AlaskaWortChiller
Member
I have three ESB style beers currently fermenting - all had starting gravity 1.055-1.058. All used liquid yeast starters. I make up my starters in a flask with 900-1100 mL water and half a cup of pilsner DME. I inoculate the starter and let it go for 18-24 hours before pitching. I swirl it four or five times by hand during that period. The flask opening is covered loosely with tinfoil.
I whirlpool and siphon my wort into the fermenter, leaving the trub behind in the kettle. I aerate by siphoning from the top of the liquid and allowing bubbles to enter the siphon and bubble up through the wort in the fermenter. After reading some threads here I am considering getting the aeration kit from Williams.
The first two beers used Thames II yeast from Wyeast (advertised 72-78% attentuation, 60-70 deg. F). Current temp. in fermenter is 66-68 deg F. They are currently both hung up around 1.022 after 3 weeks in primary. I had not roused them before but I did shake the fermenters vigorously today after I took the readings. Each beer used about 11.5 lb maris otter, 0.5 lb crystal malt and a pinch of roast barley, mashed at 154-156 deg F. One of them had a pound of flaked corn as well.
The third beer had a similar grain bill but used White Labs 007 dry english ale yeast (70-80% attenuation, 65-70 deg F). Current temp is 66 deg F. I thought this one would ferment dry for sure. After 8 days it is at 1.020. I have more hope for this one than the other two and will give it two more weeks in primary. Mashed at 154 deg F.
All of these beers were made using a three step mash (122 deg F protein rest, 154-156 deg F starch conversion, 168 deg F mashout, sparge 170-175 deg F).
Ideas for solutions / source of problem:
- Rousing the yeast. Is it just a homebrewers myth or can you get a few extra points that way? I will give the Thames II beers one more week in primary and will rock the bottles every day, although I admit I find myself wondering if doing a magic attenuation dance wouldn't be just as likely to help.....
- Oxygenation. Maybe bubbling air into my siphon and up through the wort in the fermenter isn't enough, although it made me feel clever when I thought of it. Perhaps I will look into an oxygenation kit or go back to manually aerating the wort with a small sanitized stainless steel bowl.
- Temperature. I have had good results so far with 66-68 degrees F in my basement, but maybe with these yeasts it's time to find a way to kick it up into the low 70s?
- Starter. I read somewhere that if the starter is not heavily oxygenated the yeast will be least attenuative. Or maybe I am stressing or tiring them out somehow by making the starter? Would it be better to just pitch the smack pack or vial directly? Can you use your oxygenation kit on a starter or would that be overkill? I really don't see myself spending the money for a magnetic stir plate.
- Enzymes / pH problem. I thought these were to be added only if you used a lot of specialty malts. One of the beers had a pound of flaked grains, but all had more than 10 lbs maris otter. Is it is possible my three step mash is somehow adding a lot of non convertibles to the wort?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
I whirlpool and siphon my wort into the fermenter, leaving the trub behind in the kettle. I aerate by siphoning from the top of the liquid and allowing bubbles to enter the siphon and bubble up through the wort in the fermenter. After reading some threads here I am considering getting the aeration kit from Williams.
The first two beers used Thames II yeast from Wyeast (advertised 72-78% attentuation, 60-70 deg. F). Current temp. in fermenter is 66-68 deg F. They are currently both hung up around 1.022 after 3 weeks in primary. I had not roused them before but I did shake the fermenters vigorously today after I took the readings. Each beer used about 11.5 lb maris otter, 0.5 lb crystal malt and a pinch of roast barley, mashed at 154-156 deg F. One of them had a pound of flaked corn as well.
The third beer had a similar grain bill but used White Labs 007 dry english ale yeast (70-80% attenuation, 65-70 deg F). Current temp is 66 deg F. I thought this one would ferment dry for sure. After 8 days it is at 1.020. I have more hope for this one than the other two and will give it two more weeks in primary. Mashed at 154 deg F.
All of these beers were made using a three step mash (122 deg F protein rest, 154-156 deg F starch conversion, 168 deg F mashout, sparge 170-175 deg F).
Ideas for solutions / source of problem:
- Rousing the yeast. Is it just a homebrewers myth or can you get a few extra points that way? I will give the Thames II beers one more week in primary and will rock the bottles every day, although I admit I find myself wondering if doing a magic attenuation dance wouldn't be just as likely to help.....
- Oxygenation. Maybe bubbling air into my siphon and up through the wort in the fermenter isn't enough, although it made me feel clever when I thought of it. Perhaps I will look into an oxygenation kit or go back to manually aerating the wort with a small sanitized stainless steel bowl.
- Temperature. I have had good results so far with 66-68 degrees F in my basement, but maybe with these yeasts it's time to find a way to kick it up into the low 70s?
- Starter. I read somewhere that if the starter is not heavily oxygenated the yeast will be least attenuative. Or maybe I am stressing or tiring them out somehow by making the starter? Would it be better to just pitch the smack pack or vial directly? Can you use your oxygenation kit on a starter or would that be overkill? I really don't see myself spending the money for a magnetic stir plate.
- Enzymes / pH problem. I thought these were to be added only if you used a lot of specialty malts. One of the beers had a pound of flaked grains, but all had more than 10 lbs maris otter. Is it is possible my three step mash is somehow adding a lot of non convertibles to the wort?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.