And push to wait until the 2nd week of Dec. to bottle. We’ll see how it goes, my split will only be 16 (or so) bottles.
Like I said I tried to stress the yeast amount, but it was kind of ignored. I think they are a little more laid back about it than I am. But I think I under pitched a beer or 2 already, I am really looking forward to see how my winter warmer does with my first starter this week.
Mine didn’t seem too estery when I tested it out using the private reserve with fermentation temps in the 80’s. I once made a saison with Wyeast Belgian saison. Wife wouldn’t let me raise the house temp, so it fermented at ~78 degrees. It took a while, but was amazing.
the best saisons i have made are are the ones that I started in the mid sixties and raised a degree or two per day after the first 24-48 hours until it got into the mid-high 70s.
Conversely, I’ve had some saison fusel-bombs because people thought they needed to ferment HOT throughout the whole ferment. I don’t like beer that gives me a headache.
To the OP, you can also get some acetaldehyde (green apple) from underpitching. Again though, you are making a funky christmas saison, so the beer is going to have a lot going on anyway. My bet is that it will turn out just fine.
Beermates,
Great to see this discussion as I am making a 2l yeast starter as we “speak.” I’ll let my starter go on the stir plate for 2-3 days, then in the fridge for 2 days to settle, then cook and pitch.
So, I am looking at a fermentation probably in the low to mid 70s. I am planning on a 4 week primary, followed by bottling for 2 weeks.
I think this is a fair summary from all the previous posts? Your thoughts?
Chet
