I brewed an amber ale recently with 2 friends, our first time using an all-in-one brewing system similar to brewers edge mash & boil. I've done a few stovetop AG batches before, without major problems. However, this time our control over the mash temps was way off. The control panel showed temps around 70-72C (158-161F) and an external thermometer measuring the top of the mash read around 64C (147F).
We recirculated quite a bit, but the temp difference seemed to remain similar. We did get quite a good efficiency nevertheless, and continued with the process, pitching 2 packages of US-05 once the wort had cooled to room temp. OG was 1.060. Fermentation took place in room temp.
Now, 2 weeks after pitching we had decided for bottling, but for "some reason" we hadn't monitored the stability of the final gravity and only relied on the inactivity of the airlock. The FV was lightly shaked a few times after the fermentation slowed, which has in my experience prevented stalled fermentations. Happily, we racked the wort on top of priming sugar and only in the end of racking did we realise to take a gravity sample, which read 1.020.
This seemed much too high to me, indicating incomplete fermentation. We held a short crisis discussion, but because of schedule problems and inconsistencies in our process decided to continue with bottling. We figured that even if the fermentation was incomplete we could monitor the carbonation level in the bottles and stash them in the balcony or a fridge when a suitable level was achieved, hopefully slowing or stopping the yeast activity.
Soooo, now I would be curious about the chances of this ending up in gushers or bottle bombs... And especially the effectiveness of cold storage in slowing bottle carbonation or other options.
Naturally there is also the option of drinking ALL THE BEER before carbonation levels get out of hand...
Thanks for any advice!
We recirculated quite a bit, but the temp difference seemed to remain similar. We did get quite a good efficiency nevertheless, and continued with the process, pitching 2 packages of US-05 once the wort had cooled to room temp. OG was 1.060. Fermentation took place in room temp.
Now, 2 weeks after pitching we had decided for bottling, but for "some reason" we hadn't monitored the stability of the final gravity and only relied on the inactivity of the airlock. The FV was lightly shaked a few times after the fermentation slowed, which has in my experience prevented stalled fermentations. Happily, we racked the wort on top of priming sugar and only in the end of racking did we realise to take a gravity sample, which read 1.020.
This seemed much too high to me, indicating incomplete fermentation. We held a short crisis discussion, but because of schedule problems and inconsistencies in our process decided to continue with bottling. We figured that even if the fermentation was incomplete we could monitor the carbonation level in the bottles and stash them in the balcony or a fridge when a suitable level was achieved, hopefully slowing or stopping the yeast activity.
Soooo, now I would be curious about the chances of this ending up in gushers or bottle bombs... And especially the effectiveness of cold storage in slowing bottle carbonation or other options.
Naturally there is also the option of drinking ALL THE BEER before carbonation levels get out of hand...
Thanks for any advice!