One of the most critical aspects of whole grain brewing is determination of the completeness of your conversion of starch to simple sugars and this is critical if you are to provide the yeast with sugars they can metabolize. Grains contain sugars in long chains called starch and these chains must be broken into single molecules of sugar to be available to the yeast for fermentation. Failure to convert starch to sugars will mean failure to ferment completely. The result is more residual mouth-feel and sweetness than anticipated and lower alcohol content. The easiest way to test this process, and monitor its progress in real-time as the mash progresses, is called the iodine-starch test. Purchase a small bottle of Tincture of Iodine at a pharmacy (Kroger’s Pharmacy sold it for about $3-4 in the first-aid section). At the beginning of the mash and about every 15 min thereafter, mix the mash well and place one drop of the liquid wort (no solids) onto a white or clear glass dish. Add one drop of the iodine mixture (do not contaminate the applicator in the bottle with wort) and mix gently by tapping the plate. If starch is present it will form a distinct dark purple/black precipitate. This is very thick and black at the beginning and you will notice it rapidly disappear as the conversion to sugar progresses. Retain each test as you move around the plate during the mash and compare the starch content over time. Usually with well modified grains, this occurs in the first 15-30 min with a small amount of final conversion occurring in the last 30 min of a typical 60 min mash. However, using this assay you can monitor conversion and fix any conversion problems by lowering mash temperature to extend the life of the amylase enzymes causing this conversion (they are heat labile), slow conversion by raising the mash temperature a little or stop conversion by mash-out at 68oF+ to inactivate the enzymes if conversion has been too aggressive. The plate washes clean in tap water. Cheers, Curt.

This description assumes you wish to bottle condition/carbonate your new creation. I use a bleach sanitization method which is different from others. This approach is cheap, easy and reliable if you follow the directions and leaves no residues on your bottles/caps. It is easier on the environment than iodine though not without impact. Now we dance the bottling dance!

What you need to prepare

Get together the following equipment in preparation for bottling. It is best to work indoors where there is no breeze in a clean environment like the kitchen. Be sure to turn all ceiling fans and the A/C off prior to beginning the rinsing of the bleach sanitized equipment just prior to bottling (and then remember to turn it on again when you are done). Dress in old cloths so that bleach splashes will not be an issue.

1. Move the secondary fermenter to a stable high place like the kitchen counter (~36 inches off the floor is fine) at least 3 hr and preferably the night before bottling to allow any disturbance in the sediment to settle. Cover with a black garbage bag to protect from light (avoid light-struck skunkiness).

2. Clean your bottles and sterilize in any way you like. I prefer the dishwasher method (http://frogsbottom.auburnbrewclub.org) described on my brewing blog. You need around 54 bottles (12 oz) per 5 gallon batch which allows a few spares in case you break or contaminate any. They take 2 hr in my dishwasher.

3. With about 45 min before the end of the sterilization cycle on the dishwasher, fill a 6 gallon bucket with cold tap water and add 1 cup bleach (nonscented) carefully and stir well. Into the bucket place your hygrometer and test cylinder (to take a specific gravity) and a siphon tube (6-7 ft of clean tygon tubing). Not absolutely required but highly recommended are a bottling cane, a large glass tumbler or mug (must be tall enough to hold the cane during the first part of bottling without tipping to preserve sanitary condition) and a siphon starting pump. Both are available from brew shops and make bottling much easier and cleaner (much less waste and spillage). Canes come in plastic and nickel coated brass (Phil’s Philler). I use the latter. The former is soft plastic and will bend with time and become difficult to use. The metal version is more durable but reacts slowing with the bleach somewhat. To deal with this and avoid a black deposit on the bucket where it touches place it in the large glass or mug inside the bucket. Immerse all in the bleach and leave 30 min. Rinse well in warm tap water in the sink being very careful not to touch anything nonsanitized. Your hands should be wet with the bleach solution so they are ok. As you rinse each piece place eahc in a clean spot. Start with the pump and place it in the secondary fermenter and then the tubing and attach to the pump. The hygrometer is placed in the cylinder on the counter and the cane is placed in the glass/mug on the counter too. Lastly, rinse out the bucket and place on the counter. Rinses should be 5-6 times and done well to thoroughly remove the bleach.

