Adventures in Kveik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

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floydmeddler
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Adventures in Kveik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by floydmeddler » Tue Jan 19, 2021 10:55 pm

Hey guys,

I've been bitten by the Kveik bug. Had to try it. It's all I hear about! I decided to set myself a little challenge: To brew it this evening (Tuesday) and drink it on Saturday. So. 4 days...

I did a simple BIAB at the kitchen stove. Recipe:
75% lager malt / 25% maris otter.
Hallertauer for an IBU of 23
50g Hallertauer at flame out for a min before crash cooling.

Mashed at 67c for 50 mins. O.G was 1.061 / 82% efficiency (nice 8) )

So... I'm guessing this thing should come in at around 6.5% Should get plenty of the Kveiky flavours hopefully.

It's currently fermenting at 35c in a corny keg with a spunding valve set to 8psi. First time trying this. Will crank it up to 13psi tomorrow evening (Wed) as I'm expecting the yeast to have done most of its work by then according to what I've read here and there. Plan is to let it sit for an extra 48 hrs to ensure it's done its work which should bring me up to Friday eve. In the Keezer it will go and on Saturday, I shall pour myself a pint of it and tell you all about it! That's the plan anyway!!

My only worry is that I didn't cut the dip tube in the corny keg. So am expecting a lot of yeast to come through when I pour for the first time.

Felt weird pitching yeast @40c earlier!

Any thoughts / advice welcome.

Floyd
Last edited by floydmeddler on Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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floydmeddler
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Re: Adventures in Kveik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by floydmeddler » Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:34 am

SERIOUS fermentation action happening already. Dropped 30 points in 12 hrs. :-)
Last edited by floydmeddler on Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

f00b4r
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Re: Adventures in Kreik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by f00b4r » Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:27 am

It will ferment fast, whether it’s vaguely drinkable in that time is another matter and whether you think it’s close to being as good as a normal/yeast schedule is yet another matter.
They kveik brewed beers I have tasted have not been awful but have not been great either (from very limited tasting).
Waiting to see the results though.


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floydmeddler
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Re: Adventures in Kveik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by floydmeddler » Wed Jan 20, 2021 4:17 pm

f00b4r wrote:
Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:27 am
It will ferment fast, whether it’s vaguely drinkable in that time is another matter and whether you think it’s close to being as good as a normal/yeast schedule is yet another matter. Image
They kveik brewed beers I have tasted have not been awful but have not been great either (from very limited tasting).
Waiting to see the results though. Image
Time will tell indeed. :-) Bit of a fun more than anything. Worst scenario, I condition it for a few weeks. :-)
Last edited by floydmeddler on Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Adventures in Kreik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by bryanferry » Wed Jan 20, 2021 4:27 pm

I've managed brewing a standard bitter on a Saturday and it in a glass by the Friday. Its certainly drinkable at that point but you'll see a massive improvement whilst getting down the keg. My last several batches have just saved 500ml of the trub which gets dumped into the next batch. Its saving a lot on yeast!

Really interested to hear how fermenting in the keg works out as I hear pressure fermenting better retains the hop characters and that's one less vessel in getting from grain to glass.
Grainfather conical standard bitter
Corny Keg 1 - Silver still spirits tonic water
Corny Keg 2 - Purple empty
Corny Keg 3 - Copper low % ale
Demi Johns

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Re: Adventures in Kveik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by floydmeddler » Wed Jan 20, 2021 5:12 pm

bryanferry wrote:
Wed Jan 20, 2021 4:27 pm
I've managed brewing a standard bitter on a Saturday and it in a glass by the Friday. Its certainly drinkable at that point but you'll see a massive improvement whilst getting down the keg. My last several batches have just saved 500ml of the trub which gets dumped into the next batch. Its saving a lot on yeast!

Really interested to hear how fermenting in the keg works out as I hear pressure fermenting better retains the hop characters and that's one less vessel in getting from grain to glass.
I've done a few 6 day beers myself. I love the freshness of them. This has dropped a further 12 points in 6 hrs. Currently at 1.017. Have set the pressure to 12 psi as there should only be 4 - 6 more gravity points.

I'll keep you updated!
Last edited by floydmeddler on Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Adventures in Kreik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by f00b4r » Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:13 pm

bryanferry wrote:I've managed brewing a standard bitter on a Saturday and it in a glass by the Friday. Its certainly drinkable at that point but you'll see a massive improvement whilst getting down the keg. My last several batches have just saved 500ml of the trub which gets dumped into the next batch. Its saving a lot on yeast!

Really interested to hear how fermenting in the keg works out as I hear pressure fermenting better retains the hop characters and that's one less vessel in getting from grain to glass.
I don’t think it’s the pressure fermenting that retains hop character, in hoppier beers more, but that they are fermented on a closed system and then served from that unitank or transferred from that to keg in a closed loop, thus avoiding oxygen pickup post fermentation. Some people that use spunding valves only let the pressure rise or go beyond a few PSI towards the end to carbonate it.

