BeerSmith™ Recipes and Web Editor

Notes

Inspired by Tonsmeire’s American Sour Beers, Dark Winter Saison I, pg 336, with tons of modifications based on what I have and what I thought about it. I am moving the raisins to secondary, contrary to the recipe, but in line with the books text. I will need to record the weights of the orange peel and rosemary and will put them in at 1 min instead of flameout. I also added acidulated malt to bring the pH to an estimated pH of 5.2. Lots of adjunct changes based on what I have and I am using Maris Otter for the base malt. I am also lowering the IBUs to assure that souring proceeds with my hop sensitive kveik/lacto blend. The limit on this blend is 5 IBUs to acheive souring. IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THIS KVEIK RUNS BEST AT 85ºF! A little cooler than other Kveik. 2021-01-28 2000: Made a starter using a can of “Propper Starter”, 16 oz of cooled (65ºF) boiled water and the Ebbegarden yeast in the 2L flask and on the large stir plate. I notice that BeerSmith doesn’t support starters for dried yeast but this has been around for too long and I want to build it up before I use it, and prove it is still good. Ambient room temp is also 65ºF, cool for kveik, but it will have to do. 2021-01-31: Brewday: Late start at just after 0800. Limited mineral addition to boil only. Using one pound of rice hulls today. I let BeerSmith estimate acidulated malt but got pH late 45 minutes into post mash-in mash. pH was great at that point! I noted that I seemed to have a very wet mash today. Not sure where I goofed. Mashing went smoothly and we will see about efficeincy as the day progresses. I left the MT lid off while dropping from Alpha to Beta Amalyse rest. The new ToP Link profile on program 3 works great. No fussing at all today. Laughtering left the last runnings gravity high. ((After collecting an extra gallon I had a 1.024 1G raw batch for mild. Used Woollsaeter Kveik yeast I dried and added 1 tsp of Wyeast yeast nutrient to the 1G. I have the thin hotbelt wrapped around the 1G carboy and at EOD the temp is 88°F. That is fine for Woolsaeter Kveik. Need to assure it stays there.)) OG captured at sample port half way through racking to fermenter was low at 1.070. A later sample from pump when done was slightly lower (1.068). Unfortunate. Not sure where these recent low OG brews have gone wrong. I set the hotbox to 80°F as I think the carboy will end up hotter. Also added a blowoff tube into the old honey container. I will need to check it often over the ext 24 hours. The target is 85°F. 2040 hrs and the carboy reads t 80°F. I will leave it there expecting it to be exothermic when it kicks off. 2021-02-01 0820: Very surprised to still see no activity. Carboy temp still at 80°F. I will raise the hotbox temp to 85°F. ((Activity noted in the 1G carvbbioy with temp at 88°F. Raising the ambient room temp from 65°F to 68°F.)) 1135: Activity started and carboy temp at 87°F. I will drop the hotbox temp 2°F to 83°F. 1740: Carboy still at 87.6°F and we are putting the blow-off to good use! I will drop the hotbox temp again to 80°F. ((1G carboy at 89.4°F. Almost perfect. Slowish activity.)) 2021-02-02 1103: Temps right on target an still very active. Leaving blow off in place. ((1G has good krausen and activity as well. Temp at 89.2°F.)) 2021-02-07: Carboy temp at 80.5°F - a bit low. Added nutrient and energizer per recipe ((as well as about 1/8 tsp each to 1G carboy)) and removed blowoff for airlock. krausen has dropped but ((both)) are still bubbling well. Raising temp on Hot box to 85°F to bring it back to intended temp. 2021-02-10: ((2nd Runnings: Refractometer reads 3.9. OG of 1.024 yields FG of 1.009 and ABV of 2.02. Pretty cool! Tiniest taste is acidic (expected) and peanut maybe (not at all expected). No "dark" flavor. Peanut flavor can be an alternative to diacetyl's butter flavor - but why diacetyl - because it was raw beer - not boiled. After conversing with Nathan, we have decided that Brettanomyces is the cure I need to implement here.)) 2021-02-11: Refractometer reads 11.4 Brix resulting in a SG of 1.021. Temp at 86.6°F. Removing from hot box and placing on sink/shelf. Taste is acidic, slightly sweet, minimally dark, fruity, citrus. 2021-02-12: Racking to Secondary with 8 oz of Sunsweet D'Noir Prunes and 6 oz of Solera Lambic pulled from stirred bottom of barrel. ((Also added about 4oz of the Solera Lambic to the 1G 2nd runnings.)) Ambient room temp dropped to 65°F and no other heat being applied. 2021-02-25: Temp is 62.4°F ((65.8°F for 1G). Adding Omega Yeast OYL-218, "All The Bretts" to carboy ((and 1G)) for aging ((and removing peanut flavor)). 2021-02-27: Activity restarted on both the 5G and the ((2nd Runnings)). 2021-07-21: Refractometer reads 10.4 which results n 1.014. That's better. Tartness, fruitiness. Kinda curious flavor. I don't taste prunes. Moved fermenter up onto highest table surface in prep for racking. 2021-07-29: Considering racking to the keg today. Bubble activity remains visible. SG unchanged. Flavor unchanged - tart, fruity, curious acidity, some unattractive flavors. I am down a beer for serving. I don't expect it to get better though maybe drier. Racking to Keg 7. It's done. 2022-01-31: ((Second Runnings: Dumped. No one is ever going to drink this although we did largely get rid of the peanut butter flavor and it is drinkable - just not enjoyable.))