I was able to chill the wort to about 55F with a combination of prechilled water flowing through a plate chiller, then directing the wort through a copper coil sitting in an ice bath that I stirred like a maniac.
Further chilled the wort in the fermenter (Sanke keg w/ a fermentation lock) in a temperature controlled refrigerator down to 50F before pitching the yeast and setting the dual temp controller to 45F. Will raise it back up to 50F over the next 24-36 hours.
Yeast starter was built up by doing 3 feedings over a week or so. Yeast cake was about 3/4", so there should be plenty.
20110222 - Raised the the temp settings to 47F in the morning. No signs of activity yet. May bump it another degree tonight and then the final 2 degrees tomorrow morning.
20110224 - Continued raising the temperature to 49/50F w/ the dual temp control. Activity starting.
20110302 - Airlock is still bubbling 5-10 times per minute.
20110309 - Raised temp from 50F to 60F for a diacetyl rest.
20110312 - Checked gravity: 1.012. Started crashing it to stop any further fermentation and to begin lagering. Plan is to rack into glass carboys tomorrow after temp has dropped to about 40F and lager in the fridge for a month or two. Flavor is clean, malty with spicy hops. No diacetyl that I can detect. Perhaps a little astringency, but I can't tell if it's from the hops or from something else. Hopefully, lagering will clean up the flavors. Color is bright, straw yellow and pretty clear already.
20110313 - Transferred to lagering corny kegs. Set temp controller to 38F.
20110322 - Placed one keg in the kegerator and started force carbonation @ 35PSI for a day.
20110323 - Put keg under normal pressure (10 psi). Carbonation looks about right. Mostly clear. Good grainy/malty aroma w/ the spicy Saaz hops in the background. Still a little cloudy, but mostly clear. Far from brilliant. Bitterness lingers a little long than I'd like, almost astringent. Hopefully, continued lagering will help soften this a bit.
| Amount | Malt/Grain | % |
|---|---|---|
| 21.00 pounds | German Pilsen Malt (2-Row) | 91.3% |
| 1.50 pounds | American Dextrin (Cara-Pils) Malt | 6.5% |
| 0.50 pounds | German Acidulated (Sauer) Malt | 2.2% |
| 23.00 pounds | Total Grain Weight | 100% |
| Amount | Non-Fermentable | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 2 tablets | Whirlfloc | 15 minutes |
| 10 tsp | Yeast Nutrient | 15 minutes |
| Amount | Hop | Time | AA | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.00 ounces | Saaz | 60 min | 4.0% | |||
| 2.50 ounces | Saaz | 40 min | 4.0% | |||
| 2.50 ounces | Saaz | 20 min | 4.0% | |||
| 2.00 ounces | Saaz | 0 min | 4.0% | |||
| 10.00 ounces | Total Hop Weight | |||||
| Name | Lab/Manufacturer | Product ID | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urquell Lager | Wyeast | 2001 | 2000 ml |
Mash profile for most well-modified malts.
| # | Name | Time | Temp. | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mash In | 60 min. | 154°F | Add 70% of mash water at 166° F / 74° C |
| 2 | Mash Out | 10 min. | 168°F | Add 30% of mash water at 197° F / 92° C |
| Date Brewed: | |
|---|---|
| Brewer/Assistant: |
| Target | Actual | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strike Water Amount: | 7.6 | ||
| Strike Water Temperature: | |||
| Mash Temperature(s): | |||
| Mash Time: | |||
| Sparge Water Amount: | 9.3 | ||
| Sparge Water Temperature: | |||
| Pre-Boil Gravity: | |||
| Pre-Boil Amount: | 12.1 | ||
| Post-Boil Amount: | 11 | ||
| Boil Time: | 90 | ||
| OG: | 1.052 / 12.9° P | ||
| Mash PH: | |||
| Boil PH: | |||
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