On sunday i brewed an irish red ale, and after all the process, I reactivated the yeast and added it to the carboy. So on monday I checked on it, and there was foam everywhere, it went out though the airlock. So I took out the airlock and attached a blowoff. On tuesday I saw some activity, but this morning there was little to no movement. So i just checked it again, and there isnt any activity, no movement, nothing... What could be my problem? I doubt that the yeast has already done its job, I used windsor ale yeast... I have no idea what is going on..
Is my yeast Dead?
- Thread starter rjelm90
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WoodlandBrew
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It doesn't sounds like you have a problem, just that the beer is done. Let it rest for at least a week, then take a couple of gravity reading just to be sure and package.
What temperature were you fermenting at?
What temperature were you fermenting at?
The active part of your fermentation has finished. You don't say what the temperature of the fermentation was. The hotter the faster. And not necessarily for the better.
The yeast may still take the gravity lower. I like to ferment in primary for 3 weeks then check the gravity and package.
Check the gravity after the 29th and then 2 days later. If the numbers are the same and the beer is clear you can bottle it. If not clear wait longer.
The yeast may still take the gravity lower. I like to ferment in primary for 3 weeks then check the gravity and package.
Check the gravity after the 29th and then 2 days later. If the numbers are the same and the beer is clear you can bottle it. If not clear wait longer.
If you got that sort of aggressive fermentation activity with just one smack pack and no starter, I also have to wonder what your temps (pitch and ferment) were.
You need to read this short article by Chris White as it describes what the yeast do through the fermentation period and why your temperature was too high. http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html
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WoodlandBrew
Well-Known Member
That's a well written article. One distinction that Dr. White makes that can be over looked is the effect of the lag phase on growth. The lag phase is when cells acclimate to the environment which prepares them for healthy growth. Most of the actual cell division is in the exponential phase.
It seems many home brewers unfortunately think that cell division occurs primarily in the lag phase but this is far from true.
It seems many home brewers unfortunately think that cell division occurs primarily in the lag phase but this is far from true.
75 degrees is really pushing it for most ale yeasts, you may not get the best performance at those temps.
NewWestBrewer
Well-Known Member
^^^^^^ +1
75 ambient air temp is too high..even if it is the fermenter temp it is still pushing it. Try to get it down to mid 60's and your beer will taste much better.
75 ambient air temp is too high..even if it is the fermenter temp it is still pushing it. Try to get it down to mid 60's and your beer will taste much better.
Unless you are doing a Saison.
that's true. i do ferment my favorite saison yeast, 3711, at the low end of it's temperature range 65 but it can go to 77 and some people push it higher than that.
75 or even 80 isn't to high for the yeast to live. For bread making they recommend rehydrating at like 105F.
It is to high for the yeast to make most good beers - well ok saisons sure - but anyhow, in the 60's for most Ales.
It is to high for the yeast to make most good beers - well ok saisons sure - but anyhow, in the 60's for most Ales.
So after a week I started the second fermentation in a glass carboy. Still, during the week I saw little to no fermentation. I did a small tasting to see what the final product would be like. But I'm still worried about the yeast not being enough, is there a problem with adding a little more yeast at this point, and see if there is any difference. Would that help?
boydster
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No, for a couple reasons. first, assuming you didn't add any new sugars (fruit, wort, honey, etc), there should be no more fermentation at this point - the "secondary" should actually be called a "bright tank" when used this way, as its purpose it to allow the yeast to continue dropping out of suspension leaving you with a clearer beer. Second, if you did add new sugars, there will still be plenty of yeast in suspension to handle chewing through the new sugars. You will rarely (practically never) need to add yeast after your initial pitch.
Ummmmm, did you take a gravity reading before racking it over to the secondary to make sure it's done fermenting?
do you see what you did there? if you take a beer off of the yeast it needs to reach final gravity it will slow way down. this is one of the more common posts to these boards, people move a beer off of the yeast then wonder why their fermentation is stuck. had you left the beer on the yeast it would have finished out, the yeast would have flocced out with a bit of time or a crsh cooling. no need for a "secondary" in most cases.
someone pointed out that it shouldn't matter since you are transferring yeast and beer to the new vessel but i don't think that is as effective as just leaving the beer on the yeast cake until it reaches final gravity.
