June 7th, 2011

Oktoberfest Fermentation Update

Posted by Mike in Brew Log

I chose to chill my wort with the chiller down to about 65F.  Then I put the carboy of wort in the fermentation freezer overnight to get it to pitching temps.  I added my yeast a good 30 hours after the wort went into the freezer.  I was at 50F when I pitched.  I had made two ~16ooml starters and put them on stir plates three days prior and let them grow at 70-75F in the garage.  The day of brewing I put the two flasks in the fermentation freezer to get the yeast to flocculate to the bottom of the flasks.  I decanted the spent starter wort and retained just a few hundred mls of the wort to shake and resuspend the yeast.  I pitched both flasks into the main wort, and shook the whole thing for 5 minutes to mix and aerate.  I am happy to say that this morning, 12hours later, I have the first signs of fermentation going.  I also tasted the spent wort from the starters expecting it to be sulphury or yeast… but I was very surprised that it was extremely clean and malty.  Never have I tasted starter wort so clean before.  Off to a really good start I hope.

One Response to ' Oktoberfest Fermentation Update '

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  1. Jim said,

    on June 13th, 2011 at 3:10 pm

    Be sure to keep us informed on how it turns out… Sounds like it would be great challenge to undertake.

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