Update on my third batch

[gardenallyear]

I've been taking hydrometer readings the last couple of days and I think my fermentation is over after 12 days. Unadjusted I'm at 1.011 and the beer really tastes great now. Two days ago when it was a little over 1.012 my sample tasted much different. I plan to bottle tomorrow evening.

I noticed that the water level in my bubbler seemed to have receded back as if it was under less pressure. Is this something that happens when fermentation is pretty much complete?

Thanks for the help getting this batch to turn out better.

[danno]

congrats on another batch, hope it turns out well...

The water level is probably more related to a temperature variation than anything else. During an active ferment, the temp of your beer can be higher than the surrounding air... (it's cool to watch the stick-on thermometers of a fermenting carboy next to an empty one. I've seen 5-6º differences...)

[YamahaXS]

yep, time to bottle! sounds like a good batch.

danno is right... temperature variations can move the water around in your bubbler. Also, changes in Atmosperic Pressure too.

[paul84043]

That's great! It's fun when everything goes like it's supposed to, isn't it!!

Your water leven in the bubbler will recede when the pressure in the fermenter drops as well. If your fermentor cools off, as it will when fermentation comes to a halt, it can actually pull the water in the other direction.

My Irish ale fermented so actively that it actually overheated itself, the other fermenters in the room were at 72 degrees and the Irish carboy almost hit 80 and activity began to drop off. I had to cool it off with a wet towel!

This batch will turn out great for you, it sounds like everything went perfect, and you did your part exactly right!

I cooked up another batch of Black & Tan last night, it used a White labs yeast, and it's bubbling already, 8 to 10 hours later.

Now the hard part starts for you.....waiting!!
Be sure to sample it every few days (after carbonating, of course) the changes it goes through are really interesting.

[gardenallyear]

I've got it bottled now and it still tastes great.

I have been saving Samuel Adams bottles and they work great to bottle with. I saved up a bunch of Goose Island and Pilsner Urquell bottles but the threads really gave me problems. I even broke the top off of a Goose Island bottle. I'm not sure if they are going to seal properly. I think I had to end up using about 12 of the threaded bottles so if they don't work it won't be a total loss.

[paul84043]

I would avoid using threaded bottles for the exact reasons that you found. I don't know what kind of a seal they make, I imagine that if you made it that far, they should be okay, but I'd toss them after use.

I have been slowly buying used grolsch bottles and plain brown new bottles because they cap so much easier with a handheld capper...

I bottled my Dubbel a few nights ago, last night my wife wanted to sample one so I popped one open.
It fizzed up a fair amount, just a tiny bit made it out of the bottle, but I was quite alarmed to see it fizz at all after only 3 days...
There's no way I bottled too soon, the FG was 1.009 and the thing had been going for a month. I only used 3/4 of the bottling sugar they gave me because I had sampled numerous times and the level was below the 5 gallon mark.
I am going to be seriously bummed if I make 46 hand grenades.
The beer is incredible, I can't even imagine what it will taste like in a couple months.
I recommend a Dubbel, it's a very interesting beer. But, don't get in a hurry.

[shughes600]

If the beer tastes that good (and I am sure it does), why not drink them before they become hand grenades.

[fuji6100]

Black and Tan is one of my favorites. How do you make yours? (or is it a family secret :P) Did you ever try Micheal Shea's Black and Tan? It isn't available around here any more so getting a good homebrew recipie would be my saviour.

[paul84043]

The black and Tan that I Make is a kit from a local homebrew shopcalled The beer nut. they have a web site, www.beernut.com , but they don't post the individual ingredients to thier kits.
It's not a true black and tan, which is a mixture if two separate beers, but it's designed to have the complexity of a dark beer with the easy drinking, super smooth taste of a lighter beer.
I don't know the exact ingredients, but would be happy to inquire and let you know.
It is a fantastic beer. It was only the second batch that I had ever brewed and was an instant favorite after it had aged for only a short time. It is the only one that I have duplicated to date due to the large amount of other types that I want to try. I guess that pretty much tells you that we really liked it.

I do remember that it used about a pound of grains including barley, all roasted, none light.
I'm pretty sure that there was more than one kind. There was 6 pounds of Coopers Malt extract (the container does not specify light, or dark), Northern brewer hops for the bittering hop, and Saaz for the finish (15 minute) which gives it a deep, almost spicy undertone that ages away, but the hop never really comes into play with the taste or aroma.
It's sweet and malty when very young with only hints of coffee and a fruity spicy character. But as it ages, the sweetness mellows out and the coffee becomes stronger.
It was always super smooth with a very pleasing dark brown, almost black color with deep red highlights, and always left me wanting another.

It was supposed to be a Mississippi Mud clone, but I sampled that beer and this B&T was much better.

[fuji6100]

I enjoy the Guiness/Bass Black and Tan at the pub, but the bottled black and Tan I used to drink had a nice roasted nut flavor, followed by a smooth coffee/chocolate aftertaste with a very mild hop touch at the end.

I'll have to check out that website, thanks for the info! It's good to see another B&T fan out there.

[paul84043]

This one has no "nutty" flavor that I could detect, but it wouldn't be difficult to substitute a grain, or malt to add that flavor.
I have never tried a Guiness, but from thier reputation, I would bet that this is considerably milder. It's very smooth, I would recommend on this praticular kit aging for a month.

I really want to get to the point that I can tailor my own kits, but I am still learning. There's so much to learn and it's so much fun!!

[shughes600]

Originally posted by fuji6100
I enjoy the Guiness/Bass Black and Tan at the pub, but the bottled black and Tan .... ...

Excuse my ignorance. I enjoy the traditional Black n Tan. What is the idea behind the bottled black and tan. I've had one from Yeungling. It was a good beer, but what is the point. If I let it sit long enough will it separate?

[fuji6100]

What is the idea behind the bottled black and tan. I've had one from Yeungling. It was a good beer, but what is the point. If I let it sit long enough will it separate?

It's impossible to duplicate the effect of a black and tan in a bottle, as you don't get any separation... it's all mixed together. The bottled black and Tan's I've run across try to mix the smooth thick richness of a stout, with a light hoppy kick. What addicted me to Micheal Shea's Black and tan was the chocolate-malty taste, followed by the roasted nut aftertaste and then the hoppy bite. Quite a unique brew and actually not much like a true black and tan.