2nd AG Batch lookin funky.....

[BucksBrew]

I made an AG batch on Sunday morning after dealing with a Funeral on Saturday. I needed to be busy.

I am still trying to master the temp control of the mash. Last time too cold, this time too hot than too cold! aaarrrgghhh!

Well the SG was 1.055 which was good. I'm making a Helles style (Becks) beer.

All went well except that I added Irish Moss to the boil in the last 10 minutes instead of the last 15 minutes per instructions.

I like to whisk my wort than pump it into the wort to aerate.

I pretty much sucked up all the gelatinous Moss with my auto siphon. I figured no big deal, it will settle out and I'll rack to a secondary anyway.

I had to add a gallon of water to get it up to 6.5 gallons due to evaporation after I racked. The wort was 90 degrees, my Tap water is around 55-60. I figured it would end up around 70. I added the yeast and gave it a swirl to mix the water, yeast and wort together.

This morning I checked on it and it looked Funky. There were layers to the beer. The 4-5'' top layer was kinda yellowish & clear with what looked like the Irish Moss floating on top. The Krausen looked Funky too. It had a 'skin' to it with what looked like little openings where it tore open. The Krausen just looked real dense. It looked caked instead of foamy like what I've seen in the past.

The wort looked kinda dingy too.

Anyone have this happen to them? I can only think that maybe my mash temp that ranged from 148-160 may have something to do with it as well as the Irish Moss.

I don't know!

Sorry it's long.

[brewmonkey]

Layers during fermentation is not uncommon (stratification). Nothing sound unusual and I would not worry about having some of the trub make it into the primary (some is even beneficial).

Your mash temp swings will effect the gravity, but you did not go so high that you might have leached some tannis, so again no worrying there for you.

A picture would be nice. Can you get a shot of it and post it? Sometimes a picture is much better.

[Fast_Eddy]

I don't know what you pitched but I've noticed that Bavarian lager strains produce a kraeusen that is more pudding like than many yeasts - thick and slightly slimy looking.

[BucksBrew]

I don't know if I can get a picture, but will try.

I mis-spoke earlier. Last night is when I saw the layers so I gave the carboy a couple of aggressive swirls to mix it up since it looked out of place to me. Also it had what looked like a krausen just starting, light big bubbles on top.


Fast- That is what I was looking for, the word "PUDDING"! It looked like funky pudding.

The yeast I used was I think a #2007 Wyeast Lager Yeast.

[Fast_Eddy]

Hey Bucks - how's this batch coming along?

[BucksBrew]

Since you and BeerMonkey educated me about the stratification of the wort and the pudding like krausen, it's been fine. Or I've been fine, the beer was probably fine all along! haha

I have been trying to make different beer styles since I started making beer and this was a new one.

That krausen had me worried! Especially since I pretty much do the same routine everytime with regard to sanitizing.

It is comfortably burping away in my chest freezer at 52 degrees.


I made two batches so far and I was kinda thinking of sending them to the National Homebrew Competition. The deadline is April 7th.

I'd have to get a counter pressure bottle filler built or bought AND consider filtering the beer. I've read that cold storage prior to racking almost does the same thing.

I don't know wether I will or not since I'm new to AG and I'm sure there are some real good brewer's out there who have fine tuned their act. Where as I have had temp control issues with both batches and SG issues with the first batch.

I'll keep ya posted!

[Stodbrew]

I think you should send some in, anyway, regardless of any other beers that are there. Its always a good idea to get some fair and impartial feedback from the judges. Since they don't know you, they will be very honest about the beer. And sometimes, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[BucksBrew]

My IPA I made tasted AWESOME when I racked it to the secondary. I can't imagine how good it'll be in a month! I'm dry hopping in the secondary for a month.

I made it on 1-24-04, so if I enter it, it should be around 10 weeks old when it hits the judges noses.

I also currently have a lager fermenting, but that won't be ready in time. I would have liked to have sent a couple styles.

I have a Yeungling Porter Clone on tap, but it tastes week to me. I'm comparing it to a Sierra Nevada Porter though. I think Yeungling is naturally weeker anyway, so maybe it's close to the style and I don't know it.

[BucksBrew]

3 Weeks in the Primary and still burping. Although inconsistant, the airlock burped at 55 seconds, then 40 seconds, then 25 seconds.

So I'm guessing it still is fermenting.

I have it in my freezer in the garage set at 52 but it's still cold out. It was at 52 for about 2 weeks then a cold front hit and it's been around 42-48 degrees.

I watched as large sections of trub floated up from the bottom of the carboy as I took it out of the freezer one day for an hour or so to warm it up.

I thought I read somewhere that bringing a lagar up to 60 degrees does something with removing or adding a buttery taste! Not sure right now!

I may take a reading later today.

My wife and kids gave me a new hobby......CHICKENS.....I have to build a pen and coop with money that should go towards an AG system! haha

BTW my IPA taste freaking great! I think I may enter it into the national contest come April 12th or so.

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by BucksBrew
...
I thought I read somewhere that bringing a lagar up to 60 degrees does something with removing or adding a buttery taste! Not sure right now!...

It's called a diacetyl rest. It allows the yeast to consume a large part of the diacetyl that generated during reproduction and the ferment. A couple of days at 60F will allow you to cut a week or two off of your lager if you need to.