yard_bird
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2018
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Hi all,
Been brewing for a while and just had my first batch of flat beer in years, though I guess I've updated my process over time.
3.5 gallons Belgian Golden Strong
10# pils
1.5# sucrose
OG: 1.080
FG: 1.005
ABV: 9.8%
IBU:36
Pitched decanted starter of wyeast 3522 at 64F, rose to 78F over the course of fermentation. Held at 78F for a couple days to finish out.
This is where things detract from typical batches: inspired by Mad Fermentationist's New Zealand saison, I added 750mls of NZ sauvignon blanc post fermentation. I then added 4 crushed potassium metabisulfite tablets dissolved in a little bit of DI water for some oxygen protection (bucket fermenter) and cold crashed to 36F for 3 days. This brings the final ABV to 10% . Maybe this is the issue, but 3522 has a 12%ABV ceiling according to wyeast. Maybe the KMS too, but I've been adding this much to my dry-hopped/pale beers for about a year now with no issue (granted all below 7%abv typically).
At bottling, I used this calculator to carbonate to about 2.3 volumes. Little low for style but I've been having some occasional overcarb as well. Based on what I've read around the internet, the beer temp should be the highest temperature the beer reached during fermentation, so I used 78F. Boil priming solution, chill, add to bottling bucket. Rack beer onto bottling bucket, gently mix as it fills, then fill bottles with bottling wand from spigot. Left in the dark at 70F for 3 weeks and a few days in the fridge. Open bottle and there's a tiny hiss and barely any CO2 in solution.
In a sick twist of fate, I brewed a 1.072 OG batch of this with the Duvel strain before I realized the original was flat. So that I don't have flat bottles this time around:
Do I need more conditioning time?
Lower ABV?
Less KMS?
Different beer temperature in priming calculator?
Bottling yeast?
The final product is nearly perfect to me as far as flavor/aroma/appearance.
Been brewing for a while and just had my first batch of flat beer in years, though I guess I've updated my process over time.
3.5 gallons Belgian Golden Strong
10# pils
1.5# sucrose
OG: 1.080
FG: 1.005
ABV: 9.8%
IBU:36
Pitched decanted starter of wyeast 3522 at 64F, rose to 78F over the course of fermentation. Held at 78F for a couple days to finish out.
This is where things detract from typical batches: inspired by Mad Fermentationist's New Zealand saison, I added 750mls of NZ sauvignon blanc post fermentation. I then added 4 crushed potassium metabisulfite tablets dissolved in a little bit of DI water for some oxygen protection (bucket fermenter) and cold crashed to 36F for 3 days. This brings the final ABV to 10% . Maybe this is the issue, but 3522 has a 12%ABV ceiling according to wyeast. Maybe the KMS too, but I've been adding this much to my dry-hopped/pale beers for about a year now with no issue (granted all below 7%abv typically).
At bottling, I used this calculator to carbonate to about 2.3 volumes. Little low for style but I've been having some occasional overcarb as well. Based on what I've read around the internet, the beer temp should be the highest temperature the beer reached during fermentation, so I used 78F. Boil priming solution, chill, add to bottling bucket. Rack beer onto bottling bucket, gently mix as it fills, then fill bottles with bottling wand from spigot. Left in the dark at 70F for 3 weeks and a few days in the fridge. Open bottle and there's a tiny hiss and barely any CO2 in solution.
In a sick twist of fate, I brewed a 1.072 OG batch of this with the Duvel strain before I realized the original was flat. So that I don't have flat bottles this time around:
Do I need more conditioning time?
Lower ABV?
Less KMS?
Different beer temperature in priming calculator?
Bottling yeast?
The final product is nearly perfect to me as far as flavor/aroma/appearance.