Brewing later this month

Later this month, I will be brewing my second all grain brew. I fell pretty confortable with the all grain process but this brew is going to be a first in two ways. This will be the first brew of mine (ever) where I use liquid yeast. This will also be the first brew ever that I am going to be using whole leaf hops. I have a some questions about both of these firsts. First off the yeast. My malts and hops have not arried yet but I have had my yeast for over a month. It is a seasonal yeast and is only avaible at certian times of the year so I bought it while it was availble. So my liquid yeast has been in my Refridgerator since I got it. The yeast is of course no longer is suspention and has setteled at the bottom of the flask leaving the brownish liquid up above the yeast. I have shaken the yeast and it will not go back into suspention. Some of it will but most of it says clumped up at the bottom of teh vial. I did turn the vial over the next mourning the yeast have moved to the new bottom so that tells me that it has not crushed up or anythhing. Will the yeast losen up a little when I bring down to room temp? If not I am just concerned how I am going to get it out of the vial.

As for my whole leaf hops, I have seen pictures on these forums and read peoples post about putting whole leaf hops in a straining bag but i was wondering if it would be OK to just throw the hops into the boil with out putting them into a bag. I usually strain my beer as I am putting it into the fermentor anyway so I am just wondering if the bag is really a must.

Thanks in advance.

The yeast should be fine if you make a starter.
The leaf hops don't need a bag. If you strain on the way to the fermenter, any hops that make it into the strainer will just act as an extra filter, and catch some of the break material.

-a.

Forrest said:

Will the yeast loosen up a little when I bring UP to room temp?

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There, I fixed it for ya. :fro:


Dunno what to tell ya for the yeast, but the hops will be just fine without the bag as long as you're straining it out when you transfer to the primary. In fact, some argue that the bag gets in the way of extracting the goodness from the hops.

Thanks for the advice about the Hops, that is good to know.

I was in a hurry when I typed my post so my typing suffered. My main concern with the yeast is getting it out of the vial, as it is all clumping up at the bottom and doesn't break up completly when I shake the vial. Just wondering if it will break up and go back into suspention better one I bring it up to room temperture and if not, how is the best way to get it out of the vial?

Thanks,

Some yeasts are like concrete when they are chilled. Get yeast to room temperature and it will be fine. You can do a starter 3-4 days in advance of your brew to really kick things up.

As far as the hops. Toss them in loose and when you're ready to rack out of the kettle to a fermenter, place your strainer bag over your wort chiller and drop it into the kettle to create a clean "pool" from which to siphon.

This works like a charm and you can then scoop the remainder of the wet hops out with a sauce pot and filter through a colandar and some paper towels.

Thanks a lot. Nice picture. Sounds like I am all set. I just hope this AG brew goes as smooth as the first.

What's the yeast strain? The White Labs English strains tend to be very chunky, and I've seen a few strains that appear like they have small specks in them. Others go into suspension easily, some stay as a big clump and require alot of shaking. Just be careful when you open it. Sometimes they foam up like a shaken up soda. Clean your hands and sanitize the vial before you open it.

Just be careful when you open it. Sometimes they foam up like a shaken up soda. Clean your hands and sanitize the vial before you open it.

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I will, thanks for the warning.


It is White Labs Essex Ale Yeast WLP022 so it matches with what you said about White Labs English strains. It is not really chunky and doesn't have specs that I see, It is just a really solid mass. If I turn it over from the side that it is resting on, Nothing falls, it all stays on the side it was on. However if I leave it turned, the next mourning it has always migrated back to the bottom. When i shake it, it just doesn't go back into suspention. I tried taking pictures but can never get one to come out good.Everybody so far seems to think that will improve once it reaches room temp. I hope so.

Making a starter will solve all of your worries. What I normally do is take it out of the fridge several hours before making the starter so it can come to room temp, and shake it every once in a while, especially if it's really clumpy. When I start to make the starter I put the vial in the sanitizing solution with the air lock and stoppers while the extract is on the stove. When the boil is done I chill the starter wort in the sink and give the vial one last good shake. About a minute before I pitch I jus tilt the vial back and forth to make sure it's not clumped, then I unscrew the top, over the sink, and then quickly pour it into my flask with the wort.

Ok, great!

Thanks for all your advice.

I think to get your yeast into suspension you have to vigorously shake the bottle. Maybe even pounding it against something. You are not going to hurt the vial as it it the plastic starter for forming 2L bottles. And I guess you are not going to hurt the yeast either. Once you have it in suspension, carefully open the cap. It will try to gush if you are not very careful. Then pitch it in a starter. Brew the next day and pitch the starter once everything is cool. Should not be a problem. White Labs tubes have a refrigerated life of about 6months but can often be used long after that.

Craig