I started brewing again after a couple year hiatus. I've done about 15 extract/mash beers, so not really a newbie, though there is plenty left to learn about the hobby. Anyhow I'll post this here, if it needs to be in another thread, please let me know.
I haven’t had any infected batches to date, but I’m all but positive I have one now. German Alt Ale kit from brewer’s best with a few extra hops. The kit was about a year old, but the liquid extract looked in good shape, not black and oxidized. I had planned on using Wyeast German Ale, but given the age of the pack, I tried a starter and wasn’t impressed, so I went with a pack of Nottingham that should have been in good shape. Meticulously washed everything with oxyclean, and sanitized everything with bleach, the primary bucket only has had a couple batches through it.
Partial boil, ice cooled in sink, topped up with cold distilled water. Aerated through sanitized strainer that has only been used for this purpose. Pitched yeast at 72, OG at 1.050, on target.
The primary ferment at 68-69 degrees went a little slower than I figured, wasn’t until almost a full two days later that it was going strong, bubbling at over 20 times a minute. Within a few days it was slowing down, and a couple days after that I racked it, so about 6 days in primary. Racked into glass with equipment that I had soaking in bleach, and then boiling water ran through it, including carboy, everything seemed well. New bung, new airlock. Beer was immediately bubbling about every 4 seconds, SG at 1.020, target 1.015. No off flavors at that point, if anything just a little bitter, to be expected. Placed into garage a little cooler, but controlled at 65-66. That was about a month ago. Since then about two weeks ago, it stopped fermenting for a few days, and did clear completely, no foam on top. I was preparing to bottle that weekend, and then when I get back to it, it is bubbling slowly again, and there is new krausen. Gave it another week, thought yeast were just getting used to their environment, weak yeast, or maybe I racked too early. There is a considerable layer of yeast sedimented. Somewhat light brown krausen, not very thick. Looks like a normal fermentation, except it’s going for three weeks longer than planned. No odd smells coming from the airlock, bubbling at once every 25 seconds or so at 68 degrees, smells like beer.
I just got my bottle of starsan and I’ll mix up a batch, sanitize the top and thief, pull the bung and get a sample. I’m thinking that the SG will be almost 1, with the beer either horrid, or approaching tastelessness. No white spiderwebs or green mold that I can see. Anyone have any problems with Nottingham before? This is the first time I’ve used this yeast. Not sure of infection, or wild yeast at this point.
Recap
-pitched Mar 22, 1.050
-racked Mar 28, 1.020
Still slow ferment as of 26 Apr.
I haven’t had any infected batches to date, but I’m all but positive I have one now. German Alt Ale kit from brewer’s best with a few extra hops. The kit was about a year old, but the liquid extract looked in good shape, not black and oxidized. I had planned on using Wyeast German Ale, but given the age of the pack, I tried a starter and wasn’t impressed, so I went with a pack of Nottingham that should have been in good shape. Meticulously washed everything with oxyclean, and sanitized everything with bleach, the primary bucket only has had a couple batches through it.
Partial boil, ice cooled in sink, topped up with cold distilled water. Aerated through sanitized strainer that has only been used for this purpose. Pitched yeast at 72, OG at 1.050, on target.
The primary ferment at 68-69 degrees went a little slower than I figured, wasn’t until almost a full two days later that it was going strong, bubbling at over 20 times a minute. Within a few days it was slowing down, and a couple days after that I racked it, so about 6 days in primary. Racked into glass with equipment that I had soaking in bleach, and then boiling water ran through it, including carboy, everything seemed well. New bung, new airlock. Beer was immediately bubbling about every 4 seconds, SG at 1.020, target 1.015. No off flavors at that point, if anything just a little bitter, to be expected. Placed into garage a little cooler, but controlled at 65-66. That was about a month ago. Since then about two weeks ago, it stopped fermenting for a few days, and did clear completely, no foam on top. I was preparing to bottle that weekend, and then when I get back to it, it is bubbling slowly again, and there is new krausen. Gave it another week, thought yeast were just getting used to their environment, weak yeast, or maybe I racked too early. There is a considerable layer of yeast sedimented. Somewhat light brown krausen, not very thick. Looks like a normal fermentation, except it’s going for three weeks longer than planned. No odd smells coming from the airlock, bubbling at once every 25 seconds or so at 68 degrees, smells like beer.
I just got my bottle of starsan and I’ll mix up a batch, sanitize the top and thief, pull the bung and get a sample. I’m thinking that the SG will be almost 1, with the beer either horrid, or approaching tastelessness. No white spiderwebs or green mold that I can see. Anyone have any problems with Nottingham before? This is the first time I’ve used this yeast. Not sure of infection, or wild yeast at this point.
Recap
-pitched Mar 22, 1.050
-racked Mar 28, 1.020
Still slow ferment as of 26 Apr.
