Bash-Shell.Net

This is my first time brewing this as a 5.5 gallon batch on my Unibrau equipment. Everything went surprisingly smoothly. My original gravity just a bit high and my volume just a bit low, so my mash efficiency, which I'm struggling to nail down on this equipment, was higher than expected.

Mash Process

I did a full volume, no sparge BIAB mash and boil. I added my grains to the water at about 158F and let it sit for 1 hour at 153F.

Fermentation

I used about 3/4 or a bit more of a packet of S-33 yeast pitched at 64F. My temperature controls are set to maintain 69F - which really maintains about 68F since it waits for the wort to cool to 68F and then kicks on heat combined with the low ambient temperature I am able to maintain in the fermentation chamber.

Post Fermentation

Something went wrong here and this beer is definitely contaminated. It did not taste bad when I packaged it, so I plan to get it on tap fast and hopefully it'll be good. I suspected the previous beer I brewed was also infected but got confirmation on this one because I saw the pellicle and got pictures. I currently believe that this is happening due to the very long time the beer is sitting in the fermenter with no yeast while I try to get it down to pitching temperature in the summer heat. The weather is about to cool down and so the ground water will make my immersion chiller far more effective very soon. I am also preparing to try out some other tricks to get the beer cooled more quickly.

2022-10-11

This batch is getting dumped out. I've already got one keg to tear apart and give an extra cleaning to now. I don't feel like adding the 2.5 gallon keg I'd transfer to and my kegerator to that for a beer which probably won't taste good. I brewed a new batch this past weekend.