4. Also about 30 min before the bottles are ready prepare 0.75 to 1 cup of dextrose (bottling sugar) in 3 cups filtered water and bring to a boil - simmer 15 min then turn off but leave it on the burner (watch for boil overs as you reach boiling). Immerse about 55-60 caps in a pot of water and bring to a boil and simmer 15 min. You should place a large spoon in the sugar solution to stir and sanitize and a large slotted spoon in the caps to do the same. Ensure they re supported and will not fall out.

5. As you approach the end of all this preparation assemble your capper. Place a chair near the secondary fermenter and have a helper sit in it (pour them a home brew to keep them content during this preparation period). If you have prepared some bottling yeast for repitching get it out of the refrigerator and have it near at hand. Yeast reuse is described on my blog (http://frogsbottom.auburnbrewclub.org).

Bottling

1. Have your helper sit in a chair by the secondary with the bucket on the floor and siphon the beer carefully into it (if this has taken some time another beer may be needed).

2. As you begin siphoning collect some beer in the cylinder and take your final gravity. Many people miss this opportunity and never know how complete fermentation really was or their ABV - this is your big moment! Ensure an absolute minimum of aeration by running the beer down the side of the bucket - avoid oxidation!

3. When about 1 gallon is transferred carefully dump the sugar solution into the transferred beer and stir well with the spoon while continuing to siphon beer. The beer volume will buffer the heat of the boiling sugar solution.

4. Once about 4 gallons is transferred dump in about 2 tablespoons of the prepared yeast (if you plan to do this) and mix thoroughly. Continue racking to the end and get as much of the beer as you can. Transfer of a little sediment will not be a problem. Remember it settled out once!

5. Remove the siphon pump and place in the bucket being very careful not to touch any surface that will also touch the beer. Stir very well to ensure complete mixing. This is critical and more difficult than it seems as the sugar is dense and will resist a casual stirring effort. Carefully raise the bucket onto the counter.

6. Place the cane on the effluent end of the siphon tube (be careful not to contaminate the end). Get rid of the chair and tell your helper to sit on the floor near the bucket (hand them another beer if necessary to get compliance).

7. Get several bottles out of the dishwasher (this should be closed between bottle retrieves) and place them on the floor near your helper. Remember they are sanitized! Retrieve your caps and capper so they are close by.

8. Begin bottling by siphoning into the bottles - avoid overfills! Fill to about 1 inch from the top. Your helper needs to raise the cane at the end and then pause as it drains for a moment before moving to the next bottle. That’s their job and takes a little Karma to make work without spilling beer.

9. You then take each filled bottle and carefully place a cap on the lid and cap it with the capper. Retrieve caps with the sterile slotted spoon and then the edges with your fingers. Do not contaminate the inside. If you drop one ignore it - they can be reused. Always sterilize a few extra in case. Move the capped bottle to the side and repeat until you are finished. Be sure to keep your helper supplied with bottles. Always have a few empty sanitized bottles ahead of them. They can not do much as they must protect the sterile cane. Failure to keep them supplied usually makes your helper quite cranky!

Post-Bottling Storage

1. The outside of the bottles should be rinsed in cold water to remove any beer and allowed to drain on a cloth, the caps wiped dry and then a label marked on top or applied with a sticker (I use a sharpie). You can turn on the A/C now.

2. Once dry and labeled, place bottles in carriers and store dark and cool until carbonated.

3. Dextrose will take about 2 weeks although you can test one at about 7 days and DME (dry malt extract) will take about twice as long. If you plan to substitute use 1-1.25 cups of DME as fermentables are a little lower than dextrose (D-glucose). I usually use wheat DME for Hefeweisens to maintain that wheat flavor.

4. Now you can have a home brew! You just have to thoroughly clean all your equipment.

5. NOTE: If you use a siphon tube without a pump you can start the siphon by filling the tube with clean cold tap water and pinching the ends and then immersing them. Alternatively, you can suck on the effluent end but this risks contamination although your helper usually gets to do this and really enjoys the beer rush! I really recommend the pump!

