Brewferm Kriek (Cherry Beer)

[morethanworts]

I've just tucked the 12 Litres of this away into DJs after 6 days in primary, OG 1.055 down to 1.016 when I racked it last night. Been a constant 21C and still holding it at that, or just a touch above, little bubbles still rising. Made up with 454g Golden Syrup and about 150g white sugar. 1.014 would be about 75% attenuation.

Tasted absolutely spot on last night, just like the few supermarket Krieks I've tried, so very hopeful, and glad it's now safely in glass away from any nasties - I think!

 

[dolcevita]

That looks very nice. Is it complex to make? (I ask as a very green newbie, just about to start my first beer brew at the weekend, though I do have some elderflower fizz on the go). Is it crucial to keep the temp at a constant 21C?

Thanks,
Vivien

 

[morethanworts]

Brewferm say 20-23C. They used to say 25C until fairly recently, at which temperature I fermented a couple of their Abdij kits, but I didn't want the same esters in the kriek so I've gone on the lower end.

They're just a straight kit but, as with all kits, I top up while checking the OG as I go, whisk vigorously for 5 mins to aerate (ouch), rehydrate the yeast exactly as per instructions (gets as many viable cells on the go as possible), make sure the wort and yeast slurry are very similar temperatures before pitching, and off it goes, keeping the FV in a thermostatically controlled water bath. It seems important to give the yeast every assistance in getting through these high OG Brewferm beers, of which the Kriek is still one of the lower.

These are great beers to be doing at this time of the year, if your fermenting room/shed is in danger of rising above usual ale temperatures - and they're great, strong, winter-drinking beers that get better the longer you leave them. So I'm told... :whistle:

 

[morethanworts]

Bottled today, after 2 weeks in DJs, now 1.013 and Feck Test-clear! Still tastes very clean, dryer than before, as you'd expect, and not necessarily better for that.

Batch primed with 100g white sugar, though I don't think I ended up with anywhere near 12 litres, somehow, despite fairly careful racking. So might be a tad fizzy. I won't mind that in this stuff.

 

[pittsy]

I've had a few fizzy uns but never used 200g plus for a 23ltr batch , how many bottles did you fill assuming they are 500ml bottles ?

 

[morethanworts]

I've had a few fizzy uns but never used 200g plus for a 23ltr batch , how many bottles did you fill assuming they are 500ml bottles ?

Lost about two bottles (660ml) after priming - one cracked while capping and another was the last 'oddment', that turned out not to be so 'odd', that I drank anyway (flat and primed!) :whistle:

Before that, I'm now guessing I had closer to 11L rather than 12. I must have brewed a bit short, though the OG was bang on - that's my guide, usually. I will check the FV markings. I lost a cm in the original racking to secondary, then a thin layer in each of 3 DJs into the bottling bucket. I lost 200ml in sample jars :drink: . Dissolved the priming sugar in about 200ml water.

However, Brewferm suggest 100g* priming for the 12L Kriek, and they know it's impossible not to lose any in the yeast cake at all, but (all in all) I reckon I primed around 11L, so I'm over, but not massively so, by their own guidance.

*The new instructions say 96g, this was an old-gen Brewferm kit, but what's 4g between friends?