sparkyaber
Well-Known Member
Ok, here is the deal- last year during the winter months I noticed a significant drop in efficiency and a slight drop in attenuation. This year it is reversed, poor attenuation, and a slight drop in efficiency. Last year about 8-12 percent in efficiency, this year, about 5-8 percent. And the attenuation, last year I had a few beers that would not come down from the 1.020-1.026 range, now this year I have had 4 batches in a row do the same thing. Three of these are beers that I brew on a regular basis, and never have these problems. I have one nut brown, and one indian brown ale- virtually the same recipe except for the hop schedule, and a little more base MO in the IBA. That are sitting at 1.028, and a furious clone sitting at 1.022.
Different yeasts: Notty, Safale-04, wyeast 1335.
Beers were fermented on my very cool (56-60 degrees) basement floor with only the nut brown with nottingham showing signs of a weaker fermentation (very small krausen) the others blew off like crazy. Checked the gravity when the krausen fell back into the beer, too high, and moved all of the carboys to my heated tile bathroom floor. We are talking low to mid 70's here. The furious with the 1335 fermented a few more points down, and the others nothing. I even pitched a second packet each of dry yeast into the nut brown carboys.
I recently changed my equipment to a full on brew tower. All metal, all on heat. I use blichman thermometers in all of my kettles. All mashed between 150 (furious clone) and 152-154 brown ales.
All ten gallon batches
Brown ale grain bill: Nottingham
16 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 65.31 %
2 lbs 8.0 oz Oats, Golden Naked (10.0 SRM) Grain 10.20 %
2 lbs Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 8.16 %
2 lbs Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain 8.16 %
1 lbs Crystal 50/60L (55.0 SRM) Grain 4.08 %
12.0 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 3.06 %
4.0 oz Coffee Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 1.02 %
IBA grain bill: 5 gallons Notty, 5 gallons Safale-04
20 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 70.18 %
2 lbs Crystal 50/60L (55.0 SRM) Grain 7.02 %
2 lbs Oats, Golden Naked (10.0 SRM) Grain 7.02 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain 5.26 %
1 lbs Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 3.51 %
1 lbs Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3.51 %
8.0 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 1.75 %
8.0 oz Coffee Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 1.75 %
Furious clone grain bill: 1335 brit II
22 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 89.80 %
2 lbs Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 8.16 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2.04 %
Again- all of these recipes have been done before, never with these problems.
All I can think of is water- changing from season to season. I called the water department, and he assured me the water comes from the same place year round. I am not so sure, and will be sending a second sample to wards ( the last sample was late spring early summer) in the coming weeks. What should I test for that might affect the yeast? I am drawing a blank. Is it something maybe extracting more unferementables?
I need to get all of these carboys out of my bathroom?
I am open to any ideas.
Thanks
Abe
Different yeasts: Notty, Safale-04, wyeast 1335.
Beers were fermented on my very cool (56-60 degrees) basement floor with only the nut brown with nottingham showing signs of a weaker fermentation (very small krausen) the others blew off like crazy. Checked the gravity when the krausen fell back into the beer, too high, and moved all of the carboys to my heated tile bathroom floor. We are talking low to mid 70's here. The furious with the 1335 fermented a few more points down, and the others nothing. I even pitched a second packet each of dry yeast into the nut brown carboys.
I recently changed my equipment to a full on brew tower. All metal, all on heat. I use blichman thermometers in all of my kettles. All mashed between 150 (furious clone) and 152-154 brown ales.
All ten gallon batches
Brown ale grain bill: Nottingham
16 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 65.31 %
2 lbs 8.0 oz Oats, Golden Naked (10.0 SRM) Grain 10.20 %
2 lbs Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 8.16 %
2 lbs Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain 8.16 %
1 lbs Crystal 50/60L (55.0 SRM) Grain 4.08 %
12.0 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 3.06 %
4.0 oz Coffee Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 1.02 %
IBA grain bill: 5 gallons Notty, 5 gallons Safale-04
20 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 70.18 %
2 lbs Crystal 50/60L (55.0 SRM) Grain 7.02 %
2 lbs Oats, Golden Naked (10.0 SRM) Grain 7.02 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Special Roast (50.0 SRM) Grain 5.26 %
1 lbs Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 3.51 %
1 lbs Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3.51 %
8.0 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 1.75 %
8.0 oz Coffee Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 1.75 %
Furious clone grain bill: 1335 brit II
22 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 89.80 %
2 lbs Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 8.16 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2.04 %
Again- all of these recipes have been done before, never with these problems.
All I can think of is water- changing from season to season. I called the water department, and he assured me the water comes from the same place year round. I am not so sure, and will be sending a second sample to wards ( the last sample was late spring early summer) in the coming weeks. What should I test for that might affect the yeast? I am drawing a blank. Is it something maybe extracting more unferementables?
I need to get all of these carboys out of my bathroom?
I am open to any ideas.
Thanks
Abe