My Wit and Trappist Ale Yeast

[zachj9292]

I brewed a belgian wit (kind of) and used white labs trappist ale yeast, no starter. I shook up the vial and cracked it open a tiny bit a few hrs before adding it because I heard this acts like somewhat of a starter. I would have used a starter but I don't have a beaker right know and I have had a lot of bad luck with infections so I am pretty paranoid about doing extra things like that right now. That is also why I haven't taken a gravity reading.

But anyways, It has been ten days and there is still thick krausen on top of my beer. I was going to transfer to secondary but didn't think this was a good idea because of the krausen.

Here's my recipe:

60 min boil

8 lbs of belgian pale malt
3 lbs of white wheat
.5 lbs of flaked oats.
1 oz of tettnang 60 min
.5 oz of tettnang 30 min
1 oz of bitter orange peel 10 min
.5 oz of sweet orange peel 5 min
trappist ale yeast

1.056 og
mashed at 152 for 75 min
fermenting at 68 degrees still in primary

Like I said, i don't want to touch my beer right now because I am paranoid about infecting it. I know this is what I should do but i am just ocd right now. I usually take a reading when I am transfering to secondary. but my question is: does this yeast usually act this slow? I am thinking 68 may be cold for it. How much longer till I should transfer to secondary (if this is even necessary)

 

[slarkin712]

I've not used that exact yeast, but have used Belgian yeasts in many batches. In my experience Belgian yeasts can take a long time to eat up that last few points of gravity, and their kraussen often lasts for a long time. I don't think 68F is too cold for that yeast, but raising it up to 71-72 will help it finish. I'd take a reading now and see where it is at. You don't need to be paranoid about an infection if you sanitize the device you use to draw a sample. Just don't return the sample to the fermentor. For the three wits that I've brewed I've left them all in the primary for ~3 weeks and then bottled. No secondary. If you need to use a secondary I'd take a gravity reading, and if it is nearly done then you could do your transfer.

Not sure what this is:
"I shook up the vial and cracked it open a tiny bit a few hrs before adding it because I heard this acts like somewhat of a starter."

This seems to be nothing like a starter, as this will not increase yeast cell count. If you want to do starters you do not need a flask. You can use any food safe container of the size you need. I used to do starters in half gallon growlers and it worked great.

 

[kcpup]

Patience. Give the yeast 2-3 weeks to do its job. I usually give Belgians three weeks. Raising the temperature is a solid idea.

Also, unscrewing the top on a White Labs vial does not a starter make or imitate. I'd recommend against that in the future.

If you are not going to do a starter, just let the unopened vial get to room temp and sanitize the exterior of the vial before opening and pitching. I'd recommend a starter with almost all beers. Before I got my stirplate I used a one gallon empty water jug with saran wrap loosely secured with rubber band. Every time I'd walk by I'd swirl it. Like prior poster said, you just need a clean, sanitized food grade container.

Your current brew will probably be just fine. Give the yeast time to finish and clean up.

Cheers