Cheers! Curt.

First you need a source of fresh yeast at the time of bottling and the most cost effective means of collecting this is to save it following racking to the primary (see my post Yeast washing, storage and reuse or go to my brewing blog http://frogsbottom.auburnbrewclub.org). Once you are ready to begin bottling, and this assumes your bottles and equipment are sanitized, begin by racking from the secondary carboy into the bottling bucket. You should also have a supply of new crown caps submerged and boiling at a simmer for about 15 min with a slotted spoon immersed in the water (you will retrieve these with the sanitized spoon and handle only by the edges to avoid contamination) and between 0.75 and 1 cups of dextrose (or between 1 cup and 1.3 cups DME - dry malt extract) dissolved in 3 cups filtered water and boiled at a simmer for about 15 min (as you do this stir gently to dissolve and watch for a boil over once you hit boiling). Proceed with racking adding the boiling sugar solution directly once the transfer of about 1 gallon of beer to the bucket has occurred - mix thoroughly but do not create bubbles (thorough mixing is essential and you must have sufficient beer in the bucket to buffer the heat of the boiled sugar solution). Continue to rack and once about 4 gallons is transferred add about 2 tablespoons of the concentrated washed yeast you saved from the primary and again stir vigorously but avoid bubbles and the mixing of air with the beer. Now proceed with bottling as usual. You will have provided sugar for fermentation/carbonation and fresh yeast for conditioning. Allow to sit for about 2 weeks in the dark to complete the process. Note that DME is slower to condition than dextrose and higher alcohol beers will require higher ABV adapted yeast strains. Alternatively, you can pitch a fresh yeast pack but this adds to the cost.

I think everyone is looking for the most efficient techniques for dealing with the most labor intensive and repetitive parts of brewing. Nothing fits this description better than the process of cleaning and sterilizing bottles. Years ago Bruce Smith introduced me to this technique and with the advent of more modern dishwashers it works brilliantly but even older dishwashers work well. This assumes your bottles are generally clean and the labels are already off. It also helps if during the one or two regular dish runs before a bottle run you rinse the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher to remove the chunks. Otherwise, the odd food particle will escape the macerator in the dishwasher although they are still quite sterile!

To prepare, clean your bottles first. Doing this with several rinses at the time you empty them is definitely the easiest way. Store them inverted, if you can, to avoid dust entering. On bottling day wash them lightly by hand - I use normal dish soap and a bottle brush followed by 6 rinses with warm water from a bottle adapter at the sink. Others skip this step. Remove the silverware caddy from the washer and load the bottles in the bottom rack. Load tightly so they all stand up straight and if you use swing top closures ensure they do not droop below the rack where they can block the rotation of the spray arm. If you need a few more then 12 oz. bottles will usually fit in the top rack especially if your washer has a top rack with adjustable height settings. Set the washer far a regular wash with the sanitize cycle on. Run the hot water in the sink to ensure the hottest water available, turn off the hot dry or use energy saver (if not the default setting) and start the washer. NO SOAP is added - ever! No special sheeting action additives should be used either - just fresh hot water. Wait for the washer to fill and just as the agitation/spraying cycle begins open the washer to pause the cycle. Add 1 cup of bleach (unscented) to the wash water and close and let the cycle run its course (about 2 hr in my washer). Sanitize your bottling bucket and equipment at about 1.5 hr and when the sanitize cycle ends you are ready to bottle.

A few years ago Zymergy ran an article on this techniques and described several versions of the dishwasher sterilization method and assayed bacterial contamination of the bottles following. They were unimpressed with the results due to a failure to get the bottles hot enough or detection of residual soap on the bottles. If you review this article you will note none of the approaches use the technique described above. They either did not use bleach or worse added soap. I have never had a contamination problem in many years of using the method described and there is no risk of contamination with soap, bleach, iodine or any other chemical sanitizer. Enjoy! Curt.

