Evan!
Well-Known Member
I just had to share. I went downstairs just now and the Roeselare pellicle on my Flanders Red had sprouted some awesomely big bubbles. Word.
Sweet! Any idea how it happened? Did you do anything different on this one from your others?
Beautiful. And several new brewers are looking at this post wondering why we are excited about infected beer.
OK...I'll ask.
Why are you excited about infected beer?
slightly OT:
Do you guys ever have a problem wit bugs like Brett popping up where it's not wanted after you've let it in your brewhouse?
I'd like to give it a try sometime, but that scenario keeps playing out in my head.
Boy was I relieved when I saw your carboy! I was afraid when you said a picture of your infection that the photo was going to be a little disturbing...
slightly OT:
Do you guys ever have a problem wit bugs like Brett popping up where it's not wanted after you've let it in your brewhouse?
I'd like to give it a try sometime, but that scenario keeps playing out in my head.
Yeah, like bokonon notes, there's bacteria and wild yeast everywhere. You know when the sunlight comes streaming through the window and you can see the dust particles in the air? Each one of those particles is covered with bacteria and wild yeast.
I don't think it'd be going too far, though, to have a dedicated vinyl tube for 'infected' batches, and if you're using a bucket, I'd also dedicate that. But I'm using glass, as you can see in the pic, so it'll be fine.
I completely understand the concept of wild yeast and other bugs floating around the house. My concern was the major population difference between the myriad species of microflora scattered around the average home versus a concentrated, cultivated colony right in and on the equipment.
I imagine a preemptive nuclear strike of sanitizer would take care of it on glass.
Well, good cleaning and sanitation practices should be enough to take care of it. The only equipment that will see extended periods of time on it will be the glass carboy and the stopper. Outside of that, nuthin'. This time next year, when I finally keg it, I'll drop some oxyclean and warm water in the carboy and let them soak for a day or so, scrub it, rinse it, and sanitize it. After that, it doesn't matter how concentrated the colony was, they're zapped.
Does that beer need to sit in the carboy for the entire time? Or can you let it age a bit in the bottles.
I was reading somewhere about using an oak peg to seal the carboy for the year or so it sits in there. Are you doing that? or just using an airlock?
Which recipe are you using? I've been looking for a recipe similar to Duchess.
Did you pitch an entire smack pack of Roeselare? I only have 5 gallon carboys, and it worries me to add all that yeast with such little head room. It kind of looks like you used a 6.5 gallon carboy, no? Sort of a dumb question, but where can I find an oak peg?
Yay!!!! Congrats!
Have you named it?
Here's a cigar for you it's blue bubblegum....
I just had to share. I went downstairs just now and the Roeselare pellicle on my Flanders Red had sprouted some awesomely big bubbles. Word.
You can find oak dowels like that at Lowes/Home Depot. I brought my rubber stopper along when I bought the dowel so I knew which size would fit.
How long did it take your pellicle to form?
I racked mine to secondary last week. I am eagerly awaiting my pellicle so I can join the club.
So, are you using a drilled stopper, and running a dowel through it, instead of an airlock?
It looks like you dowel runs down into the wort. Is that the case?
Did you need to lubricate your wooden shaft when penetrating the bung hole ? If so did you use keg lube or a water based lubricant to make it fit ?
Seriously I am going to start sour beers in 3 - 4 months and cant wait to try this recipe.
Does that beer need to sit in the carboy for the entire time? Or can you let it age a bit in the bottles.
Oh man, first time I saw this thread... sweet.
Last night at a fellow homebrewer's party we were discussing how sweet it'd be to split a 10 gallon batch of his oaked bourbon barleywine (Hair of the Dog Fred clone, actually) and use the Roeselare on 5 gallons of it. We were figuring it'd have to sit in the carboy for a good 12-18 months to hit its peak before kegging.
It's not just a beer... it's an experience. :rockin:
Someone in my club did a Roeselare Fred. I haven't tried it though.
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