AHS Pumpkin Ale / Windsor

[gi2indking]

Hey everyone, first post here...

I just finished my first batch ever - a cream ale from NB, and just tasted it tonight and I was actually impressed. It needs some more time in the bottles, but it was carbing up nicely.

I started my second batch last Friday night. It was an AHS Pumpkin Ale. I cooled the wort down appropriately, rehydrated some fresh danstar windsor dry yeast, and pitched it @ room temp ~68. I woke up Saturday morning and the airlock was slowly bubbling and I had about 1/2 inch of kraussen. By saturday afternoon I had 2-3" of krausen already and the airlock was bubbling like crazy. By early Sunday, the airlock had almost completely stopped bubbling and the krausen had subsided and was crusted all around the top of the fermenter. The room gets up to about 70 degrees tops - 65 degrees at night, so I didn't think temperature would be a problem. I tested the SG 4 days after pitching the yeast, and it came out to 1.018 or so, target is 1.012. The beer smells very sweet and I am trying to convince myself that it doesn't smell like "bubblegum".

With the cream ale, I pitched safale us-05 and it took about 4-5 days to complete fermentation at similar temps.

Has anyone had a similar situation when using danstar windsor?

Thanks!

 

[AmandaK]

Let it sit for a few more days, take FG readings and see if it's actually stabilized. Airlock activity is not a sure sign of fermentation.

Relax, don't worry. Have a homebrew! (Or a craft brew if need be.)

 

[maxamuus]

I brewed the same beer with the same yeast last week and had about the same results. However i let them sit for 2-3 weeks before i even open the lid.

I think 4 days is rushing it. Give it time to do its magic. I am still learning the ropes myself but i hear time and time again that give them time and they will clean up after themselves and flavors will meld.

 

[Jawbox0]

I don't think Windsor is all that attenuative for one thing, although it also ferments very fast. However, even when the normal ferment is done there are still quite a bit of byproducts left for the yeast to clean up. Just leave it set for two or more weeks.

 

[sagnew440]

If your kit was an extract kit its probably not going to drop anymore. When I use windsor I'll mash low and over pitch to get it to attenuate a little more. As for the "bubblegum" aroma, you will get some slight fruit esters from windsor. Not as strong as other english strains, but thats why I like it. I actually just used windsor on a 1.082 english barleywine. It took it down to 1.020 which is right around where I wanted it to finish.

 

[HickoryMike]

I don't think Windsor is all that attenuative for one thing, although it also ferments very fast. However, even when the normal ferment is done there are still quite a bit of byproducts left for the yeast to clean up. Just leave it set for two or more weeks.

Exactly. Windsor is not very attenuative. AHS uses this in their kits that aren't supposed to finish super dry.

I'm not a fan of this yeast, but your numbers sound like it did it's job. It's not like you're stuck at 1.025...

 

[scottland]

I'm with everyone else: Step away from the beer. Give it at least another week before you check the gravity again. You might find that it dropped more, and your yeast will continue to clean up some of the off flavours present from fermentation. 14 days should be the minimum you leave the beer in the primary, with 21 days being better, and 30 being best. Personally, I do 3week primaries, but I completely understand when you're new to brewing 3 weeks feels like 3 months. Give it 8 more days, and bottle it next Friday, you'll be very happy you did. In the mean time, sit back, relax, and have one of those cream ales you brewed =)

 

[gi2indking]

I'm with everyone else: Step away from the beer. Give it at least another week before you check the gravity again. You might find that it dropped more, and your yeast will continue to clean up some of the off flavours present from fermentation. 14 days should be the minimum you leave the beer in the primary, with 21 days being better, and 30 being best. Personally, I do 3week primaries, but I completely understand when you're new to brewing 3 weeks feels like 3 months. Give it 8 more days, and bottle it next Friday, you'll be very happy you did. In the mean time, sit back, relax, and have one of those cream ales you brewed =)

Yeah, Im going to wait at least 2 weeks before I check the FG. With the cream ale, I let it sit in primary for 18 days and it came out really nice. The only reason i took a hydro reading at 4 days this time is to see exactly where I was and if I needed to pitch more yeast (I was worried because of the quick results). I hope it comes out alright, but I'll have to wait and see. The anxiety of this hobby is killing me!!!! Like you said, ill enjoy some of my first batch in the meantime. Thanks guys..

 

[gotmud99]

I had the same thing happen with the pumpkin ale. I brewed yesterday and had awesome fermentation at first. After 24 hours my krausen has fallen and my airlock has stopped. How long did you guys wait to transfer to secondary?