Flanders red - feedback on process

[terrapinj]

I know there is a lot of discussion on technique for flanders red but just wanted to get any feedback, tips etc before brewing this weekend. It's a big time commitment so anything to help reassure me or guide me is appreciated.

Recipe:
Batch Size 5.5gal post boil
6.5# Vienna
3# Munich
1# Flaked Organic Maize (kept going back and forth between corn or wheat)
.5# Caravienne
.5# Caramunich
6oz Special B
1oz Spalter Select (~14.5 IBU)

Yeast/Bugs:
1 pack Roeselare primary
1 bottle dregs of RR Consecration added in primary

Procedure:
Single Infusion 60min Mash ~156-158°
90min boil
Primary Fermentation in plastic bucket @68° for 3-4 weeks
Secondary 5gal glass carboy for 11+ months
Keg and carb with priming sugar (likely add some fresh sacch)

I'd like to add 1 med+ toast american oak spiral (boiled and then soaked in some Cab or Pinot Noir) but not clear as to when and how long to add it. Will the oak character overpower if it's in secondary 11+ months or will it eventually fade after several months?

Possibly add dried tart cherries to 1/2 of the batch 2months before kegging.

Also, will temp fluctuations be a big concern while in secondary? My temps in the house stay within the range of the Roeselare specs and won't encounter sudden drastic changes.

 

[sockmerchant]

I'm a sour noob, but looks fine. I havent used oak spirals, but I thought they can be quite potent?

I have a few different things going at the moment, and I can confirm that Roeselare is awesome. I have some oud bruin with the WLP665 which i gather is supposed to the whitelabs equivalent. I don't think its nearly as nice at this stage, but time will tell i suppose.

People say that its hard to get the roeselare sour enough on the first pitch. I am using a bucket for primary like you intend to, and I tell you what, at just under two months its getting really sour

I will be moving it to a carboy in a week or so i think. Otherwise it might get a bit too sour. Its currently sitting somewhere in between rodenbach and rodenbach grand cru. Though, not as much acetic acid.

I have become rather obsessed with sour and wild beer as of late. I enjoy the organised chaos.

Good Luck!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Looks solid. As for the oak, what you're describing is pretty much what I did with my Rosealare red. I had half a spiral that had been used in a batch of merlot (boiled, then in wine for one week) that I added after the initial activity subsided. I boiled it a second time after it came out of the merlot, so the oak was probably pretty spent. Soaked it again in some red wine (merlot, IIRC) and threw it in the carboy. My plan is to leave it in there for the duration. I also have another Flanders red going (ECY020) that I added boiled oak cubes right to primary as I racked wort from the kettle. I think it's about an oz per 5 gal, again, boiled so the initial harshness is removed. I think the key is using the right amount, and using spent oak, to keep it restrained.

 

[ardyexfor]

^ Most of the oak is "spent" in your commercial circumstances dues to barrels being used for wine or spirits prior to being used for beer. I used 1 oz. in my 5 gal batch. I boiled it first and then soaked it in wine for a month before adding to secondary before I racked the beer on top. I am leaving it in for the entire duration of aging. Hopefully the oak will be diminished from the boil amd produce minimal oak character.

Best part is you can dry out the oak afterwards and use it to "infect" future batches.

 

[TNGabe]

I'd be worried that the wine yeast used to bottle condition the Consecration will kill the beer yeast in the Roselare. I would wait and add the RR degs in secondary.

So far I've used variations on the Wild Brews red recipe. None are drinking yet, but all 3 are progressing well and if I recall used around 3 lbs of corn. Where'd you find the organice flaked product? I've been cereal mashing corn a friend grew locally and it's fun, but not really.

I haven't found that over-oaking ages out, but needs to be blended with un-oaked beer. I add wood last and feel that gives better control over the amount of wood flavor and how it syncs with the beer.

 

[terrapinj]

Organic corn flakes from the bulk bins at the local health food store

I wasn't sure if the wine yeast would pose a problem as I've seen others pitch rr dregs in primary before

 

[TNGabe]

Organic corn flakes from the bulk bins at the local health food store

Breakfast cereal?

 

[terrapinj]

Breakfast cereal?

they ended up being out of stock so I decided to get corn grits and will do a cereal mash with them instead

the packaged breakfast cereals that I saw weren't simply flaked corn, they were milled down and then remade into flake shapes with other added ingredients

i almost bought some puffed corn but the price was much more than the grits and i figure this is as good of a time as any to use a traditional cereal mash

planning on brewing today but it's supposed to rain now so I may push it back to next week

 

[terrapinj]

finally brewed this weekend

everything went very smooth including the cereal mash - my final volume was a little higher than I had planned but I wanted to error or the side of too much wort rather than too little

cooled it down to 63° (fridge went a little lower than planned) and aerated for 60sec with pure 02 and pitched a 3 week old packet of Roeselare and the dregs from a bottle of RR Consecration and JP La Roja - had visible activity in the blow off tube within 18hours around 68-70°

wasn't sure what temp to start fermentation at as I wanted to encourage the bug growth but don't want the sacch strain to get too hot and throw fusels - current set point is 69°