Belgian candy sugar is a critical part of any higher alcohol Belgian beer being used to increase ABV without attendant increases in maltiness or mouthfeel associated with using malt for the same purpose. It helps keep things light in body and taste when the alcohol rises. Think of Chimay or Duvel and other Belgian golden strong ales. The sugar product itself can be quite expensive running $8-$12 per pound to purchase. Because it is made from simple sucrose - white table sugar available at the grocery store for around $0.40 a lb - you can save a lot of money ($16-$48 per batch) depending on amount and cost. Here is how to do it.

Sugar Chemistry Made Simple

Sugars are single ring structures that can be linked together in pairs or linked in long chains called starches. When we mash during the brewing process we are breaking complex linked chains into single simple sugars that yeast can easily metabolize. Maltose is a disaccharide (2-sugars linked) consisting of 2 glucose molecules (glucose is the same as D-glucose in biology and this is the source of the other name for this sugar - dextrose - used for priming sugar and some recipes). Sucrose (white table sugar), on the other hand, is a disaccharide made of glucose and fructose (fruit sugar found commonly in fruit juices). Sucrose is NOT used directly in brewing beer usually because its metabolism can result in off-flavors that are sometimes referred to as cidering. The Belgians figured our how to solve this problem by inverting sucrose - a process whereby the bonds between the glucose and fructose is broken by an organic acid.

C12H22O11 (sucrose) + H2O (water) = C6H12O6 (glucose) + C6H12O6 (fructose)
Notice that the formulas for glucose and fructose are identical - the differences are in the arrangement of the atoms.

Sucrose Inversion - Do It Yourself!

The process of making candy sugar is quite simple. You will need sugar, citric acid (available from specialty food stores or the pharmacy), a candy thermometer (available from the grocery store or cooking stores) and a high heat silicone plastic spatula to stir. To make a pound of candy sugar weigh out 1 lb of sucrose and place in a small pot on the stove and dissolve in a small volume of water (no more than 1 cup) with 1/8 teaspoon citric acid (to cause the inversion). Heat on high (#9 of 10) while stirring to dissolve. Once it starts to boil turn it down to medium heat (about #5). Watch for boil-overs as you approach boiling and continue to stir until completely dissolved and clear - around 212oF (100oC). You can now relax a little but continue to watch the process and stir occasionally watching for burning. Use the candy thermometer but ensure it does NOT touch the bottom of the pot. You can cook the sugar solution until it turns from clear all the way to dark red brown to get the color you are targeting. Cook at a constant temperature between hard ball and soft crack (127oC to 135oC) by occasionally adding about a tablespoon of water to dilute the solution to control and lower the boiling point a bit. Once the color you desire has been achieved, cook until the temperature rises to hard crack on the thermometer (150oC). Remove from the stove and very carefully pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (cooking parchment paper is available from the grocery store near waxed paper). Allow to cool thoroughly and store frozen until brew day when you can now brew some excellent Belgian beer! Be aware that color change will continue as you rise to hard crack so begin the final cooking stage before you reach the final color and be very careful of burns as this stuff is like napalm on the skin!

Saving Yeast: To save and reuse a batch of yeast simply rack off the fermented beer from the primary fermenter into the secondary taking care to keep the primary from becoming contaminated (leave the lid mostly on and your fingers mostly out). This will leave a residual volume of wort plus the thick yeast cake in the bottom. Swirl carefully to suspend the yeast in the liquid and then pour carefully into a 1 pint jar and cap. Refrigerate until cool to refrigerator temperature.

Washing Yeast: To prepare yeast for storage, you must wash out the residual wort with water to remove growth media and force the yeast to become quiescent (resting) and metabolically inactive. Wash the yeast by first pouring off the residual liquid leaving behind the settled yeast cake in the bottom of the jar. Fill to top with cold sterile water, cap tightly and mix thoroughly. Unscrew cap a little to relieve pressure and put back in refrigerator and allow the yeast to settle again. Repeat this washing step 3 more times or until the wort/color is diluted out of the wash water. Pour off most of the liquid and store in the refrigerator. You can mix again and aliquot into smaller pitchable tubes or small jars. I have re-used yeast up to at least 5-6 times without problems. This assumes you are using good sterile technique.

