Will I have killed the yeast?

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wazzaowl

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So I've had a woodfordes nog brewing for a week and wanted to make a poachers choice clone, so following a recipe from someone on here i pasteurised 2kg of plums and added some liquorice root to the brew after a week.

However my mind was elsewhere and I didn't let the plums cool down for long at all, I did drain them of the water which was about 65 degrees C.

I didn't take a hydrometer reading before but I've took one now and it's at 1012 (around about the right sg for a nog kit when it's finished). I will take another in a couple of days to see if it's moved, the beer is still cloudy suggesting there is yeast suspended and actually tastes pretty good. I'm just worried by putting the hot plums in I may have killed the yeast off.

Anyone got any suggestions on the best course of action?

Thanks
 
was the beer at 1.012 at the start? if your adding a pan full of hot fuit to 5 gallons it will just raise the temp by a few degrees so should be ok. Is it bubbling etc?
 
Mark1964 said:
was the beer at 1.012 at the start? if your adding a pan full of hot fuit to 5 gallons it will just raise the temp by a few degrees so should be ok. Is it bubbling etc?
Click to expand...

No it was 1.040 last Sunday when I started it, left it untill Friday before adding the plums but didn't take a hydrometer reading at this point (the nog usually takes about 5 days to complete so I'm guessing it would have been at 1.015 or below at this point). I took a hydrometer reading today and got 1.012.

The odd bubble but may have been from me disturbing it as it's got a lot of stuff floating on the top! Don't have an air lock so can't say for sure...
 
that's a reasonable gravity another couple of points it will be ready to bottle. I would have thought that adding fruit would have made the yeast carry on munching at the sugars. At the moment its 3.48%abv so I would give it another week or so to see if it drops any more
 
Mark1964 said:
that's a reasonable gravity another couple of points it will be ready to bottle. I would have thought that adding fruit would have made the yeast carry on munching at the sugars. At the moment its 3.48%abv so I would give it another week or so to see if it drops any more
Click to expand...

Ok so you think the yeast will be okay? Yeah it's not far off bottling but if the yeast has been killed off I guess it won't break down the sugars in the plums and therefore won't get much of a plum taste from it.
 
Mark1964 said:
was the beer at 1.012 at the start? if your adding a pan full of hot fuit to 5 gallons it will just raise the temp by a few degrees so should be ok. Is it bubbling etc?
Click to expand...

Like Mark says, if you poured away the water you boiled the fruit in, you have only increased the temp by 4 degrees C at the most. That won't kill it all and it sounds like you will be in business.

Only downside I can think of is that plums are quite high in pectin and so it may be a bit hazy, so I would drink it from your pewter tankard. :drink:
 
Last edited:
Slid said:
Like Mark says, if you pured away the water you boiled the fruit in, you have only increased the temp by 4 degrees C at the most. That won't kill it all and it sounds like you will be in business.

Only downside I can think of is that plums are quite high in pectin and so it may be a bit hazy, so I would drink it from your pewter tankard. :drink:
Click to expand...

Ah good news, can't wait for it to be finished. I've added some pectloase for he haze but may need to add a little more if it doesn't clear out by the weekend!
 
I've been thinking of trying the same thing with a Woodford Wherry kit as I love poachers choice. I must have read the same thread as you about using it as a base for a clone.

Hope yours goes well - doesn't sound like the plum temp will have caused any issues and your latest gravity reading sounds like it's fine (I would have expected the plums to have added a bit of extra sugar, so the fact it's down to 1.012 sounds like the yeast has been busy).

How much liquorice root did you add?
 
I will let you know how it tastes in a few weeks! I added 3 roots which so far has added a nice taste after 2 days but I'm leaving it for another 5 days so hoping it isn't too overpowering!
 
Hey wazzaowl, any update on your poachers choice clone? Have you been able to taste one yet?
 
H0PM0NSTER said:
Hey wazzaowl, any update on your poachers choice clone? Have you been able to taste one yet?
Click to expand...

I had a bottle after 1 week in the warmth then a week cooling, interesting is how I would describe it! I have overdone it on the liquorice, turns out they don't half pack a punch when they soak up the beer! This has slightly taken over the taste of the plums but it is actually a really nice drink, I'm happy with it. But I certianly wouldn't describe it as a poachers choice clone. I think if you used just the one liquorice stick (like I was advised to!) and used the wherry instead of nog you wouldn't be far off, either way it'd be a cracking drink!
 
Thanks for letting me know - glad to hear its turned out well even if it's not quite as expected!
I picked up a packet of liquorice roots yesterday, so I'm all set as soon as I free up an FV. I know what you mean about the strength; i tried one from the packet and was surprised how powerful the flavour was. As well as adding the plums and liquorice, I was also thinking about dry hopping it. Another thread suggested Admiral hops for bittering and First Gold for aroma (which was what the brewery said was used in the actual Poachers Choice ale). I don't want to over-bitter the recipe, so I'm thinking just adding some First Gold, but not sure how much.
 
You'll have to let me know how that turns out, does depend how you prefer your beer but with the nog it was good without the extra bitterness, the sweetness brought the plum flavour out in my opinion!
 

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