Weird Fermentation: WLP005 British Ale

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storunner13

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So, here's the jig. I fermented an IPA using White Labs 005 British Ale yeast and then washed the yeast when racking to dry-hop (I bottled it today, should be good!)

The next day, I whipped up a brown ale and pitched the yeast from 2 jars of the washed yeast from the day before (Since I wasn't using a starter). However, after a few hours, there was no bubbling (I know, that doesn't necessarily mean no fermentation) And most of the yeast seemed to drop down to the bottom with a few clumps floating on top. I decided to leave it for a week just in case.

So after a week with little airlock activity, and no visible activity in the carboy, I boiled some water with the intention of rehydrating some Nottingham to pitch, assuming that the yeast somehow weren't viable. Luckily, I checked the gravity and it was at 1.012, finished as far as I can see.

Here's the question. Why was there such a difference in fermentation from one batch to the other? The IPA fermented at the same temperature and had a HUGE krausen that needed a blow-off tube, while the brown ale seemed to have no signs of a krausen, and no airlock activity. Any ideas?
 
My only guess would be more yeast this time and they had to do less work to get it fermented out? They had to do less reproduction... JZ says that when rinsing and reusing yeast, your 2nd batch is better than the 1st. Your 3rd is better than 2nd, but after 4 or 5, time to get a new pitch of yeast. So I guess what I'm saying is I don't know, but good luck! :mug:
 
Stupid question, What was your OG? There was something for them to eat correct? I once did an AG batch that the LHBS ground for me and ended up with 1.020 due to bad crush. ( bought barley crusher that night ) It was saposed to be a high grav 60 Min IPA. Simply put I have the worlds bitterest Hop water bottled in my basement... Gona give it out to drunk fools at my house when theve had to much. ( 2.6% alch ) hehehe.
 
The OG was 1.051, so plenty to eat. I'm starting to think that overpitching yeast might have something to do with it. Making some estimates on the Mr. Malty yeast calculator. I might have pitched up to 50% more yeast than I was supposed to. But I wouldn't think that would effect the krausen that much.
 
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