Need some advice

[TwoRiders]

John Palmers Elevenses Partial Mash kit
Safale s04 yeast

Pitched it last Friday at 110degrees

No Krausen
No vigorous bubbling
No blow off.

just the occasional bubble maybe 1 every 3 seconds or so.


So this is my first partial mash and I'm wondering if something I did was wrong?

 

[rgauthier20420]

I want to make sure I'm reading this right....you pitched the yeast when the wort was at 110 degrees? If that's the case, that's WAY :smack: too high. Since you pitched about 5 days ago, I'd imagine things should be moving right now, but understand no bubbling doesn't necessarily mean no activity. Granted you pitched so high, it could indeed mean that this time.

I've never pitched this high before, so I can't offer any first hand advice just conjecture. Either a large majority of yeast died off because temps were too high or they are waiting for temps to come down to begin to work. I'm guessing the latter. I'd take a hydro sample to check if anything has moved. The reading might shed some light of what the yeast are doing....if anything. If someone else could chime in with some experience with this.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I agree with the above post. After 5 days, it should be pretty much done if yeast were healthy. Pitching at 110°, if that's really what the temp was when pitched, does not make for healthy yeast. Take a gravity reading and see where it's at, then go from there.

 

[TwoRiders]

So option 1 is to drop some more yeast in and next time be less dumb.

 

[C-Rider]

Pitching at 110* may have killed a lot of yeasties.
Bubbling at the rate you stated is good. Perhaps it took a while for the survivors to get to work.
Give it a few more days and take the SG reading. I should be lower than what the kit says.
If it is dropping let it go for a total of 3 weeks and take another reading. Should be done by then.

 

[duboman]

So option 1 is to drop some more yeast in and next time be less dumb.

No, option one would be to actually take a gravity reading, option 2 would be to re-pitch healthy fresh yeast

 

[TwoRiders]

its looking like 1.015 is what its coming out to.

it tastes like it is definately not done. But then again it still needs to be bottle conditioned.

Leave it for a week or two more?

 

[TwoRiders]

its looking like 1.015 is what its coming out to.

it tastes like it is definitely not done. But then again it still needs to be bottle conditioned.

Leave it for a week or two more?

 

[finsfan]

two more weeks in ferm, i am surprised your yeast survived at such high temps, never pitch above 80 in the future. and also one of your last options should be to add more yeast. give it some time and check it in a few weeks, if it has come down that much already then its fine, might have some off flavors due to high temp pitch. wait 2 weeks, bottle and you may have to let if sit for a few months to help mellow out some off flavors

 

[duboman]

So4 at 110 degrees is going to throw off some crazy fruity esters so definitely leave it in primary for another couple weeks to finish, clean up and clear.

Over some time it might mellow a bit but probably not much

 

[TyTanium]

S-04 works really fast. It probably fermented out overnight or something and you just missed it. You pitched at 110, but I assume you didn't maintain that temp...what was the ambient temp where you fermented? Any estimate of the fermentation temp?

Can you be more specific about "it tastes like it is definitely not done" ?

 

[TwoRiders]

Ferm temp was 65-70 at least thats what temp sensor says

The first day it was bubbling at about one bubble every second. Stayed there for about a day or two now nothing.

Should I bottle after two more weeks and bottle condition for another 2?

 

[finsfan]

if you ferment for 3 weeks, bottle for atleast 4, the longer they are in the bottle (up to a point obviously) it will taste better

 

[TyTanium]

That's a good range for that yeast. It gets a little funky over 70. Your observations of bubbles sound totally normal; again, it works crazy fast.

I'd leave it for a week then taste it again. If it tastes good, bottle it up. No need for extended aging. 2 weeks is usually plenty for bottle conditioning.

 

[TwoRiders]

so Im going to leave in primary for another 2 weeks then taste.

Then im going to bottle and condition for 2 weeks then taste

I'll go back and taste every two weeks and see how it goes.

Thanks everyone!

 

[finsfan]

sounds perfect! hope it turns out to be drinkable

 

[kh54s10]

so Im going to leave in primary for another 2 weeks then taste.

Then im going to bottle and condition for 2 weeks then taste

I'll go back and taste every two weeks and see how it goes.

Thanks everyone!

This sounds like the sensible approach.

I always get impatient to try my beer and try ONE at 2 weeks. Some are carbonated, some are not, but ALL of them tasted better after bottle conditioning about 70 degrees for 3 weeks or longer.

The heaviest beer did not come into it's own for 6-8 months and now at a year and a half it is even better. It is a winter warmer ale.

 

[TwoRiders]

well

Its not horrible. But it definitely tastes like someone dumped seltzer water in it.

Funny tasting. Looks like Ill be leaving it for a bit longer.