I started my second batch of beer using a recipe instead of a kit. It is a Porter. First reading was 1.043 and the airlock just went crazy! It bubbled really good for about 12hrs and just stopped. The cap in the air lock would raise to the top but would not bubble. The lid is sealed. On day 6 I took another reading and it was at 1.021. I could tell that it had foamed all the way to the top of the lid. Yesterday (day 10) I took another reading and it was at 1.020. Is there a problem? Should I throw more yeast?
fermintation problem or not?
- Thread starter mouse813
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PantherCity
Well-Known Member
Has it cooled down? During active fermentation the temp of the beer can be 5-10 degrees higher than ambient temps. Once it starts to slow down it will cool of if it is in a cool garage or something. This could have caused the yeast to drop out. It is good practice to make sure the yeast have healthy temps toward the tail end of fermentation so they can finish the job. The last few points are the hardest for the yeast to consume because they are in a toxic alcohol and co2 rich environment and only the most complex sugars are left behind. Yeast need a bit of coddling at the end of fermentation sometimes. There are many things you can do to assure that you have happy, healthy yeast.
What yeast did you use? Did you control ferm temps. Did you use yeast nutrient? Did you oxygenate your wort? Did you pitch the proper amount of yeast? Did you make a starter?
There could be many reasons you are having trouble with attenuation.
At this point I would warm it up a bit and rouse the yeast by gently swirling the fermenter.
What yeast did you use? Did you control ferm temps. Did you use yeast nutrient? Did you oxygenate your wort? Did you pitch the proper amount of yeast? Did you make a starter?
There could be many reasons you are having trouble with attenuation.
At this point I would warm it up a bit and rouse the yeast by gently swirling the fermenter.
RandomBeerGuy
Well-Known Member
The foam could have reached the airlock and plugged it. I have had brews stop at 1.020. Is your fermentation temp at 70?
Don't remeber the name of the yeast I used - got it from the local home brew store, I believe it was a 1oz package. It was a dry yeast and I followed the directions to warm it up in water for 15secs in the microwave. Air temp has been a steady 65. After I took the 1.021 reading I did stir ir up. Should I be looking at a final reading of around 1.008?
stratslinger
Well-Known Member
That final reading you're looking for depends on your recipe - what malts and steeping grains you used and what yeast you used. Without knowing those, it's impossible to predict what your FG should be. 1.008 would seem awfully low for a porter - where did that number even come from?
That said, it sounds like, after 10 days, the gravity readings are still dropping, albeit slowly. That's pretty normal. Continue to monitor it - if in another 2 or 3 days it's still 1.020, you're probably as far as you're going to go. If in another 2 or 3 days it's lower than 1.020 (even by only a point!), then fermentation is still happening and you should way.
And all _that_ said, conventional HBT-wisdom seems to hold that your results will be best if you leave that fermenter alone for 3-4 weeks, regardless of how soon you reach FG. Typically, that bit of extra time will allow the yeast to finish up and clean up after themselves, leaving you with a very good beer.
That said, it sounds like, after 10 days, the gravity readings are still dropping, albeit slowly. That's pretty normal. Continue to monitor it - if in another 2 or 3 days it's still 1.020, you're probably as far as you're going to go. If in another 2 or 3 days it's lower than 1.020 (even by only a point!), then fermentation is still happening and you should way.
And all _that_ said, conventional HBT-wisdom seems to hold that your results will be best if you leave that fermenter alone for 3-4 weeks, regardless of how soon you reach FG. Typically, that bit of extra time will allow the yeast to finish up and clean up after themselves, leaving you with a very good beer.
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stratslinger
Well-Known Member
The beer _could_ be ready to bottle in that time. But more time (generally) is going to produce better results.
If the homebrew store gave you the recipe or reviewed the recipe, then they may be right. But if the malt extract they sold you (I'm assuming this is an extract) was a little older or otherwise less fermentable, or if the fermenting beer got too cool too soon, it could lead to a higher than expected final gravity.
If the homebrew store gave you the recipe or reviewed the recipe, then they may be right. But if the malt extract they sold you (I'm assuming this is an extract) was a little older or otherwise less fermentable, or if the fermenting beer got too cool too soon, it could lead to a higher than expected final gravity.
Since gravity is still contining to drop slowly, it's probally not stuck. Gently stir yeast into suspension and place fermenter in a warmer location and continue checking gravity.
I always use a yeast nutrient in all my beers, it's cheap insurance against a stuck or stalled fermentation.
I always use a yeast nutrient in all my beers, it's cheap insurance against a stuck or stalled fermentation.
i'd say it's still fermenting. your gravity reading confirm that. BTW, the airlock don't mean anything, really. let it ride until FG is reached and stable for 3 or more days.
RandomBeerGuy
Well-Known Member
Bottle it. Seems like the yeast are done
RandomBeerGuy
Well-Known Member
You should re-pitch yeast if fermentation never starts after 3 days. Your brew could just be ready at that FG. I have had brews stop at 1.020-1.017. It just means a sweeter beer than expected. I would just bottle/keg it depending on your bottle/kegging set up.
Pitch some dry yeast. And be sure to make a starter with the dry yeast. Normally if you were to initially pitch dry yeast you would only need to rehydrate but since you're dealing with only complex sugars you want to make sure that the yeast will consume these. Making a starter will get you healthy active fermenting yeast which should finish the job.
it's probably finished at this point. many extract brews finish up in the high teens to low 20s.
if you're going to repitch, pitch a full packet of rehydrated dry, or a starter of liquid yeast at high krausen. for a repitch, i'd say go with something like s-05, its a beast of a yeast and if there's anything fermentable left in the beer it'll get it. just rehydrate and pitch. also if you're repitching, try to get the fermenter to ~70 degrees and keep it there. the warmer temps will encourage the yeast to stay active longer.
if you're going to repitch, pitch a full packet of rehydrated dry, or a starter of liquid yeast at high krausen. for a repitch, i'd say go with something like s-05, its a beast of a yeast and if there's anything fermentable left in the beer it'll get it. just rehydrate and pitch. also if you're repitching, try to get the fermenter to ~70 degrees and keep it there. the warmer temps will encourage the yeast to stay active longer.
No, actually you do want to make a yeast starter with dry yeast when trying to get your beer down a few more gravity points.
http://s125483039.onlinehome.us/archive/bs_attenuation8-18-08.mp3
Listen at 57 min and 50 seconds for your answer.
chillax bro,
i never said not to make a starter with dry. simply stated what i'd do in the OP's sitch. i'm sure making a small starter with the dry would work well too, just not how i do it. the one time i had to repitch, a pack of 05 and a +5 degree temp change did the trick.chillax bro,
I could have sworn you mentioned that the OP should not make a yeast starter with dry...I guess I was seeing thing. Cheers Nordest!
No worries man. I didn't even see your first post when I started mine. Your second post made me look back and see if I actually said that. I was just saying that rehydrated o-5 was a beast, never really thought of making a starter with dry, even for a repitch.
