1.100+ ferments, experienced brewers chime in?

[cinderbike]

I have a 1.100 stout in primary that has been chugging along for over a week now. I used a starter of WLP575 and underpitched (per Brew Like a Monk).

Just wondering how much longer I should expect to see this thing fermenting, as it still has a few points before it hits expected FG.

Either way I plan on leaving it primary for a month before doing anything.

 

[DarkNoonBrewer]

You may want to

leave it primary for a month before doing anything.

 

[LakewoodBrew]

With a beer that big I would probably count on

leaving it primary for a month before doing anything.

 

[DarkNoonBrewer]

Or maybe he should

plan on leaving it primary for a month before doing anything.

 

[LakewoodBrew]

Whenever I brew a large beer like this,

I plan on leaving it primary for a month before doing anything.

 

[pernox]

You have consulted with the hive mind. You have the hive mind answer already within you. This is the power of the hive.

Either way I plan on leaving it primary for a month before doing anything.

 

[jbrookeiv]

I don't know, I'd probably just

plan on leaving it primary for a month before doing anything.

 

[DannPM]

If it were me, honestly, I'd just plan on just

leaving it primary for a month before doing anything.

 

[DarkNoonBrewer]

You know, it should be

a month before

you do

anything.

I got the same plan with my stout i brewed on Saturday. It was at 1.105. It was thicker than used motor oil. OMG was it delicious! I was really proud of myself too. The it started bubbling 6 hours later and was a full krausen after 15! I had to put a blow off hose on at that time. I can barely stand to wait untill its done fermenting. But

I plan on leaving it primary for a month before doing anything.

Then, ill rack into secondary and

plan on leaving it

in secondary

for

six months

before doing anything.

 

[tmurph6]

Meh, I'd just go ahead and bottle.:fro:

 

[cinderbike]

You guys suck.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Out of curiosity, why did you underpitch?

 

[Snowhere]

Out of curiosity, why did you underpitch?

Because

underpitched (per Brew Like a Monk).

 

[GuldTuborg]

That's not a reason. It's a book I've read, too. The author doesn't seem to think much of underpitching, nor do most of the brewers he interviews. Here's a quote from page 223, in a section where he's summarizing the commonalities amongst the successful brewers of these styles: "Pitch enough viable yeast, using a starter or yeast from a previous fermentation (top cropped if possible). Consider experimenting with a lower pitching rate, but remember, it's an experiment."

Maybe I should have phrased my question differently: What are you trying to achieve by underpitching (and how much did you underpitch)? Did you change any other variables (nutrients, oxygenation, temperature, etc.) due to the decision to underpitch?

 

[bovineblitz]

Maybe I should have

continued the theme... at least could have given it a small nod.

 

[kanzimonson]

I have a

Monk

in primary that has been chugging

a starter of WLP575

Just wondering how much longer I should expect to see this thing

hit

1.100

Either way I plan on leaving it primary for a month before doing anything.

This is fun.

 

[remilard]

That's not a reason. It's a book I've read, too. The author doesn't seem to think much of underpitching, nor do most of the brewers he interviews. Here's a quote from page 223, in a section where he's summarizing the commonalities amongst the successful brewers of these styles: "Pitch enough viable yeast, using a starter or yeast from a previous fermentation (top cropped if possible). Consider experimenting with a lower pitching rate, but remember, it's an experiment."

Maybe I should have phrased my question differently: What are you trying to achieve by underpitching (and how much did you underpitch)? Did you change any other variables (nutrients, oxygenation, temperature, etc.) due to the decision to underpitch?

Breweries who top crop (these days mostly German wheat beer breweries and Belgian breweries) always pitch lower rates than breweries who bottom crop (a starter is bottom cropping). So it is the cropping technique and not the yeast strain, imo, that justifies the lower rate.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Breweries who top crop (these days mostly German wheat beer breweries and Belgian breweries) always pitch lower rates than breweries who bottom crop (a starter is bottom cropping). So it is the cropping technique and not the yeast strain, imo, that justifies the lower rate.

This is common practice, generally because the percentage of active yeast is usually significantly higher in a top cropped sample than a bottom cropped sample. So they aren't underpitching, if you take the yeast health into consideration, even if it might look that way from a strictly volumetric standpoint. That is, a more sophisticated look at the pitching rates will probably show a similar number of healthy cells for each method. In any case (and I'm not trying to be rude here, I'm just confused) the OP didn't top crop yeast, so I'm not sure how this is relevant.

Anyway, no one has to justify any of their pitching rates around here. Most of us are just trying to make the best beer we reasonably can, according to our tastes. I was only curious why OP intentionally underpitched, and by how much, especially if he/she is concerned about length of fermentation.