Heady Topper Clone/Vermont Ale Yeast

Angry Chemist · Apr 30, 2017

I'm 20 days into fermentation with this Off the Topper 5 gallon extract kit from Northern Brewer. Everything has gone pretty smooth and for the first time I'm trying my hand at temperature control using an upright freezer. I pitched on 4/9/17 right at 70F. OG = 1.070. I held it at 70F overnight and woke up to find very vigorous activity. I cooled it to about 67F and held it for the next 10 days. On the 10th day I went with the first dry hop addition and took a gravity reading of 1.0165. Tasted it and it was amazing. The fruit character was perfect and the balance of bitterness from the hops was spot on. I was hoping for more than 76% AA and figured it wasn't finished. I raised the temperature to 73F over about 3 days. New gravity was 1.0160 so it's certainly almost finished. At this tasting there was much less bitterness and the fruit aroma wasn't nearly as intense. I presume that higher temps will drive off some of those fruity esters. I lowered the temp back down to 67-68, transfered to secondary, and kept it at 67 for the next 7 days. Today, day 20, I took a gravity of 1.015. So AA improved slightly but nothing to write home about. The color is amazing but that tropical fruit/peach aroma is much more subdued and it seems to have a Belgian character to it. I still have the second dry hop to go next week and then bottling.

My questions are:
What do you think of my temperature profile? Too much up and down? Too warm?

Do I still need a d-rest at elevated temp? Or do you think it will clean up during bottle conditioning, if it's even there?

I was initially planning to cold crash but I may not based on the beautiful haziness I saw today.

Im relatively new to brewing, started a couple years ago. I've brewed 6 batches prior to this so I've still got a lot to learn. Any advice will be much obliged.

Cheers!

Ozarks Mountain Brewery · Apr 30, 2017

well all I can say is cold then worm 60 air then 70 to finish the last 3 days, it may be ok but thats my norm

jeffpn · Apr 30, 2017

There are many who are more knowledgeable than I am, but I think a diacetyl rest is a lager thing. I've never done one for an ale.

As far as temperature schedule, my ales ferment at whatever temperature my basement is.

GFHomebrew · May 1, 2017

Id start the fermentation temp at whatever is recommended for the yeast your using. Then when near fully attenuated raise the temperature up a few degrees to encourage yeast to fully clean up any left over sugars and after themselves. I would cold crash as well just to drop out any particals or sediment and then Finn with geletin for a day or two for clarity then rack to your serving vessel.

Mark D Pirate · May 1, 2017

Depending on which strain you actually used and the results you're after it seems pretty high for a starting temp .
I usually start a bit lower and gently ramp my temp up once the bulk of fermentation is over then dry hop and allow to stay warm for a few days before a gentle ramp down to cold crash then add finings before keg / bottling .
Not a beer i can get here in Australia ( fresh examples anyway ) so hope it turns out as expected

Esters don't fade very quickly but hop oils can so that's where the aromas went