What are you brewing?

[AlexBrew Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close AlexBrew]

I'm not sure what it is, but (from the bottle anyway) there seems to be a slight off flavour, almost powdery dry and slightly fruity. I want to know what caused that and how to fix it. Personally, I think it's the yeast, or the fact that I pitched the entire yeast slurry and didn't decant the oxidized beer on top of the yeast. I forgot to do that, and it was a pretty large amount. Could be oxidization.

I think it's yeast related causing the fruity off flavour. Possible that your beer is still too you young and the off flavour will go away. I had a banana off flavour with my Castle Lite clone that went away the longer it stood. I still have one 750 CL left.. must still do the final side by side tasting.

Oxidised beer tastes like cardboard.. the longer it stands the worse it gets, so I don't think it is that. Must have something to do with stressing the yeast.. even the temerature ramp when active fermentation is finished could be suspect ? or the yeast did not have enough time to clean up after itself ? or spent yeast left too long in the wort ?

This is an extract from the Castle Malting website on their Pilsner recipe using SafLager S23 (same as my CL):
https://www.castlemalting.com/Castle...l&RecipeID=395

Step 3: Fermentation and Maturaion Cooldown the wort to 10°C and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 10°C for 2 days and then raise the temperature to 14°C. Once the fermentation is done (FG reached and off-flavors removed – about 7 days) drop the temperature to 8°C and rest for 1 day and then harvest the yeast. After removing the yeast, drop the temperature to 2°C and rest for 7 days.

What I'm trying to emphasise is that their temps don't go above 14°C

[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

Yes, I'm also thinking it's the yeast. Problem is though, it was a really good yeast. Diamond Lager is supposed to be one of the cleanest lager yeasts out there, even way out of the fermentation temp. I also didn't ramp it drastically. I fermented at 10.5, and then ramped up to 12, then 14 and then 16 over the course of a few days. I treated it "well", so to speak. But yeah fruity esters does point to yeast. Just not sure how.

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

Africa hops are having a massive sale. They asked me not to mention prices on online forum as they are wholesalers.
I'll tell you I paid R295 per kg for the El dorado
Email Marc sales@africahops.co.za

Thanks for the info, but i don't want that much.

[AlexBrew Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close AlexBrew]

Brewing this one today - South Africa Pale Ale:
Southern Promise PA.jpg
I've got so much SA hops in the fridge/freezer - need to use them up. Keep on preferring the US hops instead. Adding a healthy dose of hops to this batch. Hope the combo of S Promise and A Queen works.

[BeerHolic Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BeerHolic]

Yep, I have about 4.5kg of SA hops.

Did a SMASH with u3/132, great beer, definately pick up the tropical flavours.

[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

I have to make a beer again, but I'm worried about the infections I've been getting. I'm planning a nice pseudo-pilsner, with pils malt, german hops and all that, but with an ale yeast.

[Chris S Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris S]

I have to make a beer again, but I'm worried about the infections I've been getting. I'm planning a nice pseudo-pilsner, with pils malt, german hops and all that, but with an ale yeast.

Don't store the wort. Get it fermenting right away.

[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

I make double batches. Ferment 21l right away, and the other 21l is stored. That's how I do my batches. But yeah, maybe I'll just ferment both and then stick one in the lagering fridge after ferment to bottle later.

[Dewald Posthumus Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dewald Posthumus]

I have to make a beer again, but I'm worried about the infections I've been getting. I'm planning a nice pseudo-pilsner, with pils malt, german hops and all that, but with an ale yeast.

Try some Kveik Oslo for that Pseud Pilsner, it's such a nice clean yeast..

[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

I've got quite a bit S-04 left, and fermented cool it's a fantastic yeast, so that's what I'll use. And yes, I love S-04. I ferment almost all my cleaner ales with it. It's SUPER cheap so I typically pitch double the rate and then ferment under the recommended temp. Going to do that. Yes, that sounds good.

[Dewald Posthumus Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dewald Posthumus]

I've got quite a bit S-04 left, and fermented cool it's a fantastic yeast, so that's what I'll use. And yes, I love S-04. I ferment almost all my cleaner ales with it. It's SUPER cheap so I typically pitch double the rate and then ferment under the recommended temp. Going to do that. Yes, that sounds good.

Just don't f*ck it up...

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

I've got quite a bit S-04 left, and fermented cool it's a fantastic yeast, so that's what I'll use. And yes, I love S-04. I ferment almost all my cleaner ales with it. It's SUPER cheap so I typically pitch double the rate and then ferment under the recommended temp. Going to do that. Yes, that sounds good.

Bevplus is about the only place I can get it these days.

R48 (double the price from 2 years ago ) ... NOT cheap (anymore) in my eyes.

[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

I have to add I buy my yeast bulk. 500g bricks at a time. Last I bought S-04 at just under R500 a brick. Makes it super cheap to me. Not sure if it'll still be that price in recent months though, or if Heidi still does bulk goods at all.

EDIT: Fudgeknuckles. R945 for a 500g brick from Beerplus. They must be nuts! https://www.beerplus.co.za/product/5...-s-04/1720/191

[Jitters Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jitters]

Thanks for the info, but i don't want that much.

heard back from them minimum order is 5kg and it looks like the minimum size is 2.5kg per variety. bit over the top for me but their prices are lekker.

Chris can you confirm if what I got from them was your experience as well?

[Chris S Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris S]

heard back from them minimum order is 5kg and it looks like the minimum size is 2.5kg per variety. bit over the top for me but their prices are lekker.

Chris can you confirm if what I got from them was your experience as well?

Yes that's what it was. I took 2.5 kg Columbus and 2.5kg El Dorado
I know it was a bit much but at those prices I wish I could have afforded more right now.