enzymes (newbie questions)

Can't speak to the yeast/enzyme, since I generally use a "slap pack" or a liquid yeast starter.

But I can shed a little light on a couple of the other questions...

Crystal malt is malted grain, and it is often sold in a "sock", so I'd say that's it. Steep the Crystal (in the sock) for AT LEAST 30 minutes in water between 150 and 170 degrees F (not just "hot"). Don't steep for hours or at too hot a temperature as this results in tannin extraction from the grain which can give your beer a bitter flavor. 150-170 is the best temperature range and provides the yeast with fermentable sugars and adds flavor and complexity to the brew. Crystal is a pretty standard malt.

Finings are usually added for the last 15-20 minutes of the boil during a full boil wort, and act as a clarifier to promote drop out of solids from the brew as it ferments, resulting in a clearer "cleaner" beer. Some folks use them, some don't. Not quite sure how this would work with what you are doing, but I'd guess you'd add them to the hops boil.

Check out

as a great information source.

Good luck.

The enzyme is probably amylase. From 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per batch is reasonable. May be added when pitching the yeast. It breaks down sugars and starches for more complete fermentation (dryer higher alcohol beer)

Some folks use it in the grain infusion stage (when adding oatmeal or cracked unmalted wheat for instance) to help convert some of the starches.

Hot water means hotter than what comes out of a tap. Measure the temperature - it should be maintained at close to 160 (without exceeding).

You may still be unsatisfied with the results . . . I use 100% DME for sugar and find it takes about 700 grams of grains (crystal, chocolate, flaked wheat or barley in some combination) before I get the body and feel I'm trying for. Canned LME may be different . . .

I've read about the tannin problem with long infusions - but never encountered it or perhaps just not very noticeable. Boil the wort with the grain bag in and it will give some tannin (sour bitter taste), but infusing for four hours doesn't seem to. I heat the water toss in the grains and insulate the kettle until I'm ready to start brewing, but I bottle and brew at the same time and it is just more convenient for me to forget about the infusion until I'm ready to add extract and brew.

The temperature may drop from 160 to 140 -135 in the time it is working and I find (with my technique) that the body reaches a plateau in about four hours - longer doesn't seem to affect the taste but doesn't improve the body. (taste it - you'll get an idea of what you're adding) Wring out the grain bag well - I like to rinse it and collect that liquid and add it to the wort.

Finings are added to the last of the boil as a rule - From your procedure it looks like you are doing partial boil or just boiling the hops? You are using a different procedure than most of us.

I'd add the finings to the hops boil if only to sterilize them - What material are you using? Isinglass, gelatin, or Irish moss (the moss is green flakes of stuff the others usually a white or tan powder)

Look up and read about starting/rehydrating yeast on one of the how to sites - it gets the yeast going faster and there's less chance of an off flavor due to bacteria or wild yeast.

From what I gather you are doing a modified no-boil technique? Seems to me, reading up on partial boil or complete boil would be advantageous. It is only slightly more complicated than what you are doing. You would be adding a quick cooling stage to the wort or concentrated wort - no big deal. Good beer takes a little effort.

" Peter.QLD Mar 21, 7:42 am show options

Newsgroups: alt.beer.home-brewing From: "Peter.QLD" - Find messages by this author Date: 21 Mar 2005 15:42:17 GMT Local: Mon, Mar 21 2005 7:42 am Subject: enzymes (newbie questions) Reply | Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

Hi Peter

Griz from Colorado,

"For those who read my first brew thread and might be interested, I bottled it today, seemed ok if a bit watery. I tasted a bit and wasn't impressed, but I expect that has more to do with being fresh out of the fermenter."

I read you first post and the reason for the unimpresive result of you first brew was the sugar. There are 2 types of sugar in wort, fermentable and unfermentable. The unfermentable sugars give your beer flavor and body. The fermentable, alcohol. Processed sugar is all fermentable sugar so all it adds to the brew is alcohol, which tends to make you beer thin and imparts a flavor that I don't care for. When I was doing kit beers I added (at the suggestion of the brew shop owner)

1-2lbs of DME (dry malt extract) or LME (liquid malt extract) to the kit in place of the sugar. the amount depends on the style of beer and how much body you want.

"the proprietor of the home brew shop was very insistant that I remember not to use the yeast from the top of the tin and use the seperate packet instead. "

The main problem with using the packet that comes with the kit is you don't know how old it is or what conditions it's been subject to. There is the possiblity the yeast may be dead. I have used the packet from kits and had no problems but that's the risk.

"I'd also like to verify that the crystal malt is the thing he refered to as a sock (meshy cloth stuff with grain inside, smell reminds me of chook (chicken) food)."

Crystal malt is malted barley that has been roasted. there is usually a number associated with how dark it is. 20L is very lightly roasted while 120L is almost black. Adding grains to an extract brew is done to get better flavor. If you steep the grain at between 150F and 160F the enzymes in the malt will actually convert the starch in the malt to sugars (both fermentable and unfermentable). Outside this range all you get is the grain flavor which is ok too since you're using malt extract as well (the ultrabrew) and the main reason for the grain is the flavor.

"The recipe is appoximatly:

Soak crystal malt in hot water for 30mins put hops infusion bag in boiling water for 10min squeeze water from crystal malt discard crystal, pour its pot into fermenter add can and ultrabrew pour in hops infusion bag and water fill to 23L with water pitch yeast "

I don't see a boil time listed. boiling the wort does several things which are nessasary to make good beer.

1) it breaks down the proteins in the wort and causes them to drop out of susspension 2) it releases the bittering from the hops (hops have to be boiled for at least 30 min to release the alpha acids) 3) and it kills the wild beasties that might cause your beer to sour

I'm going to assume the beermaker's lager is a prehopped beer kit which is why you wouldn't have to do a full boil for the hops. And he's having you simmer the hop packet for flavoring. There are 3 boil times associated with hops; Bittering, usually 60 minutes. these release alpha acids and give your beer it's bite. They also act as a preservative. Flavoring, usually the last 15 minutes of the boil. These are to give the "flowery" hop flavor to your beer and Aroma, usually the last 5 minutes of the boil. these are for smell

If I were going to make the brew you listed above I would: Steep the grain bag at 155F for 30 min pour off the resulting wort into a large ketlle (boiling the whole 23L is best but you can get away with 1/2 that if you don't have a large enough kettle) add water (bring the level up to at least 9.5L), add the can and the ultrabrew. Bring to a boil Add hops (you can add the finings at this point if you decide to use them) boil for 10 minutes (watch the pot! it WILL foam up and boil over if you don't!!! when it starts to foam up stir it until the foaming stops) cool the wort by placing the kettle in a sink or large tub and running cold water around it. You want the wort in the fermentor to end up at ~80F when you pitch the yeast) pour the wort into your fermentor (be sure to sanitize the fermentor before you add the wort) airate the wort (you can shake the fermentor so that the wort foams, the yeast need the oxygen) add the remaining water up to 23L (if you didn't do a full boil) pitch the yeast

It is important to keep the fermentor at a proper temperature during the primary ferment. It should be some where between 68F and 76F. Below

68 ale yeast starts to go dormant so it takes longer to finish fermenting and may allow outside yeast or bactirial contamination to take over your brew. Over 76 the yeast starts to produce fussel oils which ruin the flavor and give you a lousy headache.

It also helps,but is not nessasary, to make a starter from your yeast. The night before you intend to brew take 2 cups of water, boil it (to sanitize it) disolve 1/4 cup of corn sugar or DME in it. cool it to 80F pour it into a sanitized bottle and airate it by shaking it pitch the yeast into the bottle cover loosely with the lid or a water lock place in a warm spot

by the time you get ready to pitch into your brew the yeast will have already hydrated and started multipling so you'll get a better start on fermentation with less chance for a wild yeast to take over the brew.

And that is quite enough from me. good luck and enjoy your brew and brewing

Griz

On 22 Mar 2005 13:40:18 -0800, "Griz" said in alt.beer.home-brewing:

A few comments:

I don't buy yeast if it's not kept in a refrigerator. And canned LME never is.

You really want it closer to 68 degrees - even less for some ale yeast. Pitching at 80 is asking for fusel alcohols. Remember, once the yeast takes off the temperature will rise a bit if the fermenter isn't being kept at a constant temperature.

I find it gets much better aeration by using a 12"-15" wire whisk on it. Beat it like you're scrambling a couple of dozen eggs. When the whole surface is foam, fold the foam into the wort and beat some more. Fifteen minutes of this and most yeast takes off like a volcano. (Some yeasts are calmer than others, just like we are.)

That depends on the yeast. Safale S04 (my favorite neutral yeast) does very well at about 62 degrees. And the lid stays on the fermenter. (I just raise the temp of the beer fridge a few hours before brewing, and put the fermenter in there for the first 24 hours.)

Just hydrating most dry yeast is enough. Sprinkle it on the surface of about a cup of boiled (and cooled, of course) water about 15 minutes before pitching. Don't shake or stir. Pitch the whole thing, water and all.

If you are going to make a starter, you should really use the same wort (a little weaker, but the same malt, at least) as the yeast will be working in.

Just some of my experiences.

Not most yeast. I find I produce the best tasting beer with mid 60s temps.

-------->Denny