Assistance on Isle 1 - picture included

[TwistedGray]

Any idea what we're looking at here and why it is not fermenting?

I brewed from an extract kit from local brew store, followed their instructions, chilled in the carboy until it got down to room temperature, and pitched yeast (hydrated first). This isn't my first batch so I don't think I did anything particularly wrong.

Prior to pitching it already looked like this, and I pitched the yeast sometime around 7pm yesterday evening...no fermentation yesterday.

 

[ncsuwerewolf]

Break material. Give fermentation time. Sometimes i have little going on for more than 2 days.

 

[nDub]

The stuff on the bottom looks like hot break.

The semi-floating stuff looks kinda like dry extract that didn't dissolve. Was there dry extract in the kit?

Also it can take a while for fermentation to start. Like up to a few days.

 

[Rockn_M]

Yup. Takes time...give it an extra day.

 

[TwistedGray]

Yah I wasn't too sure when it would start going down because I know my cider was quick but my stout was slow...kind of imagined the IPA to be a bit quicker, but yeah you're all probably right.

Break: Haven't heard this term before?

Dry malt was added slowly at first. What I noticed was how ridiculous it was to mix in without it becoming hard and clumpy so I was Vitamixing it with some wort first to get it well mixed. That surely helped, but some semi-clumpy stuff made its way into the batch I bet.

Thanks everyone!

 

[kev211]

Looks like hot break to me as well. What yeast was it? Kinda also looks like WLP007.

When you say "chilled in the carboy until it got down to room temperature" what temperature did you put it in the carboy?

 

[JonM]

Definitely break material. Break is proteins that coagulate and clump together - it's all perfectly normal. It'll compact down over the next day or two and I bet by the weekend, you have a single layer maybe an inch or so thick.

 

[JonM]

Oh, and you probably want to add a blowoff tube to that.

 

[kev211]

Yah I wasn't too sure when it would start going down because I know my cider was quick but my stout was slow...kind of imagined the IPA to be a bit quicker, but yeah you're all probably right.

Break: Haven't heard this term before?

Dry malt was added slowly at first. What I noticed was how ridiculous it was to mix in without it becoming hard and clumpy so I was Vitamixing it with some wort first to get it well mixed. That surely helped, but some semi-clumpy stuff made its way into the batch I bet.

Thanks everyone!

The hot break and cold break is the coagulation of proteins caused by the boil (completely normal).

Its normal for the DME to get clumpy. The best way to add it is to have someone stir while you slowly pour. When I did extract batches I would cut the heat to avoid scorching the extract AND to reduce steam which causes the clumping

 

[ncsuwerewolf]

thats not even close to what wyeast 3711 looks like during active fermentation. Looks like a clogged toilet full of TP but it makes a damn fine saison.

 

[passedpawn]

 

[TorMag]

WTF is that?

 

[kev211]

Oh, and you probably want to add a blowoff tube to that.

Agreed. With that small of headspace the krausen is gonna blow that stopper off

 

[ncsuwerewolf]

Looks like a flow chart to me.

 

[ncsuwerewolf]

Ofthen associated with systematically troubleshooting a problem.

 

[TwistedGray]

Looks like hot break to me as well. What yeast was it? Kinda also looks like WLP007.

When you say "chilled in the carboy until it got down to room temperature" what temperature did you put it in the carboy?

WLP001

It went into the carboy when it was still quite toasty (I would say somewhere around 100, but I don't have exact. What I meant about the "room temp." comment was related to when I pitched the yeast.

 

[ncsuwerewolf]

Did you pitch at 100 or later when the temperature had subsided.

 

[TwistedGray]

Oh, and you probably want to add a blowoff tube to that.

That's what everyone said about the Imperial Stout, too, but it didn't experience any blow...this is a bit less ABV, too, so I'm not that worried (yet).

 

[TwistedGray]

Did you pitch at 100 or later when the temperature had subsided.

Way later, down to 70ish +/- 5.

 

[ncsuwerewolf]

And i dont think you could contain a lager yeast with that much head space much less an ale yeast. Either install a blow off or wait for it to foul and make a hot mess when it blows off.

 

[kev211]

WLP001

It went into the carboy when it was still quite toasty (I would say somewhere around 100, but I don't have exact. What I meant about the "room temp." comment was related to when I pitched the yeast.

I wouldnt put wort that hot into a glass carboy. I know its probably fine, but its not worth the risk to me. Thermal shock is no joke.

 

[JonM]

That's what everyone said about the Imperial Stout, too, but it didn't experience any blow...this is a bit less ABV, too, so I'm not that worried (yet).

Well, at least it's light in color so it'll be easier to clean off the ceiling/repaint. [emoji12]. But seriously, 001 gives me the biggest fluffiest krausen of all the yeast strains I use. It's pretty sure to at least overflow out of the airlock.

 

[TwistedGray]

I wouldnt put wort that hot into a glass carboy. I know its probably fine, but its not worth the risk to me. Thermal shock is no joke.

Yah it had cold water in it before dumping so it was fine, but I agree having Mason jars blow up when pouring in water for tea.

 

[TwistedGray]

By the way, it worked itself out All is well