10 gallon batches

[Chris Craig]

I recently (Feb 24) brewed a 10 gallon batch of my house pale ale with Glacier hops.  The first keg I shared at a couple of meetings.  It was quite well received, so I was not too disappointed when I kicked the first keg tonight.  I've been charging the second keg for a couple of days, and it was ready to drink tonight.

It's not the same at all.  A LOT less hop character in this one.  And there's something that I can't identify...perhaps oxidation. I'm getting quite drunk trying to figure it out.  It may be that this beer sat on the yeast cake for 5 weeks when the 1st was kegged on the 15th day. Perhaps you guys can help me at when I bring some to the AGM.  

Anyway, this is not the first time I've had an experience like this on a 10 gallon batch.  I guess the second keg just isn't as fresh as the first, and that's really affecting the flavour.  This really sucks because I REALL like a hoppy pale ale, and I always have it on tap.

What are your thoughts on 5 gallon batches vs 10?

[jeffsmith]

I do 10 gallon batches as well and I often find that the second keg is better than the first, possibly because of the extra time it spends on the yeast. That said, even with Pale Ales or Bitters, I find that dry hopping the second keg before serving does a lot to bring the beer back to life.

[Chris Craig]

Hmmm.  I have the opposite experience, and I dry hop my APAs 7 days before kegging. More research (drinking) required!

[fakr]

This happened to me every time I made 10-15GAL batches where I would prematurely keg 1 of the 2-3 fermenters due to lack of beer.
The first keg would be delicious.  I'd then let the other fermenters sit for the full duration, cold crash, and keg.  Those kegs would have a considerably different flavor profile...enough to think it was a different batch of beer.

I've also noticed this doesn't happen with heavier, more complex beers, only light ones.

So, I've come to the conclusion that light body beers should be fermented and kegged in as short a time as possible...so they are green and fresh...no aging at all.  Cold crash in the kegs and pull the first glass off to get as much sediment out as possible.

That last comment is strictly my opinion based on my personal taste in beer.  Some might disagree as they prefer a different taste profile.

Now with a single 20GAL fermenter, I have to process all the beer at once so I won't see the drastic change in taste between fermenters.

[chrismccull]

How many weeks do you wait Joe if you aren't spunding?

[Chris Craig]

I think I'll do the same Joe.

[Richard]

There's nothing to say you can't develop a taste for the "harsher" flavours of younger beer. Personally I like an IPA out of the keg from 2-5 weeks after pitching, assuming dry-hopping one week prior. After that, it loses something - although others might think of it as smoother. I suspect tannins and other rougher flavours are still more present at that point, which gives the impression of a drier beer than that which you get after a couple of months.

Lighter beers would experience this effect faster - ultimately the rule of six weeks grain-glass is about as blunt and unwieldy as saying there's only one good mash temperature, OG, etc, etc. Everything's variable.

I still recall the profile of the glacier IPA Chris, so I can give it a go when I get the chance

[fakr]

How many weeks do you wait Joe if you aren't spunding?

For light beers I would leave the beer in the fermenter just long enough to hit my desired final gravity, then immediately cold crash it for 2 days.  So roughly 5 days to ferment + 2 days to cold crash, then in the keg and carbonate for another week or so..

Basically from pitch to drinking is 2 weeks.  additional kegs sit longer and clear up more than the first one.