Noob with all-grain and liquid yeast (WLP090): concerned and seeking advice

[El_Condor]

Good folks,

I'm still a rookie, but decided to jump into all-grain via brew-in-a-bag after two successful batches of extract brewing. Soooo I started an amber ale ("Rapture Red" from the BeerSmith site) and decided to use the recommended yeast, WLP 090 ("San Diego Super Yeast"). I hadn't used liquid yet, but felt confident after checking some resources that this strain and recipe would not need a starter for a 2.5 gallon batch. The mashing part went really (surprisingly!) well along with the boil, and I hit all my target numbers down to pitching at exactly 70 degrees. Good (not crazy-active) airlock activity began within 24 hours (I pitched the yeast Monday afternoon), but quickly tapered off within 48 hours after that, thus my worry that something's off. It's now pretty still. I did have some wild temp swings, as the weather suddenly cooled off here, so the thermometer on the fermenter veered between 62 and 68 degrees for the first 48 hours or so. What do y'all think of this situation?

Gracias,
EC

 

[myndflyte]

No airlock activity doesn't mean it's not fermenting. It's going to all depend what you are fermenting in and how much head space there is. If you are worried, give it at least a week and check the gravity. I'm sure it's still working and I wouldn't worry.

 

[dkeller12]

Unless the yeast went dormant because of your temperature drop, if that strain of yeast is sensitive at that low a temperature, I am pretty sure you are okay. Just because you don't see airlock activity doesn't mean your yeast have quit working. The only way to tell what is happening is to take a hydrometer reading, but I wouldn't mess with it this early. I would relax and let it go for at least 2 weeks and then see where you are at. I have had no experience with "super" yeast, so maybe it is just so super it gets the job done sooner than other strains.

 

[El_Condor]

Thanks! It's in the same 6.5 gall bucket I used for a 5-gallon batch so, yes, lots of head space. I will breathe and check the gravity in a few days.

 

[El_Condor]

Dkeller, white labs advertises this strain as "fast-fermenting", so I thought it might have something to do with that. It actually has cartoon drawings on the label of yeast cells wearing super-suits with capes. Cheeky.

 

[myndflyte]

Oh yeah, that's a ton of head space. It's no wonder you didn't see much air lock activity. That's almost too much. I'd be leery about opening it because the head of CO2 is preventing oxygen from getting it and having that much head space is going to be hard for the yeast to produce that much CO2 again once fermentation has slowed down. Personally, I'd get a 3 gallon carboy and leave the bucket closed for 2 weeks and the rack it into the carboy.

 

[dkeller12]

I guess they weren't kidding when they say fast fermenting then. Keep us posted on where it is at when you do take your reading.

 

[silvery37]

It's possible it finished in 48 hours on a 2.5g batch. My 5 gallon batch slowed considerably after 4 to 5 days