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Cool time-lapse video of Sierra Nevada open fermenting Bigfoot Barleywine

April 8, 2014Keith Gribbins

Before all your fancy, high-tech cylindroconical fermenters, beer was brewed with traditional open-air fermenting tanks. The brand of Anchor Steam beer is actually an allusion to that steam beer of the 1800s (open fermented on the tops of buildings, steaming in the morning). Obviously, most breweries today use closed cylindroconical fermenters because they can make larger batches of beer and the fermenters are easier to clean, but those advanced engineered fermenting tanks don’t necessarily make better beers.

So when the folks at Anchor Brewing Co. and D.L. Geary Brewing Co. employ open fermentation operations, it’s not just for its cool traditions (though that’s part of it). The technique does have its unique attractions and advantages — like enhancing those beautifully fruity ester notes and creating crazy long yeast generations. Disadvantages include cleanliness and the need for a secondary fermentation vessel, but many craft breweries feel it’s well worth the trouble. Learn more about open fermentation in this awesome Q&A here. Then watch the video above. It’s a six-day. time-lapse video of the open fermentation of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale, scored to Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of The Mountain King,” which makes everything instantly awesome.

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Exciting Day Installing Tanks
Finback Brewery builds its brewhouse (a time lapse video)
Mysteries of Anchor Steam Beer
The story behind the naming of Anchor’s Steam Beer
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Sierra Nevada delivers year-round wet hops in Cryo Fresh and more beers to know this week

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. nancybartels says

    April 11, 2014 at 10:11 am

    Beer porn. (Not to be confused w/ beer pong.) Yeasty goodness live & in color. RT @brianwwright: http://t.co/UshCVZ8yWY

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  2. BeerFX says

    April 10, 2014 at 4:06 pm

    Live beer in action! – Cool time-lapse video of Sierra Nevada Brewing’s open fermentation http://t.co/dGhIeGykWs via @craftbrewingbiz

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  3. rustysredrye23 says

    April 9, 2014 at 7:24 am

    Cool time-lapse video of Sierra Nevada open fermenting Bigfoot Barleywine http://t.co/HyWb5SKxGQ

    Log in to Reply
  4. Michael Anderson says

    April 8, 2014 at 8:07 pm

    Michael Anderson liked this on Facebook.

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  5. crsimp01 says

    April 8, 2014 at 12:02 pm

    Cool time-lapse video of Sierra Nevada Brewing’s open fermentation http://t.co/1VhOq25rsR via @craftbrewingbiz

    Log in to Reply
  6. Origlio Beverage says

    April 8, 2014 at 10:52 am

    Origlio Beverage liked this on Facebook.

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  7. BehindTheCraft says

    April 8, 2014 at 10:32 am

    @CraftBrewingBiz We just did a show with the brewers from @brewersart Was a great time with a great moment http://t.co/sktZ4GxUf6

    Log in to Reply

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