MrAverage
Well-Known Member
I brewed up a 3 gallon batch of Jamil's oatmeal stout (OG 1.055) and pitched a very fresh vial of WLP002 - a yeast I've never used before. I placed the fermentor (a plastic bucket) in my basement where it's 66-67 degrees and went to bed. 8 hours later - no activity in the airlock, nothing. 24 hours later, same thing...nothing. I opened up the bucket and see no sign of activity - no kraeusen, no ring around the bucket, etc.. I moved the bucket upstairs where it's warmer. 36 hours...still nothing. The wort looks exactly like it looked when I poured it in the bucket after brewing.
So, I figured there's a problem with the yeast. I decided to pitch a packet of US-05, but before I did, I decided to take an SG reading just to check but I dropped the stupid hydrometer...glass bits all over the floor. So, I figured what the heck, and I pitched the rehydrated US-05.
Later that day, I had an unexpected chance to go to my LHBS and buy another hydrometer. As soon as I got home, I took a SG reading (this is about 3 hours after pitching the US-05) and much to my surprise, the SG was down to 1.015...which seemed to indicate that the WLP002 worked after all.
SO...I'm wondering two things:
1) Anyone else have a similar experience with WLP002? I've read that it's a slow starter but once it gets going it's pretty active, but my experience was that it worked very quickly and quietly - so quickly and quietly that there was absolutely no sign that it had happened/was happening.
2) I assume that the US-05 I added will probably result in a lower FG than it would have from the US-05. Am I going to get a yeasty flavor or any other problems as a result of the additional yeast?
So, I figured there's a problem with the yeast. I decided to pitch a packet of US-05, but before I did, I decided to take an SG reading just to check but I dropped the stupid hydrometer...glass bits all over the floor. So, I figured what the heck, and I pitched the rehydrated US-05.
Later that day, I had an unexpected chance to go to my LHBS and buy another hydrometer. As soon as I got home, I took a SG reading (this is about 3 hours after pitching the US-05) and much to my surprise, the SG was down to 1.015...which seemed to indicate that the WLP002 worked after all.
SO...I'm wondering two things:
1) Anyone else have a similar experience with WLP002? I've read that it's a slow starter but once it gets going it's pretty active, but my experience was that it worked very quickly and quietly - so quickly and quietly that there was absolutely no sign that it had happened/was happening.
2) I assume that the US-05 I added will probably result in a lower FG than it would have from the US-05. Am I going to get a yeasty flavor or any other problems as a result of the additional yeast?