Fermentation advise on Irish Stout

[russix]

Hello, I brewed a Brewer's Best Irish Stout on Jan 4. In summary, this is an extract kit with DME, LME, specialty gains, maltodextrin, Magnum & NB hops, and Nottingham dry yeast.

My OG was 1.050 and my temperature readings are from the carboy sticker thermometer. The basement room temperature was about 60F.

I pitched the dry yeast directly into the 66F aerated wort which was sitting in a 6.5 gallon carboy wrapped in a sleeping bag.

Fermentation started the next day and never needed the blowoff system I initially setup. Carboy temperature peaked at 68 during the peak of fermentation. The krausen started dropping after about 4 or 5 days and carboy temperature dropped to 61F. I took a gravity reading yesterday, which was 6 days of fermenting, and it was 1.022. The taste seemed right except a bit sweet.

I moved the carboy upstairs to my closet which is 68F hoping to get the yeast working again. Airlock activity was observed every 45 seconds.

I'd like to hit the 1.011 - 1.014 FG gravity according to the kit. What are the best next steps to get there? These all seem like options to me:

A. Have a homebrew. Leave it upstairs for another 3 days, take gravity reading again.
B. Pitch another packet of Nottingham, which I have, and rehydrate this time.
C. Rack to secondary so I can free up my primary for another batch today.

Two more questions / observations.

- This is the only time I've not rehydrated dry yeast. I decided to give it a try since people have had success with both. It is possible I've somehow lowered my yeast's viability by dry pitching directly? The dry yeast was sitting my garage at around 40F.

- I've read that maltodextrin additions can cause a higher than normal gravity. Is this the case here? I would think that Brewer's Best would factor that into the OG/FG since the recipe kit comes with maltodextrin.

- The Nottingham information suggests it ferments well at lower temperatures. Maybe 61F was okay and there isn't a need to move it upstairs?

 

[GRBC]

I think your best bet is to leave it at the warmer temps where it is upstairs. Perhaps give the carboy a gentle swirl to rouse the yeast, but be gentle - you don't really want to expose your beer to oxygen a this point. I wouldn't rack it, or pitch more yeast at this point. Check the gravity again in a week and see where you are.

Maltodextrin will result in a higher FG, and to a lesser degree, so does malt extract (vs. an all grain wort). I'd guess you will end up around 1.015.

By not rehydrating your yeast, you probably pitched fewer viable cells, but a packet of Notty pitched dry into 5 gallons of a 1.050 beer should be fine.

 

[RM-MN]

If you have a warmer location, I would try that. I like my beers to finish at 72 and usually get lower than the predicted FG.

 

[C-Rider]

hello, i brewed a brewer's best irish stout on jan 4. In summary, this is an extract kit with dme, lme, specialty gains, maltodextrin, magnum & nb hops, and nottingham dry yeast.

My og was 1.050 and my temperature readings are from the carboy sticker thermometer. The basement room temperature was about 60f.

I pitched the dry yeast directly into the 66f aerated wort which was sitting in a 6.5 gallon carboy wrapped in a sleeping bag.

Fermentation started the next day and never needed the blowoff system i initially setup. Carboy temperature peaked at 68 during the peak of fermentation. The krausen started dropping after about 4 or 5 days and carboy temperature dropped to 61f. I took a gravity reading yesterday, which was 6 days of fermenting, and it was 1.022. The taste seemed right except a bit sweet.

I moved the carboy upstairs to my closet which is 68f hoping to get the yeast working again. Airlock activity was observed every 45 seconds.

I'd like to hit the 1.011 - 1.014 fg gravity according to the kit. What are the best next steps to get there? These all seem like options to me:

A. Have a homebrew. Leave it upstairs for another 3 days, take gravity reading again.
B. Pitch another packet of nottingham, which i have, and rehydrate this time.
C. Rack to secondary so i can free up my primary for another batch today.

two more questions / observations.

- this is the only time i've not rehydrated dry yeast. I decided to give it a try since people have had success with both. It is possible i've somehow lowered my yeast's viability by dry pitching directly? The dry yeast was sitting my garage at around 40f.

- i've read that maltodextrin additions can cause a higher than normal gravity. Is this the case here? I would think that brewer's best would factor that into the og/fg since the recipe kit comes with maltodextrin.

- the nottingham information suggests it ferments well at lower temperatures. Maybe 61f was okay and there isn't a need to move it upstairs?

a

 

[Cyclman]

Extracts often don't finish below 1020, though I have made beers that were exceptions (temp control and O2 injection are key, as is pitching rate).

Taste it, does it taste sweet, if not, you're fine. Rehydrating yeast doubles the number of viable cells. I would presume the kit takes non-fermentables into account into gravity ranges.

Swirling / warming is always a good idea to get better attenuation. If it's too sweet to be drinkable, and swirling / warming doesn't work, making a starter and pitching it at high kraeusen is your best option.

 

[HomebrewPadawan]

I just brewed the same kit last night and it has started fermenting today. Temp is around 68f, currently. I did not rehydrate the yeast either (thought about it twice...but decided not to do it).
What ever happened to your brew OP? How did it turn out?

 

[russix]

It turned out pretty good. In fact I entered it my first homebrew competition and got first in my flight. That just didn't seem right!

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[HomebrewPadawan]

It turned out pretty good. In fact I entered it my first homebrew competition and got first in my flight. That just didn't seem right!

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Home Brew mobile app

Haha! Nice! That doesn't seem right does it.
How long did you end up in primary? Did you swirl/raise temp at all? Anything else you want to share to help make mine a 1st place winner too!

Cheers