Notes: 3/2/15: Brew day.
Steeped specialty grains for 20 minutes in 2.5 gallons of distilled water, starting at 154ºF. Turned off the burner. After 10 minutes, the temperature dropped to 144ºF, so we relit the burner and it hit 152ºF by the time we removed the grains. We let them drip until only one drop per second fell.
Added 3 gallons of distilled water and 20 ounces of light DME. Let temperature rise to 175ºF and added ~5 more ounces of light DME.
Once the water boiled, we added 6 pounds of light LME, which we had let sit out of the fridge for 36 hours and had soaked in hot water for 10 minutes. Added 1 ounce US Fuggles pellets loosely contained in a hop sock. Boiled for 70 minutes, since the addition of the (non-active) immersion chiller stopped the boil for 7 of the last 10 minutes of the original 60. At 10 minutes, added 1 tablet WhirlFloc.
Chilled to 75ºF using immersion chiller, aerated for 20 seconds, and added solid stopper. Gravity of 1.058. Transported 25 miles in a car.
Aerated for another 20 seconds and pitched a smack pack of Roeselare, as well as the bottle dregs from Hanssens Artisanaal Oude Kriek, Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait, and Tilquin's Oude (Gueuze Tilquin)².
Installed blowoff tube and left in closet to ferment at ambient temperature of 66ºF.
24 hours later fermenting vigorously. Internal temperature 74-75ºF, ambient temperature has gone up to 68ºF after 2 days.
3/6/15: Fermentation has slowed significantly, temperature has dropped down to 72ºF, and blowoff activity has been reduced to every 3 seconds.
3/26/15: Racked to secondary. Quite clear, with a mildly tart, fruity aroma. Washed 1.5 quarts of yeast slurry for use in a future batch.
4/19/15: Added 1 ounce of Burgundy-soaked oak cubes.
10/29/15: Pulled a sample. Gravity 1.006. It smells like the rubber stopper, which I replaced with a silicone one. (Note to self: Never age something long-term with one of those again!) Body was medium, with a slightly higher carbonation level and (perceived?) acidity level than my other sour. Minimal funk, slight fruit; somewhat boring. This one will probably get some fruit to liven things up if the acidity doesn't increase. |
