Fermenting with dry yeast

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bushman9995

bushman9995

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I have been using dry yeast. Fermenting for 2 weeks in the primary and a week in the secondary. What I've noticed is the airlock only has activity the first day. I understand you really should monitor the beers gravity level, but I haven't got a thief to take a sample and don't really feel I need to. I guess what I'm confused on is the side of my bucket states that some dry yeast ferments in 2 days. So should I really let my beer ferment that fast?
 
bushman9995 said:
I have been using dry yeast. Fermenting for 2 weeks in the primary and a week in the secondary. What I've noticed is the airlock only has activity the first day. I understand you really should monitor the beers gravity level, but I haven't got a thief to take a sample and don't really feel I need to. I guess what I'm confused on is the side of my bucket states that some dry yeast ferments in 2 days. So should I really let my beer ferment that fast?
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I've had fermentations happen overnight, but that's pretty rare.

You can "let it ferment that fast" (you don't really have a choice!) IF you make sure the cause of the super active fermentation is not due to pitching the yeast at a too-high temperature and let the temperature get too hot.

If you add the yeast before the wort is cool enough, you will have a too-hot explosive fermentation.

Make sure you cool the wort to the low to mid 60s before adding the yeast, and then keep the fermenter cool, and below 68 degrees.
 
The instructions on the kit told me to start the yeast at between 90 to 100 degrees. Then pitch it in the beer that was cooled to 80 degrees
 
I really just would like to know without having to take a gravity reading if it hurts anything to let it ferment for 2 weeks in the first stage then a week in the second stage fermenter.
 
Most people recommend leaving it in the primary for two to three weeks. You likely don't need to rack to a secondary.
 
bushman9995 said:
The instructions on the kit told me to start the yeast at between 90 to 100 degrees. Then pitch it in the beer that was cooled to 80 degrees
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Throw out those instructions fast, for ale yeast it is typically best to ferment in the sixty degree range...pitching into the beer at 80 degrees is way to hot IMO.
 
wilserbrewer said:
Throw out those instructions fast, for ale yeast it is typically best to ferment in the sixty degree range...pitching into the beer at 80 degrees is way to hot IMO.
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Yeah, now you know why it went so fast!

Next time, cool the wort to less than 65 degrees, and add the yeast, and keep the fermenter no higher than 68 degrees. They have stick-on thermometers, like aquarium thermometers, that you can put on the outside of the fermenter to see the temperature.

Since fermentation itself produces heat, an active fermentation can be up to 10 degrees higher than room temperature, even if you start it at 62 degrees!

If yours started fermenting at 80 degrees, you will probably have some off-flavors like fruity flavors (called esters) and/or fusel alcohols (a "hot" smell or taste).
 
So if you do ferment too warm is the only repercussion a sweet tasting beer? And what if you just let it ferment longer?
 
bushman9995 said:
bushman9995 said:
So if you do ferment too warm is the only repercussion a sweet tasting beer? And what if you just let it ferment longer?
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If you ferment too warm the yeast get pissed off and leave off flavors and other alcohol compounds that are undesirable in your beer that will not go away with time. Fermenting outside or above the recomended temp. range is not a good idea.
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So does it effect the alcohol level making it weaker? From what I understand about some liquor like rum they use the fusel alcohol to give it the distinct flavor. I do want to figure out the correct procedure for my beer thou.
 
bushman9995 said:
So does it effect the alcohol level making it weaker? From what I understand about some liquor like rum they use the fusel alcohol to give it the distinct flavor. I do want to figure out the correct procedure for my beer thou.
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No, it won't be weaker. It will just not taste as good as it should.
 
bushman9995 said:
So does it effect the alcohol level making it weaker? From what I understand about some liquor like rum they use the fusel alcohol to give it the distinct flavor. I do want to figure out the correct procedure for my beer thou.
Click to expand...

You should read the book "yeast", for a better understanding of fermenting beer. Rum is distilled, so they are ONLY drinking the alcohol portion of the fermentation. When you ferment too warm, you will not get desirable flavors from most beer yeast strains. You will taste the proof in a few weeks when you taste your beer....
 
bushman9995 said:
The instructions on the kit told me to start the yeast at between 90 to 100 degrees. Then pitch it in the beer that was cooled to 80 degrees
Click to expand...

Some dry yeast packets say to rehydrate the yeast in water at 90-100. Is this what you did? or did you pitch it when the wort was 100 and then cool it to 80?
 
bushman9995 said:
I'll have to read that book. What happens if I just pitch some more yeast into my brew?
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All of the fermentable sugars are gone already so there is nothing left for new yeast to consume. If off flavors occur because of the high fermentation temperature you can always let the beer have ample time to age and they should settle out eventually.
 
kasky99 said:
All of the fermentable sugars are gone already so there is nothing left for new yeast to consume. If off flavors occur because of the high fermentation temperature you can always let the beer have ample time to age and they should settle out eventually.
Click to expand...

In my experience, off flavors due to high fermentation temperatures (fusels, notably, but esters too) never go away. It's always easier to prevent it in the first place.
 
Yooper said:
In my experience, off flavors due to high fermentation temperatures (fusels, notably, but esters too) never go away. It's always easier to prevent it in the first place.
Click to expand...

I agree that it is better to avoid it all together, but I have heard more than once of bubblegum off flavors caused by hot temperatures fading over time.
 

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