Yeast Starter: In a small pot on the stove top combine ½ cup DME (dry malt extract), 1/8 teaspoon yeast nutrient (sodium phosphate and urea – both food grade) and about 3 cups water (aged overnight on the counter at room temperature is best). Heat to boil stirring frequently until all is dissolved. Turn down to gentle boil and let simmer for 15 min (watch for boil-over at the beginning). Cool in a sink of cold water (about 2 inches deep) until 37oC or less – 99oF with a sterile thermometer.

At the same time sanitize a bucket containing the starter vessel (I use a 2 liter flask), a piece of aluminum foil for the top, a large funnel to fit the flask and a thermometer (I have a glass one for this purpose). Let soak in a bucket of bleach (1 cup per 5 gal) for 30 min. Rinse well with hot tap water and assemble the funnel onto the flask. Pour in the stored yeast followed by the boiled and cooled wort. Cap with rinsed foil, mix well making as much foam as you can without spilling any and incubate on the counter until it foams. This can take several days if it is an old culture or a few hours if fresh. Given it a shake periodically during the day. Pitch directly into your new wort on brew day. It is ok if the starter reaches high kreutzen (foamy growth) or beyond prior to brew day as the yeast will still be quite fresh.

I have also taken a bottle of commercial beer and made a starter from the residual yeast in the bottom. You must be patient and culture for longer and may even have to take this through a second starter to make enough yeast.

Washing Water & Containers: I clean and sterilize 3 pint mason jars with bleach and extensive washing in hot tap water (10+ rinses). Cap and place on counter. Fill 2 jars with boiled water (at least a 5 min boil) cap and cool to refrigerator temperature.

Storage Containers: Use old hop bottles, small jars or old White Labs vials, that have been cleaned and sterilized, and fill them with the yeast from the washed batch to about 2/3 full. You can pitch the entire vial into the starter wort. Such containers can be stored like this in the fridge for months ready for pitching into the starter. Be sure to label them well and keep track of the generations by marking 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. on the vial with a Sharpie. You can build up a library of yeast this way.

Grain
– 4 lb Belgian Pilsner
– 5 lb Munich
– 12 oz biscuit (Victory)
– 2 oz dark crystal 90 LV
– 3 oz caramunich
– 3 oz aromatic
– 0.5 lb rice hulls (optional to improve sparge – add to dough-in without milling)

Additions to Boil
– ¾ oz Hallertauer – 60 min
– ¾ oz Hallertauer – 10 min (original was Mt. Hood but none available, same at 1 min)
– ¾ oz Hallertauer – 1 min
– 1 tsp gypsum in boil
– 1.5 tsp Irish moss – 15 min

Brewer’s Notes
– Mash in 95oF with 56 cps aged (chlorine-free) water
– Protein rest 133oF 20 min
– Mash 1 hr 148oF 30 min, 158oF for 30 min
– Mash out 165oF 5 min
– Recirculate about 2 gallons of sweet wort (Vourlagh sp?)
– Sparge with about 6.75 gal water 77oC
– Collect about 7.2 gal
– Boil 90 min
– Chill, whirlpool and rack to primary
– Estimated original gravity = ~1.050
– Estimated final gravity = ~1.012 and ~5% ethanol
– Pitch Wyeast #1214 Belgian Abbey Ale II
– Ferment 1 week ~62oF
– Rack to secondary after 1 week and hold for 2 additional weeks
– Bottle with 7/8 cp dextrose boiled 10 min in 3 cps water
– Bottles recovered: 30 – 18 oz, 12 – 12 oz

Anyway, by virtue of an introduction, I have several friends who home brew as well and we have talked about such a club for years - just never seemed to get off the ground. So we are delighted somebody showed up to get us all off of our collective pomposity and started this thing.

My ancestors were British laborers working outside of London in the malting and masonry businesses in a delightfully named location called Frog’s Bottom (a bottom is a valley) just outside of Stoke Poges which is North West of London. You really couldn’t make up a better name than that! Check out Stoke-Poges.com although you have to wait for some one to turn on the computer I think as its a pretty small place. Allison and I have decided to call our budding brewery The Frog’s Bottom Brewery as a tip of the hat to them. Hence the name of the blog and a tip of the hat also to John for setting it up. Now I just have to figure out what to use it for! Cheers, CB.