Yeast hates Me!

Holmesbrewer · 03-25-2009, 11:31 PM

Aggravated, put out, sick of it.
I have been doing AG's for a month or so, now. I have really enjoyed it and hit my OG's nearly every time. All is good.
EXCEPT, my freaking yeast keeps letting me down.
Over the last 4 brews, I have had one Ale make it to 1.011, the rest stopped around 1.020! And Beersmith estimated FG around 1.013 for all.
I have learned from many of my earlier mistakes regarding temperature and aeriation, so what gives?
I have calibrated my hydrometer and checked it with a spare hyrdo and all is good there.
I have been primarying for at least 10 days and in the secondary for about 2 weeks.
The last few batches, I have used S-05, S-04, Nottingham and WLP 001. And no, I have not been making real starters. Some I just pitched straight in. Others, I used leftover runnings to start the yeast with while the wort boiled. Yes I cooled it to 75 or below before pitching (both the last runnings and the wort).
The WLP I used Monday has not produced the first bubble. I just checked the gravity and it IS down .20 but no bubbles.
I just made my first starter tonight for another batch on Monday, that had better work!
But any clues as to why this is happening? My fermenting area is kept at 70 degrees and is very constant.

Lou · 03-25-2009, 11:38 PM

maybe your mash temperatures are an issue...?

Gordie · 03-25-2009, 11:39 PM

Maybe yeast just hasn't gotten to know you yet?

The first thing I would look at is nutrients. After that, make sure your starters are with boiled wort, not just runnings, and pitch it when it develops a healthy krausen. After that, I'd look at your mashing temp to see how much dextrine-like chains you're developing in the wort. Finally, remember that the SG reading is only a reflection of the density of the wort in relation to distilled water. Particulates that are not fermentable and just floating there can give you an elevated SG reading even though the yeast have attenuated like they were supposed to.

Holmesbrewer · 03-25-2009, 11:45 PM

I have been keeping close watch over my mashing temps, and have kept them in the 154to 158 range depending on batch.
Goride, you are right, perhaps the fore-play of a starter will make her like me better. My starter I made tonight was for a 2.5 gallon batch; used 1 1/2 cups of water to 1/2 cup of DME, cooled, aeriated and added S-05. Put on air lock and hoped for the best. Is that a decent starter?

Lou · 03-25-2009, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordie

Maybe yeast just hasn't gotten to know you yet?

The first thing I would look at is nutrients. After that, make sure your starters are with boiled wort, not just runnings, and pitch it when it develops a healthy krausen. After that, I'd look at your mashing temp to see how much dextrine-like chains you're developing in the wort. Finally, remember that the SG reading is only a reflection of the density of the wort in relation to distilled water. Particulates that are not fermentable and just floating there can give you an elevated SG reading even though the yeast have attenuated like they were supposed to.

particulates??
your gravity will only be based on things that are in solution.

Lou · 03-25-2009, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holmesbrewer

I have been keeping close watch over my mashing temps, and have kept them in the 154to 158 range depending on batch.
Goride, you are right, perhaps the fore-play of a starter will make her like me better. My starter I made tonight was for a 2.5 gallon batch; used 1 1/2 cups of water to 1/2 cup of DME, cooled, aeriated and added S-05. Put on air lock and hoped for the best. Is that a decent starter?

i'm no AG brewer, but 154-158 is certainly the higher end of the mashing temp scale. you're going to get a lot of alpha-amylase activity at 158 with less beta-amylase (which makes maltose).

Holmesbrewer · 03-25-2009, 11:52 PM

BTW, the beer from Monday that isn't bubbling off was a Dogfish 60 clone with an OG of 1.071. This beer is not lacking sugar! I have swirled the bucket several times. Is aeriating now a bad idea?

Lou · 03-25-2009, 11:53 PM

1.071 with no starter?

**Yooper** · 03-25-2009, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holmesbrewer

I have been keeping close watch over my mashing temps, and have kept them in the 154to 158 range depending on batch.
Goride, you are right, perhaps the fore-play of a starter will make her like me better. My starter I made tonight was for a 2.5 gallon batch; used 1 1/2 cups of water to 1/2 cup of DME, cooled, aeriated and added S-05. Put on air lock and hoped for the best. Is that a decent starter?

If you're mashing in that 154-158 range, you're lucky they are even getting to 1.020! That's really high.

How accurate is your themometer? If you think you're mashing at 158, and your thermometer is off even 2 degrees, you might be mashing as high as 160.

What happens if you mash at 152? For most beers, 152-153 is a good middle ground. I mash many of my beers high, but I have a real problem with over attenuation. I've had nottingham and WLP001 ferment my APAs (mashed at 152) down to 1.007! so I mash higher now to try to keep them at 1.010-1.012 or so.

Lou · 03-25-2009, 11:56 PM

i just reread your initial post.

you're down 20 points in 2 days and haven't seen a bubble? is this in a carboy or bucket?