It was quite a long process. Ten and a half hours from mash tun to fermenter. Take a look:
With a fermentation temperature of 43-47ยบ F, I think we can be pretty sure it was a bottom-fermenting yeast.
The bunging and lagering process looks - if I dare use the word - pretty traditional. And, interestingly, seems to have carbonated the beer without the need for force carbonation. I wonder if they still do this today? No, I don't think so either.
Seems like quite a decent drink then.
ReplyDeleteDid not know it had such low starting gravity and a so high final one!
ReplyDeleteMany many breweries use the 'uni-tank' fermentation as Harp lists. Basically when you get down to just a few points high of you gravity you seal the fermenter. The little remaining sugars then carbonate the beer. Think of it as a type of 'ungespundet'.
ReplyDeleteIf I do become one of the new generation of Harp brewers and drinkers I will probably run mine at about s.g. 1045 for personal guzzling, and only run a small quantity at 1035 to gain the authentic Harp experience.
ReplyDeleteWhilst Kristen is right about the technique of closing the tank before fermentation has been completed in order to carbonate the beer...
ReplyDelete"Think of it as a type of 'ungespundet'."
seems an odd way to describe it. "Ungespundetes" beer is precisely the opposite - it has been left open (unbunged - Spund being the German for bung) so the the carbon dioxide produced by fermentation will escape, and the resultant beer will be only lightly carbonated. Anyone who has spent time in Franken will know the the best beers there are characteristically low in carbon dioxide, rather like English cask ales.