my best dusseldorf altbier

[Brew Cat]

so my Alt recipe is one of my favorites and I really don't need to change anything
but
after reading this I need to play
I've done open fermentation before and don't really consider leaving the lid loose a true open
fermentation
it does make it easy to remove the braun heffe which is very light and feathery
this should translate to a very clean beer
I hope
updates to come



https://byo.com/articles/the-special-altbiers-of-dusseldorf/

 

[Dave Y]

I saw that and if I'm being honest, my alt is my most popular among the neighbor base and beer nerds. That said, I'm not willing to chance a batch to open fermentation. I have no idea the environmental differences, potential for man made chemical intrusion or some invasive mold I can't see or smell.
I can't do an outside open ferment because anyone within half a mile can create a dust storm visible on radar just by mowing their lawn (aka, sand).

I saw the article before and it was intriguing. I agree about the yeast as well, I've had awesome results with both recommended strains.

 

[J A]

I saw that and if I'm being honest, my alt is my most popular among the neighbor base and beer nerds. That said, I'm not willing to chance a batch to open fermentation. I have no idea the environmental differences, potential for man made chemical intrusion or some invasive mold I can't see or smell.
I can't do an outside open ferment because anyone within half a mile can create a dust storm visible on radar just by mowing their lawn (aka, sand).

I saw the article before and it was intriguing. I agree about the yeast as well, I've had awesome results with both recommended strains.

Yeah...South Texas may have a big German influence and history but it's definitely NOT the same climate. Way too hot in the summer and moldy in the winter. Wild yeasts from live oaks and mesquites will play hell on any beer style.
You have to adapt methods for using any natural or biological process to the environment you're in. I've been involved with gardening groups and gardeners from other parts of the US have absolutely no idea how to handle the climate here - forget everything you know about seasonal plantings if you're used to anything north of Arkansas.

 

[Brew Cat]

well I'm leaving it covered just not clamped down
its a Chapman fermentor so nothing is coming in just burppig out
I'll pop an air lock in when foam drops although I'm scooping it
instead of an air lock I have thermal well through the bung
again I can't see any improvement for my Alt which is a favorite around here as well
this may be different enough to have another awesome beer
I can brew both versions
hell I have a bunch of recipes that I brew different versions of
its the craft
its not like cheating on your girlfriend

my pilsners I seal but apparently ESB and the Altbier can gain from it

Drew Beechum is a fan
the reason people got away from it has not much to do with ruining a batch
its more about equipment

https://byo.com/articles/open-fermentations-circling-back-to-fermenters-of-yesteryear/

 

[Brew Cat]

by the way I have done real open fermentation for my saison outside in the spring when my orchard is in bloom and all the bees buzzing about
I have no fear

 

[Brew Cat]

this fermentation is insane
I had it set at 64F just dropped it t 62F

K-97 German ale
I'm going to repitch this braun heffe to a

Breslau-Style Pale Schöps​

 

[J A]

by the way I have done real open fermentation for my saison outside in the spring when my orchard is in bloom and all the bees buzzing about
I have no fear

All bets are off with a Saison...that's a wild style to begin with.

 

[Dave Y]

I mean... Anyone toured Wild Turkey distillery in Kentucky?
They're open fermenting distillers beer in 16(?) Vats that are, well, collosal. I think they're 30' across - put your hand over the open fermentation and feel the heat - probably +15F over ambient.

I think trying an open fermentation in a home brew setting is a roll of the dice. You might get 7, you might get snake eyes. If I had a cellar and I could maybe enclose the area in a make shift clean room with sheets of plastic. Everyone keeps plastic sheets around, mine are kept in the truck with my ski mask, gloves, zip ties, duct tape and assorted tools ;-)

Just looking at my setup, I'd have to probably take over what used to be a bedroom in the peasant wing of the house. My garage brewery is multi-use; 0 turn mower, side by side, 2 bikes a truck, fuel, chemicals and the brewing area. I've got another garage but, again, vehicles, chemicals etc. Laundry room I took over for supplies, but ... Not brewing or fermenting in there. I don't like lint in my clothes and I imagine I'd like it even less in my beer.

Now, if I could manage to schedule it for a time I wouldn't need to use the mower, side by side or truck for the 1-2 weeks I'd need and I could "kind of" insulate it from particulate intrusion, etc., maybe. The bikes I can move by hand, but the truck is 3 tons, the side by side 1 ton, and the mower .5 ton.
It _is possible_ especially since I have a bit of climate control now.

My alt is due, 1-3 beers out at most. I'll give this some thought.

forget everything you know about seasonal plantings if you're used to anything north of Arkansas.

For real. Back in VA, my hops wouldn't break ground until April. Last year I had hops popping through mid Feb. I did get multiple harvests on 3 out of 18 bines. But, I lost 2.5 seasons before I knuckled under and put in drip irrigation for them. The Texas sun just murders them on spray irrigation, no matter how much you hit them. Also, everything I've seen that I'm used to from the (l)east coast seems to go dormant for the hottest period, which is about late June through September. I get some growth, but most stuff just kind of hangs out and doesn't die if it's close to irrigation. If not, they get sun murdered.

 

[Brew Cat]

Yeah I don't even pitch yeast in my orchard saison until 24 hours in the orchard to inoculate
I never had anything bad happen other than getting a very dry fermentation

Brewery in town has 2 open fermenters behind glass in the tap room that people can view
There is also an open air chiller
One fermenter is cement the other copper
They don't let the filthy customers in there
Apparently he brought some of the wood in the room from his brewery in Bavaria
Definitely old school
I've been inside when I was doing some work there

 

[J A]

I mean... Anyone toured Wild Turkey distillery in Kentucky?
They're open fermenting distillers beer in 16(?) Vats that are, well, collosal. I think they're 30' across - put your hand over the open fermentation and feel the heat - probably +15F over ambient

Fermentation for whiskey production is miles different from beer.
They don't intend for anyone ever to drink whatever comes out of that vat and only care that it's making the most alcohol possible, as fast as possible. Wild yeast is very good for that. Same goes for temperature. Fusels, methanol, acetone, and other nasty stuff produced during wild and crazy fermentations is separated by the distilling process. A bunch of really bad stuff comes out before much of the good ethanol is produced and the ugliest flavors are left in the tail end of the distillation or left in the boiler. Even then, a lot of nasty tasting stuff ends up transformed through the magic alchemy of interaction with burnt oak over long periods of time.
No brewery can afford to produce anything remotely resembling whiskey wash and any homebrewers hoping for a drinkable beer won't want it either.

 

[Dave Y]

I know, but it was a really interesting sight. I'm sure distilling does the lions share of the work but they do have to ferment!
on the tour at Bowman, the guide referred to beer brewers as "quitters". Naturally, I had something to say about that.

I have to sort out my connections, then work on my WCIPA recipe, then sanitize both my fermenters before I even think about my alt open or closed fermentation.

 

[J A]

the guide referred to beer brewers as "quitters". Naturally, I had something to say about that.

Brewer's get it right without any further processing! Distillers have to boil the literal shit out of it!

 

[Brew Cat]

well here is an update
I've been scooping the very fluffy heffe off a couple quarts worth a day
I had the temperature at 65F yesterday turned it down to 63F last knight still producing like gangbusters for 3 days
its not violent but the yeast is definitely very happy un constrained