Did I Mess Up?? Beginner Questions

[mopowers]

I brewed a red ale 17 days ago and the OG was 1.066. I pitched a pouch of US-05 at 68*. I typically use liquid yeast starters and have only used dry yeast once before. This time, I completely forgot to rehydrate the yeast and pitched the pouch directly into the colled wort. The result is, the fermentation seems to be taking forever. It was fermenting at 68* for 7 days, at which point I raised it to 70*. After 14 days, I took a sample and the SG was still a tad high 1.017. I've been giving the carboy a good shake everyday for the last 5 days in an effort to aid fermentation. The fermentation has slowed to a bubble from the one piece airlock every 30 secs, so it's looking like it's almost done.

My questions are:

1. By pitching a dry pouch of US-05 directly in the 1.066 sg wort, did I under pitch?? I'm thinking a big YES.

2. Is this the reason fermentation has taken this long (17 days so far)?

3. Will this inadvertent error result in a bad batch of beer? When I took the sample a few days ago, though still a bit high at 1.017, it tasted decent to my untrained pallet.

Thanks guys!!!

 

[jfolks]

1) probably, since the yeast likely wasn’t fresh

2) maybe, also maybe you mashed too high or you’re using extract

3) maybe so, maybe not. Depends on the style/process/ingredients - I purposefully make my NEIPAs and imperial stouts finish higher than that

4) stop shaking your carboy, package the beer, then in 2 weeks RDWHAHB

 

[CodeSection]

Many on HBT have pitched dry yeast directly on the wort https://fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/SafAle-US-05.pdf. I agree it sounds like you under pitched. However, without knowing your wort volume, it is difficult to know exactly by how much.

I would take another gravity sample. Seeing that it has been a few days since you took a sample, if the new sample hasn't changed, then I would believe fermentation is complete. You didn't mention what the expected FG was.

I'm sure your beer will turn out fine. All that really matters is how it tastes to you. Worse scenario is the it may be a little sweeter.

 

[brownni5]

https://fermentis.com/en/news-from-...7PojgseQIezXHgbYX_JohBiDGzeIsBI-F5eyfG-I5EKU/

Fermentis now recommends pitching dry.

73% apparent attenuation. I don't see a problem. Congratulations, you made beer!

 

[Anyhowe]

Everything is likely perfect. Depending on the recipe that could be your final. Quit shaking that darn thing lol. Besides crappy cleaning and extreme temperatures beer is hard to mess up.

 

[mopowers]

Thanks guys. The wort volume was 5.5 gals and mash temp was 154. I was shooting for an FG of 1.012. I'm sure it'll be close, I'm just not used to it taking over a week or so to get there. I'm now at 17 days and I will take another sample tonight.

Regarding shaking- At one point it stopped bubbling all together. I gave the carboy a few 'swishes' and it seemed to have restarted it. Is that a bad thing? I'm still new to this, so let me have it. lol

 

[CodeSection]

Yes, it is best to stop shaking or swirling. If the bubbling has stopped, I'm betting you will find the FG hasn't changed since the last time you took it and you can now bottle or keg. However, I would wait at least a few hours since you stirred up the trub and you want that to settle as much as possible.

 

[mongoose33]

Thanks guys. The wort volume was 5.5 gals and mash temp was 154. I was shooting for an FG of 1.012. I'm sure it'll be close, I'm just not used to it taking over a week or so to get there. I'm now at 17 days and I will take another sample tonight.

Regarding shaking- At one point it stopped bubbling all together. I gave the carboy a few 'swishes' and it seemed to have restarted it. Is that a bad thing? I'm still new to this, so let me have it. lol

You're going to be fine. The higher the mash temp, the more unfermentable sugars you get, and 154 is edging toward the high side.

I wouldn't have expected you to get as low as 1.012, and I've had a few beers that ended up around where you are.

IMO, you've got as much as you're going to get. Package it and then, later, enjoy.

 

[brownni5]

When you shake/swirl and then see more bubbles come from the airlock, it's a sign that you've shaken some gasses out of solution, not necessarily a sign of additional fermentation. I'll admit that I like watching my airlock as much as anyone, but it really tells you nothing.

Also, it seems about half the threads in this forum cite some sort of expected FG. From what I've seen, that's not good for anything but scaring the brewer. Might get you in the ballpark, but there are so many factors that affect attenuation it really shouldn't be relied upon.

 

[mopowers]

Thanks everyone. I'll take another sample tonight and report back. I plan on cold crashing for a day or two before kegging, so I'm not too worried about trub in suspension.

 

[odie]

I almost always dry pitch. It’s what the package of yeast usually says to do. I mean they did make the stuff. Yeast will do what it do...eat sugar and multiply.
I know people pitch large sometimes but I can’t help thinking all that’s really happening is the yeast is just gonna finish sooner. I mean it’s yeast’s nature to do just that?

 

[mopowers]

After not swirling it for a few days, the airlock is still active- 1 burp every 20 secs or so. And there are tiny bubbles on the top surface of the beer. I believe these are signs of fermentation, correct? How can this batch still be fermenting after 19 days at 70 degrees F?

 

[mullet6577]

Bubbles in the fermenter and/or airlock are signs of some sort of gas escaping, not necessarily fermentation. What is your current gravity? Has it changed since your last sample?

 

[mopowers]

Bubbles in the fermenter and/or airlock are signs of some sort of gas escaping, not necessarily fermentation. What is your current gravity? Has it changed since your last sample?

It's at 1.015 and yes.

 

[SEndorf]

https://fermentis.com/en/news-from-...7PojgseQIezXHgbYX_JohBiDGzeIsBI-F5eyfG-I5EKU/

Fermentis now recommends pitching dry.

73% apparent attenuation. I don't see a problem. Congratulations, you made beer!

It's nice to see Fermentis announce what many of us have known for years.....
Congrats on the OP's beer.