Hi Folks, new to forum. Just started my third test in making an unhoped, raw ale. I've attached the recipe in case anyone can offer help of share ideas. Fran Opps, my file is not in a form allowed in the upload deal, will work on that.
raw ale test #3
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rawale
Hi Mismost: I was interested in this topic after reading a brief about how folks made ale in the colonies (1700's). So I built on that, with my skimpy actual knowledge. As of now I have about 3/4 cup of mixed grains(barley, wheat and oats) that have been brought to second day of sprouting, then mixed with 2 cups of water and blended to make a high enzyme mix. To that I added 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup malt powder mixed with a little warm water to dissolve. I then put it all in a wide mouth 1 gallon jug filled to top with warm water and pitched yeast, I had little activity for 3 days and then added 2 cups more sugar, within 24 hours I had and now have active fermentation, a bubble a second. So I don't know what the result will be when it settles down. It will be put through a cloth filter and bottled. I am considering milk sugar in the bottle to sweeten. My last 2 deals where sour. If any one is interested I'll keep all informed. I have a question if any know: how do you figure hydrometer readings when you are using whole grains. PS: Bittering in the future will be using yarrow. Fran
Hi Mismost: I was interested in this topic after reading a brief about how folks made ale in the colonies (1700's). So I built on that, with my skimpy actual knowledge. As of now I have about 3/4 cup of mixed grains(barley, wheat and oats) that have been brought to second day of sprouting, then mixed with 2 cups of water and blended to make a high enzyme mix. To that I added 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup malt powder mixed with a little warm water to dissolve. I then put it all in a wide mouth 1 gallon jug filled to top with warm water and pitched yeast, I had little activity for 3 days and then added 2 cups more sugar, within 24 hours I had and now have active fermentation, a bubble a second. So I don't know what the result will be when it settles down. It will be put through a cloth filter and bottled. I am considering milk sugar in the bottle to sweeten. My last 2 deals where sour. If any one is interested I'll keep all informed. I have a question if any know: how do you figure hydrometer readings when you are using whole grains. PS: Bittering in the future will be using yarrow. Fran
ceeaton
Sixth year
Your mixture is probably going sour because after mashing there is usually a boil to knock off the nasties that hang around on grains (before pitching the yeast). I have made a Guinness like clone that uses a hand full of grains covered loosely in a jar to make a sour type mini-mash. But I always strain off the grains, boil and cool before adding to the rest of the batch prior to kegging. Beer is always more susceptible to infection because of the lower final % ABV. You are basically inoculating your batch with souring bacteria from the get go. I would also strain off the grains/husks before boiling unless you want a really astringent finished product (boiling the husks will extract the astringent compounds).
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Thanks CE, I did strain and bottle the brew in question and the grain waste was sour. In my other sour results, raw ale1 and 2, quests who drank it said it was like a sour ale they had at a brewery. If you know, will adding milk sugar at bottling cut the sour? Fran
ceeaton
Sixth year
It might help. Your best course of action is not allowing the infection in the first place, but that is hard to do in an ale that isn't brought to boiling temperature. I'd think the residual sugar would make it more drinkable, much like a sweet young wine is usually more drinkable than a dry young wine.
Hi all, finally tested rawale3 and had an improvement over rawale2. It was not sour as before but was very citrus y but not lemony, all the testers liked it and guessed it was 8% alcohol. A small amount of sweetness, light carbonation with a pale color, smell was neutral. Anyone interested: 1/2 cup sprouting oats, 1/2 cup sprouting wheat and 1/2 cup sprouting barley(this is harder to find). The grains are rinsed and drained until tales begin to come out of the seed, then blended well, take your time. Then put into a 1 gallon fermentor. Heat a cup of water add 1/4 cup malt, 2 3/4 cups sugar stir till blended. cool with more water, add to fermentor and fill to one gallon. When all is room temp pitch 1/2 pac Nottingham daystar yeast. My notes are lousy here(sorry), I might have added 2 more cups of sugar. This monster began bubbling at day 2 and fermented out after 4 days. I strained it through a linen bag and bottled it with 1/2 tsp sugar per bottle. The wild cards here ,as I see it, are using sprouted grains(loaded with enzymes) and not boiling. There is considerable lees in the bottles, but they do clear out. My next test will be shooting for 10% abv with more carbonation sugar. Of course all the quantities are adjustable, perhaps more grain and less sugar. Fran