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Re: Adventures in Kveik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by floydmeddler » Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:55 pm

f00b4r wrote:
Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:13 pm
bryanferry wrote:I've managed brewing a standard bitter on a Saturday and it in a glass by the Friday. Its certainly drinkable at that point but you'll see a massive improvement whilst getting down the keg. My last several batches have just saved 500ml of the trub which gets dumped into the next batch. Its saving a lot on yeast!

Really interested to hear how fermenting in the keg works out as I hear pressure fermenting better retains the hop characters and that's one less vessel in getting from grain to glass.
I don’t think it’s the pressure fermenting that retains hop character, in hoppier beers more, but that they are fermented on a closed system and then served from that unitank or transferred from that to keg in a closed loop, thus avoiding oxygen pickup post fermentation. Some people that use spunding valves only let the pressure rise or go beyond a few PSI towards the end to carbonate it.
Yep. Makes sense. I wouldn't have used it so early on only it's Kveik.
Last edited by floydmeddler on Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Adventures in Kreik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by McMullan » Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:03 pm

This apparent obsession with time from grain to glass has more to do with alcohol dependency than appreciation of fine ale. Let's be honest about it. What I know for sure is that it really isn't associated with fine ale or any recognisable culture thereof. I'm sure some biased bellends would be happy to cherry pick an over hopped beer where yeast would have played a minimal part. It all seems a bit ironic considering 'Nordic cuisine' (including Nordic 'beer') even at its claimed 'finest'. I guess when shit is offered enough some start to believe in shit :lol:

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Re: Adventures in Kveik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by floydmeddler » Wed Jan 20, 2021 8:17 pm

This apparent obsession with time from grain to glass has more to do with alcohol dependency than appreciation of fine ale.
No. I have 6 beautifully conditioned beers on my keezer. No rush for more alcohol.
What I know for sure is that it really isn't associated with fine ale or any recognisable culture thereof.
:roll: I've no interest in this ale being considered 'fine' (whatever that means). With regards to it not being associated with a culture that is recognisable to you, well, maybe that's because I'm not trying to brew a beer that reflects any specific culture at all. It's just a brew I knocked up to put Kveik yeast to the test. AKA. A bit of fun. A bit of an experiment.
I'm sure some biased bellends would be happy to cherry pick an over hopped beer where yeast would have played a minimal part
It would have played a major part as it wouldn't be a beer without it ;-) It's safe to say, though, there will always be bellends who stick their heads in to cherry pick over stuff that they don't quite get. Way of the world I guess.
Last edited by floydmeddler on Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Adventures in Kreik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by guypettigrew » Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:25 pm

Apologies for being a bit pedantic, but isn't it 'Kveik' yeast as in 'quick', rather than 'Kreik' as in 'up one without a paddle'?

Other than that, good on you for giving it a go. Looking forward to your views on the taste. Speed is neither here nor there as far as I'm concerned. Most of my brews are ready to drink a week after brewday. Leaving them for another week or so always improves them, though.

Guy

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Re: Adventures in Kveik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by floydmeddler » Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:45 pm

guypettigrew wrote:
Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:25 pm
Apologies for being a bit pedantic, but isn't it 'Kveik' yeast as in 'quick', rather than 'Kreik' as in 'up one without a paddle'?

Other than that, good on you for giving it a go. Looking forward to your views on the taste. Speed is neither here nor there as far as I'm concerned. Most of my brews are ready to drink a week after brewday. Leaving them for another week or so always improves them, though.

Guy
Yep, it should be interesting to see how it pans out. Pretty much at F.G now. I always find that English styles are great after a week. Always a bit of a treat for me. So brewery fresh tasting.

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Re: Adventures in Kveik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by floydmeddler » Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:51 pm

guypettigrew wrote:
Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:25 pm
Apologies for being a bit pedantic, but isn't it 'Kveik' yeast as in 'quick', rather than 'Kreik' as in 'up one without a paddle'?


Thanks for noticing that I've been writing 'Kreik' instead of 'Kveik'. #-o I've amended the posts now.

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Re: Adventures in Kveik, Keg fermentation and Spunding Valves

Post by killer » Thu Jan 21, 2021 9:57 am

floydmeddler wrote:
Wed Jan 20, 2021 8:17 pm
It's safe to say, though, there will always be bellends who stick their heads in to cherry pick over stuff that they don't quite get. Way of the world I guess.
:lol:

Interested to see how this evolves over time. I've not yet tasted a Kveik that I liked - though I haven't tasted a lot. I know a couple of pro brewers who use it during summer in the south of France because their cooling systems can't cope with summer temps or are non-existent. One highly rated pro brewer told me he could get it to be fairly tasteless and so he used it in highly hopped IPAs. He had an excellent brewery with perfect temp control. When I asked him why he used it he told me it was because it was fashionable.

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