First scotch ale going slow

dantose · 05-29-2009, 10:37 PM

Ok, I'm doing my strongest brew thus far and it's going rather slow. air lock is bubbling but only every 15-29 seconds as opposed to previous brews which would agressively bubble for at least a day or two. Is this just a function of being stressed by higher sugar concentration or is there something else going on?

5 gal batch
Nottingham yeast
2 cans light malt extract
3# extra light dry malt
1/2#crystal malt
1/2# smoked malt
1/8# roasted barley

2 oz fuggle (boil)
1 oz chinook (boil)

brew notes, didn't keep close enough of an eye on the grains and let them come to a full boil for a bit.

I've checked the seal on the fermenter and that's good near as I can tell.

blackwaterbrewer · 05-29-2009, 11:07 PM

need more input. need starting temp, did you aerate, what was original gravity, why did you use 1/2# of smoked malt, how long has it been in the fermenter?

boilling the steeping grains is probably not a big deal with that tlittle amount. you may get some tannins, but in a big, malty beer, you won't notice. if it boiled a lot, it may have messed up the starch conversion, but you are not counting on fermentable sugars from the steeping grains, just flavor/color.

i dont think nottingham is a good yeast for a scottish ale.

dantose · 05-31-2009, 08:30 PM

well, it's going now so whatever it is it's gotten passed. I didn't aerate particularly well. Maybe that's it.

BADS197 · 06-01-2009, 04:35 PM

I made a Scotch Wee-Heavy Ale and it took months for it to finish.

It was going to 2 months before I moved and then another 2 months after the move.

It was worth the wait!