MY Weizenbock didnt attenuate all the way!

[klamz]

I brewed a weizenbock with an OG of 1.072(was supposed to be 1.082)
I pitched a 3 liter starter which should have been enough for 1.082 so techinically I over pitched a tad. However, I heard a recommendation to under aerate to get more ester production from this yeast. So What I did was just dump the batch into the fermenter without shaking it. I normally shake it real well after the yeast is pitched. After the fermentation started it began to blow the airlock off so i changed to a blow off tube. After fermentation was completed I noticed an alarming amount of yeast that blew off into the small container of starsan.



My question is could my 70% attenuation from 1.072 to 1.023 be the cause of the amount of yeast i lost and/or the under areation? This yeast was supposed to attenuate to 80% as per the WLP380 statistics yet I only got 70% and that was using a mash of 150f!


Any suggestions or thoughts on this? Should I worry about overcarbonating during the bottle conditioning stage??

 

[ilafranc]

Thoughts from a beginner:
1. Yeast for wheats are generally ale yeasts and top fermenting, active fermenters for which increased head space is recommended; however, given the logarithmic growth of yeast in the proper environment, it strikes me as extremely unlikely that you would have lost enough of your pitch to have impacted attenuation. Afterall, in order for krausen to have formed, you had to have an actively innoculated wort.
2. Attenuation is generally reported as a range. White labs reports a range of 73-80% for the WLP380 Hefeweizen IV Ale Yeast.
3. I assume from your information that you were brewing whole grain which introduces all of the variables associated with mashing: time, temp etc and whether you got full saccharification and conversion of non-fermentables into fermentables.
I may have pointed out stuff that you already knew and thought about. Just trying to understand the complexities of the miracle of beer myself! It's a lot easier to drink it than to understand it!

 

[MrOH]

My weizenbock that I brewed this past spring for fall consumption only went from 1.094 to 1.033 in a 4gal batch with a 3L starter. The weizen yeasts don't tend to be too hearty. I wouldn't worry about it as long as it tastes good. (Mine does, like fruity, spicy, slightly sweet bread crusts)

 

[duboman]

I brewed a weizenbock with an OG of 1.072(was supposed to be 1.082)
I pitched a 3 liter starter which should have been enough for 1.082 so techinically I over pitched a tad. However, I heard a recommendation to under aerate to get more ester production from this yeast. So What I did was just dump the batch into the fermenter without shaking it. I normally shake it real well after the yeast is pitched. After the fermentation started it began to blow the airlock off so i changed to a blow off tube. After fermentation was completed I noticed an alarming amount of yeast that blew off into the small container of starsan.

My question is could my 70% attenuation from 1.072 to 1.023 be the cause of the amount of yeast i lost and/or the under areation? This yeast was supposed to attenuate to 80% as per the WLP380 statistics yet I only got 70% and that was using a mash of 150f!

Any suggestions or thoughts on this? Should I worry about overcarbonating during the bottle conditioning stage??

What temp did it ferment at and how long in the primary and do you rack it to a secondary? Are you sure your thermometer is calibrated? Are you sure your hydrometer is calibrated? Did you temp correct your readings?

Finally, are you sure it's done fermenting?

 

[klamz]

What temp did it ferment at and how long in the primary and do you rack it to a secondary? Are you sure your thermometer is calibrated? Are you sure your hydrometer is calibrated? Did you temp correct your readings?

Finally, are you sure it's done fermenting?

Excellent questions!

My hydro and thermometers are all tested and calibrated. I pitched at 64f and fermented at 64 for 3 days then raised to 66 for another 3 then finished off at 68-70 for the final few days. All activity stopped at 1.023 it should have been 1.016 Oh and I didnt rack it to secondary. I swirled the fermenter around to rouse up the yeast in hopes it will bring it down a few more points.

 

[duboman]

Excellent questions!

My hydro and thermometers are all tested and calibrated. I pitched at 64f and fermented at 64 for 3 days then raised to 66 for another 3 then finished off at 68-70 for the final few days. All activity stopped at 1.023 it should have been 1.016 Oh and I didnt rack it to secondary. I swirled the fermenter around to rouse up the yeast in hopes it will bring it down a few more points.

At this point post the recipe, any significant amount of less fermentable grains? I doubt it was a loss of yeast, I'm a little stumped as well

 

[klamz]

At this point post the recipe, any significant amount of less fermentable grains? I doubt it was a loss of yeast, I'm a little stumped as well

7.5lb wheat
1.5lb munich
4 lb pilsner
.5lb Special B
6oz pale chocolate
6oz melonoiden malt

 

[duboman]

The only thing I can come up with is over pitching and not aerating which means poor growth phase and perhaps the yeast just quit on you because everything else about fermentation temps, recipe and mash seem spot on, maybe someone else will see something I'm missing.