inadequate aeration?

I brewed a pale ale last week (Dec 8th). OG 1.054. Pitched in some new Wyeast 1272 that I had grown up in a starter. Fermentation kicked off right away (24 hrs). Now, 9 days later, I took a hydro reading and its only at 1.030 and still visibly churning in the carboy. My place is kept at around 65C.

This has been a running problem with a lot of my batches lately.

The only source of the problem I can think of is that I've started using a counterflow chiller with a wort wizard. The carboy is a closed system so a vacuum can be created by the wort wizard, so I'm assuming all the O2 has been sucked out. Is that a possible explanation for this problem I have been having lately?

scottfro said:

My place is kept at around 65C.

Click to expand...

There’s your problem, most yeast die around 55C, I’m amazed you can live in that sort of environment.

Assuming you meant 65F, is it constant or does it dip lower at night? A rapid temperature drop could shock the yeast into hibernation (I’ve had this happen with 3787 in the 60s). Lack of aeration is a good guess as well, try giving your next batch a good shake after you release the vacuum and see if your problems go away.

For this batch stick it somewhere warm and see if the yeast get moving again.

Good luck.

if its still visible churning in the carboy its still fermenting....it might come down more. My opinion with checking gravity during active fermentation that its a waste of time. I usually wait 1-2 weeks after active fermentation to even begin to think about checking gravity and bottling! What has been the % attenuation of your previous batches? You should expect Wyeast 1272 to go to 72-76% (via their website).

To echo Oldsock's suggestion, maybe your temps are coming down at night, slowing fermentation? If I were to bet that is what I would guess also.

Plenty of people use the wort wizard and don't have problems with aeration. You'd have to have a pretty good suction to pull significant amts of O2 out of solution. You don't get that kind of vacuum with your system. So I don't think that is the problem.

yeah i meant 65F. i'm a poor student so i can't afford to jack the heat any higher. i thought most yeast liked 65-70 range?

i don't think it dips too much at night but it might a little. i've had all my beers ferment out just fine, its just taking them all forever.....thanks for the thoughts

There are several opposing trains of thought on aeration. One being do it every time and the other not so much... When you make a starter you aerate the starter solution the yeast multiply and when you pitch they go right to work at fermentation. If you pitch liquid yeast right from the vile it will first start to reproduce in the wort and needs O2

Now if you use dry no need to aerate the wort just rehydrate ..

wyeast 1272 temps 60-72 so you are ok with that temp











waiting on the rebuttal...