Blending Technic – blend volume 1 (beer) with volume 2 (wort)?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by InVinoVeritas, Dec 19, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. InVinoVeritas

    InVinoVeritas Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2012 Wisconsin

    To adjust flavor profile, has anyone added additional wort to a fermenting beer? Example, say you want to pull a sample of fermenting beer and blend as a trial a potent ingredient amount of wort. Then after reaching the blend you want, add to the main mixture. Ingredients I can think of off the top of my head are smoked malt (the beloved peat in particular), maybe higher lovibond crystal, or middle lovibond roasted malt. In concept this would be similar to those that have back-sweeten a cider. What are the pitfalls? Of course at least changes bitterness and may or may not change gravity. Specialty grains could be cold steeped, peat and maybe other lower lovibond would have to be mashed; I think I’d do stove BIAB as a good method.
     
    #1 InVinoVeritas, Dec 19, 2014
  2. tkdchampxi

    tkdchampxi Pooh-Bah (2,473) Oct 19, 2010 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    I've done it to an IPA that I thought needed more malty body to balance the extreme hoppiness. I added an extremely high gravity wort to what was probably half-fermented. No issues with the beer as it is drinking now
     
    #2 tkdchampxi, Dec 19, 2014
    InVinoVeritas likes this.
  3. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    I wouldn't cold steep any grains as infection is probable. If kegging, you may be able to get away with infusing unfermented wort, but bottling would be a no go as over carbonation and bottle bombs would be likely. Why not just blend two fermented beers?
     
    #3 hoptualBrew, Dec 19, 2014
    jbakajust1 and GreenKrusty101 like this.
  4. InVinoVeritas

    InVinoVeritas Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2012 Wisconsin

    @hoptualBrew my thought wouldn't be that the additional volume stays unfermented. Process would be to add during a transfer and then with the yeast in suspension the additional volume would ferment. I’m trying to communicate a distinction from brewing to larger volume beers and then blend. Of course adding 2 oz of peat isn’t worth fermenting separately. Hope that is more clear, if not I’ll try again.
     
    #4 InVinoVeritas, Dec 19, 2014
  5. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    I think any additional wort should be boiled before blending in & probably even mashed. If your kegging, there is less chance of infection, but I'd postulate that by adding unmashed wort and proving starches and dextrins that bottling would be risky business. Bacteria have a much increased chance of setting in if they have nutrition readily available that they don't have to share with yeast. Those would be my only concerns.
     
    #5 hoptualBrew, Dec 19, 2014
  6. tkdchampxi

    tkdchampxi Pooh-Bah (2,473) Oct 19, 2010 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    I didn't clarify before, because I thought it was assumed, but I did boil and hop my wort addition with a different hop, before cooling and adding to the secondary fermentor on transfer.
     
    #6 tkdchampxi, Dec 19, 2014
  7. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Blend at the faucet...another great reason to keg :slight_smile:

    I routinely add ingredients to kegs (my secondary) because it is so easy and the container is already semi-purged. I've added chiles, fruit, vanilla, coffee, etc. (forgot hops :slight_smile:)

    I just have to remind myself to vent if I'm adding some sugar and warming the keg up.
     
    #7 GreenKrusty101, Dec 19, 2014
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2014
    jbakajust1 likes this.
  8. InVinoVeritas

    InVinoVeritas Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2012 Wisconsin

    #8 InVinoVeritas, Dec 19, 2014
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.