Taming Nottingham.

[boscobeans]

I started a 6 gallon batch of a pretty big brown ale and decided to pitch at 59 degrees and very slowly bring it up to 65 over a period of 5 days. I would then let it climb (ambient temperature is 67) to where it wanted to be. I doubled the yeast (2 packs) since it is a big beer and I didn't want to under pitch because of the temperature.

After 12 hours (it went to 60) I put in a bath to keep it there for the first day.
Slow activity with very tiny bubbles rising across the entire surface.

After 24 hours (let it get to 61) it had a thin creamy layer of krausen made up of very fine bubbles. Looked like the head on a pint of stout. Trub is about 1 inch thick.

After 36 hours (let it get to 62) the foam is gone but the bubbling continued. Very fine but also very active and the wort was beginning to show the familiar snow globe activity with very small particles of yeast rising and falling. Trub about the same.

After 48 hours (let it get to 63) the foam is still absent but the entire surface (some hops and some fine yeast floaties) is now doing about 1 revolution every 2 minutes.
Trub is darkening a little but still about an inch thick.

After 72 hours (now at 64) Very active surface of very small bubbles, a patch or two of yeast/hops rafts and the wort is now clouded up from yeast. The turn table effect has stopped.

Tomorrow I'll let it go on its own (ambient room temp is 67) for a week or two.

This is the first time I have pitched an ale with nottingham at 59 and fermented it at such a slow increase in temperature.

Also it's the first time it didn't go off like a rocket with a krausen layer attempting to climb out of my fermenter.

Time will tell how it all works out but it looks good and smells good. I'll give it a taste once it begins to clear.

bosco

 

[Calichusetts]

This is what I used to do with notty...haven't brewed with it in a while though. It works fairly well. I used to hold it at 61 for 3 days then let it ramp up during the tail end

 

[RmikeVT]

I think you will be very pleased with the result depending on the style, what kind of beer are you brewing?

My approach to fermenting with Notty is very similar to yours and I have been very pleased with the results. I actually pitch lows 60's and bring it down to high fifties in a swamp cooler. I'll try and keep ferm temps between 57-62 as best I can until it slows down then let it warm up to 67 over a few days. I can usually turn around a delicious beer in 21 days and a drinkable one in 10-14. I am usually looking for very clean neutral yeast character in the fast beers and achieve this using this method.

I have never fermented Notty in high 60s, anyone care to comment? Does it make for a good Bitter/ESB or English IPA?

 

[estricklin]

I've used Notty a lot, even the low 70s before, though I don't recommend it. I've used Notty in so many beers, Guiness Clones, ESB, and Irish Red, my favorite dry yeast.

2 packs of yeast seems like a LOT of yeast, what was your SG? What is the purpose of starting at a low temperature and raising it up? I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just not understanding why.

 

[boscobeans]

2 packs of yeast seems like a LOT of yeast, what was your SG? What is the purpose of starting at a low temperature and raising it up? I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just not understanding why.

SG was 064 (fairly big for me) I usually am around 055.

Two packs?
1. They were in my fridge for 6 months (still in date) but didn't want to chance it.
2. Beer is big for me. I have always used 1 pack before.
3. Didn't want any problems from what is for me a low starting temp.

"What is the purpose of starting at a low temperature and raising it up?"

I usually pitch at about 64-65 and this is just an experiment to see how keeping it on the low side turns out.

bosco

 

[bja]

I actually pitch lows 60's and bring it down to high fifties in a swamp cooler. I'll try and keep ferm temps between 57-62 as best I can until it slows down then let it warm up to 67 over a few days.

This is exactly what I have been doing for the last 10 or so brews. Turns out great.

 

[tonyc318]

I have a ferm chamber with themp control. I usually pitch the yeast in the mid 70's then immediately put it in the ferm chamber and set my probe on the FV and the temp to low 60's. seems to work great. Anyone else do this? I read a lot of people pitching closer to the temp the want to ferment at.