Microbrewed Adventures - Charles Papazian [169]
Pitch the German ale yeast, brettanomyces yeast cultures and lactobacillus bacteria culture when temperature of wort is about 70 degrees F (21 C). Ferment at about 70 degrees F (21 C) for about 10 days, or until fermentation appears to show signs of stopping and begins to clear. Rack from your primary to a secondary fermenter, and if you have the capability, “cellar” the beer at about 55 degrees F (12.5 C) for about 2 weeks.
Prime with sugar and bottle or keg when complete.
Glossary of Terms
a.b.v.: Alcohol by volume.
Ale: A style of beer, usually brewed at temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees F (16–21 C) using ale yeast. Often referred to as a “top-fermented” because of the tendency for some strains of ale yeast to rise to the surface for a period during fermentation.
Balling: A scale of measurement used by professional brewers worldwide to measure the density of a liquid as compared to water. See also Specific gravity.
Barrel: One U.S. barrel equals 31 gallons equals about 13½ cases of 12-oz. bottles. One typical American keg equals 15.5 gallons, or a half-barrel.
Bottle conditioned: Term describing lager or ale that is carbonated naturally by the action of yeast on fermentable sugars while in the bottle. Sometimes referred to as bottle fermentation.
Bottom-fermenting: See Lager yeast.
F and C: Abbreviations for degrees Fahrenheit and degrees Celsius (Centigrade).
Gravity dispensed: Term describing beer that is dispensed from a keg by the force of gravity, rather than by “pushing” the beer out with added pressure. A spigot is employed while air is permitted to enter from an opening at the top of the keg.
Hops: Flowers from the hop vine that impart different types of bitterness, flavor and aroma to beer.
Lager: From the German word, to store. Also a style of beer. Traditionally, a “bottom-fermented” beer brewed at temperatures of 40 to 50 degrees F (4–10 C) and stored for a period of time at temperatures as low as 32 degrees F (0 C).
Lagering: The period during which lager beer is aged.
Lager yeast: Saccharomyces uvarum (formerly known as S. carlsbergensis) type of yeast. Generally speaking, true lager yeast does best at fermentation temperatures of 33 to 50 degrees F. It is also known as “bottom-fermenting yeast” because of its tendency to form sediment while fermenting.
Lauter or lautering: The process of removing spent grains or hops from wort. This is simply done by the utilization of a strainer and a subsequent quick, hot water rinse (sparging) of the caught spent grains or hops.
Lauter vessel or lauter tun: The brewing vessel that is used to separate grains from sweet wort by a straining process.
Lovibond and malt color (-L): A measure of malt color. Ten is low; 40 is amber; above 80 is dark.
Lupulin: Tiny bright yellow-golden capsules of oil and resin located at the base of the hop flower petal, responsible for the flavor and aroma of hops.
Mash or mashing: The process of converting grain starches to fermentable sugars by carefully sustaining a water and grain “soup” at temperatures ranging from 140 to 160 degrees F for a period of time.
Naturally carbonated: Term describing beer that has developed carbonation from the natural carbon dioxide byproduct of fermentation. Forced carbonation adds carbonation to beer by forcing high-pressure carbon dioxide into otherwise flat beer.
Pitch the yeast: To “throw in” or add yeast to the wort.
Rack (Racking): Process of transferring unfinished homebrew from a primary fermenter to a secondary fermenter. A siphon is often used by homebrewers so yeast sediments remain undisturbed in the primary.
Refermentation: A second fermentation that may develop in the bottle because of added sugars at bottling time.
Secondary fermenter (the secondary): Any vessel in which secondary fermentation occurs.
Sparge or sparging: