Fermentation - not ideal pitch, what to watch for

[sunvalleylaw]

Hi guys. I brewed on Sat. night my take on a Double Black IPA or CDA. Kind of my own bastard recipe from extract. 10 lbs total. Expected a 1.070 OG and it came out at 1.091.

It was my first brew after a long absence and I did not think about a starter. Pitched one, good robust smack pack of 1056 Wyeast American ale at right about 70 Degrees. A good amount of bubbling started within an expected amount of time, and it was very active yesterday, causing me to change out the airlock for a blowoff tube. Temp climbed a bit higher (74ish), but has settled down to 70 again, with steady but slower bubbling.

I now realize after receiving some advice that I should have used a starter, or maybe two packs for this high an OG, and could have pitched a little cooler. I also realize after reading a "stalling' thread that bubbling does not mean fermentation or not necessarily, or is at least not the way to measure it.

So what should I watch for, and if I do end up with a stall, what should I do? Thanks!

 

[dpittard]

Wait a couple of weeks and take a hydrometer reading. Do you know what your expected FG is? Also, did you do a full wort boil? If not, and you added extra water, you may not have mixed properly, thus explaining your high OG.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I did add a little bit of water. Not much, but a little. I am pretty sure I mixed before I pulled a sample, but who knows. i have no clue what my finish gravity is expected to be. I always hope for it to finish out fairly completely. I figured I would wait at least 10 days and take a sample. I expect to let this go in the primary 10 to 14 days, then rack to a secondary for at least another two weeks.

i have never taken samples during active fermentation to see if it is still going down, but was considering doing so this time.

 

[unionrdr]

That's wild. I used 10.5lbs of malts,3oz of hops,& got a 1.065 OG against estimate of 1.070. This after pouring wort & top off water through a fine mesh strainer atop my FV. Then stiring like a psycho for 5 minutes straight.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I steeped 2 lbs of specialty grains on top of the 10 lbs of extract, and used about 5.5 oz of hops. I need to learn how to use those calculators so I can start figuring this stuff out. Maybe there is a decent iPhone app.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,I have yet to find a program that reflects the kind of numbers expected. No matter when/how they're used in the recipe sort of thing.

 

[dcp27]

10 lbs total. Expected a 1.070 OG and it came out at 1.091.

sounds like you calculated for LME and used DME.

 

[unionrdr]

I used both myself. 2 parts LME 2 one part DME for a total of 10.5lbs.

 

[BryanJ]

I steeped 2 lbs of specialty grains on top of the 10 lbs of extract, and used about 5.5 oz of hops. I need to learn how to use those calculators so I can start figuring this stuff out. Maybe there is a decent iPhone app.

I used to use Brewpal, I think it was free or it was $1. Go off of your expected OG from software because it is difficult to get an exact reading from extract with a partial boil. The wort is hard to get evenly mixed with your top off water.

If your beer stalls you can try to rouse the yeast and warm up the fermentation by a little bit, or you could repitch the yeast.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

sounds like you calculated for LME and used DME.

It was 7 lbs LME and 3 lbs DME. Someone else here gave me that calculation based on that info.