Help with WLP001 long fermentation ?'s

[Arg1129]

I have read several posts and articles on-line and still am only getting part of an answer to my question.

I have an American Amber Ale that I pitched on 4/2 and it is still bubbling at four bubbles a minute ( I know that bubbles do not give an accurate measurement to fermentation.)

I mashed 10.5# Golden Promise with about 3# of speciality caramel and chocolate malts for a 5.5gal batch.

153 for an hour with post boil OG of 1.062
Pitched a 1L starter of WLP001 at 70°
6 hour start to fermentation, small leak with carboy cap that I switched with a sanitized bung.
Temp was at 69 for two days and is now 66 and has been for 7 days, I use a closet because it is usually at 68 and does not change, plus I haven't found a cheap freezer for a fermentation chamber.
Strong fermentation with almost a gallon and a half of krausen on top of the beer.
10 days later it is still going and the Krausen still has not totally fallen back into the beer.

My question is this normal? 10 day plus.
Should I wait to dry hop until the krausen falls in totally.

I know everyone says check gravity that's your answer but I don't have an easy way to do that yet, still a noob.

Reading this I may have answered my own question maybe I'm just looking for info from someone that uses the yeast often this is my first time using it.

 

[phuff7129]

You need to get to your lhbs and get a wine thief. It will cost you about 6 bucks or so. That is the easiest way to get a sample. You can also use your racking cane to get a sample. The only way to know if you have a problem or not is to get a hydrometer reading.

If the krausen is still there then it is still fermenting. Is 10 days unusual? Not really. Your temps are on the lower side so that could keep it slow. You did under pitch a bit. Your starter should have been 2 liters for a 1.062 beer.

Another thing, are you sure it is a krausen and not just large yeast rafts? Not that it matters much but if it is yeast rafts then fermentation is probably done. Again, get a wine thief and get a gravity reading.

 

[Arg1129]

I was able to use my racking cane and am at about 1.014 so I'm not too far off. There is no off flavor on the sips I took so maybe I was just paranoid. Thank you for the reply.

As for the starter I always use beersmith to tell me what to pitch. Is that calculator off? I use a stir plate, sponge cork, and yeast nutrient. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[duboman]

I was able to use my racking cane and am at about 1.014 so I'm not too far off. There is no off flavor on the sips I took so maybe I was just paranoid. Thank you for the reply.

That's about 80% attenuation and that's pretty good, especially since 30% of the recipe is crystal, which is lot!

IMO, I think you need to verify the calibration of your thermometer. Honestly I am surprised with your % of attenuation mashed at 153 with that much crystal. I think you may have mashed lower than you think

 

[Arg1129]

That's about 80% attenuation and that's pretty good, especially since 30% of the recipe is crystal, which is lot!

IMO, I think you need to verify the calibration of your thermometer. Honestly I am surprised with your % of attenuation mashed at 153 with that much crystal. I think you may have mashed lower than you think

I use my thermopen to take temp so I know it is exact, it is certified and when I Q I check it for accuracy once a year.

I am still new 4 batches total 3 of them are all grain. My exact percentage was 82.4% base 17.6% caramel. If that changes anything.

I use a 10 g cooler tun with a false bottom. I then fly sparge. I do know I lose about 1-2 degrees of temp during the mash. This time I leveled out at 153.5° and ended at 152.2° with a 75 min mash and 75 min boil.

Any critiques or comments are welcome.

 

[phuff7129]

I use Beersmith but I have never used their yeast calculation tool. I use Yeastcalc. Here is the website, http://yeastcalc.com/. You should enter the date on your yeast package and have yeastcalc calculate the viability of the yeast based on the date. You can also add what kind of aeration you do and you can play around with underpitching and overpitching. It gives you a lot of options.

You underpitched by about 1/3 which is not horrible and it can stress the yeast a little which can be bad or good depending on what you are trying to do. Typically with a clean ale yeast like wlp001 you don't want to stress the yeast as it could cause some off flavors, so pitching rates are important.

If it is at 1.014 it is most likely done. Check it again in a few days and if it is the same then it is definitely done.

Your attenuation was 78% which is excellent so I think you are in good shape.

 

[duboman]

I use my thermopen to take temp so I know it is exact, it is certified and when I Q I check it for accuracy once a year.

I am still new 4 batches total 3 of them are all grain. My exact percentage was 82.4% base 17.6% caramel. If that changes anything.

I use a 10 g cooler tun with a false bottom. I then fly sparge. I do know I lose about 1-2 degrees of temp during the mash. This time I leveled out at 153.5° and ended at 152.2° with a 75 min mash and 75 min boil.

Any critiques or comments are welcome.

Okay, that percentage is much more in line than your original as that is less than 20% specialty grain and Thermopens are awesome! This better explains your attenuation.

Let the beer ride until it drops bright, verify FG and package it!

 

[Arg1129]

Thank you for your help. It is weird how much I geek out and stress about my beer as it ferments. Though reading HBT I am not the only one so I don't feel ashamed.