Namur (Batch 04): Recipe

This is a short post, as the recipe is just a bit different than the recipe for Namur (Batch 03) that I posted last week with different hops and yeast. Here went with a more lemon and lime character, using Sorachi Ace and and Wakatu. I pitched Wyeast's 3726 Farmhouse Ale, as well as Sanctification dregs to one of the buckets. However, the "clean" bucket ended up getting Brett as well.  I've been fermenting in buckets with the lids loosely set, and didn't think about that this time.  Not surprisingly, some Brett got into each the portion that only received 3726.  At around 4 weeks, each portion looked and tasted basically the same.

 The biggest difference here is that this one is going to secondary with soaked oak cubes. One with white wine-soaked oak cubes, and the other with gin-soaked cubes. The latter may also then get some lime juice and zest at the end.

Here are the full details on the new batch:

Batch Number: 83

Brew Date: April 6, 2014.

Bottle Date:

Batch Size: 10 Gallon

OG: 1.049

FG:

Fermentation Temperature: 70-72* F

IBU: 28.4

ABV: 6.2%

SRM: 3.6

Mash: Single infusion for 60 minutes at 150* F

Boil: 60 minute

Fermentables

10.0 lb Dingeman's Belgian Pilsner

3.0 lb Wheat, Flaked

2.0 lb Spelt, Raw

1.0 lb Oats, Flaked

1.0 lb Rye, Flaked

1.0 lb Acid Malt

Salts & Water

5.0g Sodium Chloride (all into the kettle)

3.0g Calcium Chloride (all into the kettle)

1.0g Gypsum (all into the kettle)

Resulting water profile is as follows:

Mash pH (est.): 5.44

Calcium: 51

Magnesium: 11

Sodium: 39

Chloride: 88

Sulfate: 36

5mL lactic acid added to the sparge water to get it to a pH around 5.5.

Hops

5mL HopShot at 60 minutes

4.0 oz. Wakatu (8.0 AAU) at flameout

2.0 oz. Sorachi Ace (12.0 AAU) at flameout

Other

2.0 tsp. Wyeast Yeast Nutrient at 10 minutes (double the normal amount to provide extra FAN, per the suggestion in Phil Markowski's Farmhouse Ales)

Yeast

Wyeast 3726 Farmhouse Ale

Russian River Sanctification dregs (both eventually, per the notes below)

Notes

04.06.2014: Brewday.  2L starter of Wyeast 3726 has been on stir plate for 24 hours.  Was previously stepped up twice from an old vial, previously having done a 2L starter of 1.020 wort on 02.18.2014.  Should have about 350 billion cells per yeastcalculator.com.  Split the starter evenly between buckets, not decanting.  Added the dregs from a bottle of Russian River Sanctification (Batch 007) to one of the buckets.  Each received 30 seconds of pure oxygen prior to pitching.

Had a big problem with the mash.  The tube between the spigot and the false bottom nipple somehow came off during sparging.  Will find out if hot side aeration is an issue, as eventually had to dump the mash into a pot to find out what the issue was after trying to reach in with Blichmann gloves to no avail.

04.07.2014: At 12 hours, good krausen and sitting at 70* F, with temperature controller at 72* F with +/- 2* differential.  I bumped it up to 74* F on the controller, which should likely set things at 72* F.  At 36 hours, bumped it up another two degrees on the controller, hoping to get fermentation to 74* F.  At 48 and 60 hours, bumped controller setting to 78* F and 80*F, respectively.

04.12.2014: Turned temperature down to 70* F to prepare water bath for Batch 084.

04.13.2014: Removed both portions from water bath and will continue at room temperature.  Portion with straight WY3726 is at 1.008.  Flavor profile is pretty bland with mild melon and a touch of spice.  Portion with Sanctification dregs is at 1.006 and is similar, but has a slightly-stronger profile.

04.30.2014: The straight 3726 portions appears to have a Brett infection, likely because I hadn't sealed the lids and there's quite a bit of Brett floating around that area with other open fermenters.  Today, transferred that straight portion (about 4 gallons) to a keg with 28g of oak cubes that have been soaking in gin since 02.16.2013.  The Sanctification portions was also about 4 gallons, and was transferred to a keg with 28g of oak cubes that have been soaking in Verdejo wine since 03.03.2013.

08.12.2014: At around 3.5 months, I checked in on these batches, which have been sitting in pressurized kegs since the end of April (I had checked a few times before as well).  I think that the gin version needs a bit more time (and I'll likely add some lime zest as well), but the white-wine version was doing quite well.  The last time I did something with these Verdejo cubes -- Dionysus #2 -- it ended up a bit too oak for my tastes, and that was at 5-6 months, so I think this may be the sweet spot.  It also just so happens that I'm nearly out of draft beer, so it was time for this one to transition over.  Tasting notes should be up within the next few weeks.