New bad lot of Nottingham yeast ???

[lalnx]

, let me ask- have you informed your supplier? lanlx, have you informed yours? Have you posted anything about the specifics of your supply, fermentation, temps, etc in this thread?

Yes, to all of the above, in this thread or another. And yes I still have my empty sachets and will contact Danstar.

(this to everyone except dwarven)
The point of this thread is to let people know there IS an issue with this yeast lot. proof it before you pitch it.

(this is for dwarven)
Yes, thank you, I now understand no problem has ever existed with notty, the moon walk was staged, the CIA killed JFK, and the government blew up the twin towers, because I can't prove otherwise.

 

[dwarven_stout]

Yes, to all of the above, in this thread or another. And yes I still have my empty sachets and will contact Danstar.

Interesting. Your posting history certainly shows no signs of having done so. I'm talking pitch temp, ferment temp, original gravity, aeration yes/no, nutrient yes/no, rehydration yes/no, place of purchase, and so forth, not "omg 72 hour start notty suxxx". I do hope you contact Danstar and give them good information.

Look. I'm not trying to insult people here. I'm not trying to tell people who are having trouble that they are imagining things. I'm not trying to say that if there is something wrong with your beer then it must be your fault.

If you have a bad sachel and you contact the manufacturer, you're halfway there. However, if all you do is tell them that you have a bad batch and you blame their yeast, they will discard your complaint because they will assume you did something wrong to kill their yeast. A complete rundown on your process and the variables of your unique system are important if for no other reason than it helps convince the rightfully skeptical that there is something wrong going on.

Once again, if you have a truely bad batch and all you're doing is b!tching in these threads and not contacting the manufacturer with a complete rundown on your brewing process and the yeast symptoms in your batch, then you're just spinning your wheels (and scaring new brewers in the process).

(this is for dwarven)
Yes, thank you, I now understand no problem has ever existed with notty, the moon walk was staged, the CIA killed JFK, and the government blew up the twin towers, because I can't prove otherwise.

This is just being dense. If you can't see the value of backing up anecdotal claims with some sort of actual qualitative and quantitative documentation, then I frankly think you deserve yeast that is quality-checked by anecdote.

 

[lalnx]

Wow..........

Proof this lot of yeast, or don't.......I don't care.....

Like Steve Da Sleve, I'm done here now.

 

[300RUM]

There is no problem... I pitched US 05 and 12 hours later had Krausen and airlock activity.


Ohh my Notty starter done the same time still nothing visable however I did not take gravity reading, but the yeast is still laying on the bottom

 

[dwarven_stout]

Wow..........

Proof this lot of yeast, or don't.......I don't care.....

Like Steve Da Sleve, I'm done here now.

This is an unquestionably good step towards resolution of your problem.

 

[HenryHill]

There is no problem... I pitched US 05 and 12 hours later had Krausen and airlock activity.


Ohh my Notty starter done the same time still nothing visable however I did not take gravity reading, but the yeast is still laying on the bottom

S-05 does what Theirs does, without the twang or the apprehension.

 

[DZello]

Sunday I pitched my batch with this yeast and everything is fine, got kreusen after 1 day. Same lot number than everyone who had problems. I suppose not every packets of this lot are bad.

 

[inspector13]

I will apologize now. I'm at work and don't have lots of time to read. Pitched Nottingham, same lot #, into a batch of Eds Haus Pale wart at 68 degrees, split into two carboys. 72 hours nothing. No change in gravity. Will be going by AHS in a little bit. I'm going to get liquid yeast to re-pitch. Do I just aerate and pitch or what. Sorry but I need a quick answer. Thanks once again for the guidance.

 

[300RUM]

I will apologize now. I'm at work and don't have lots of time to read. Pitched Nottingham, same lot #, into a batch of Eds Haus Pale wart at 68 degrees, split into two carboys. 72 hours nothing. No change in gravity. Will be going by AHS in a little bit. I'm going to get liquid yeast to re-pitch. Do I just aerate and pitch or what. Sorry but I need a quick answer. Thanks once again for the guidance.

Last batch was exactly that same thing. I just added a sachet of Safale US 05 and it took off, but fermented for about 12 days. Good luck

 

[brewale4me]

Just re-pitch. Don't aerate after adding yeast.

 

[robertbartsch]

I have a few packets of this yeast.

I just don't see the need to document all the steps necessary to prove to the manufacturor that there is something wrong with their yeast. If this is happening with many users, then the manufacturor should pull an adequate sample from sellers' selves and test them.

As for now, I will not use Nottingham. It is not worth the potential problems I may have; for now, I'll just use something else.

If there is something wrong with Notty, they should recall the lot immeditately. I don;t understand why people are doubting others who are having issues. This company recalled a batch from a different lot last year; right?

 

[BBKing]

I've thrown away 3 packs with this lot #.

While I've enjoyed Notty in the past I'm not rich enough that I can afford to waste a $30 batch of beer because I want to be loyal. Sorry, just cant do it.

I'll spend the extra pocket change to go with US-05 and when this crap is all figured out I'll be happy to go back to Notty.

But until then, I just cant do it.

 

[inspector13]

I will apologize now. I'm at work and don't have lots of time to read. Pitched Nottingham, same lot #, into a batch of Eds Haus Pale wart at 68 degrees, split into two carboys. 72 hours nothing. No change in gravity. Will be going by AHS in a little bit. I'm going to get liquid yeast to re-pitch. Do I just aerate and pitch or what. Sorry but I need a quick answer. Thanks once again for the guidance.

I posted this question. I went to the AHS store to get more yeast, they asked what was going on and told me to raise the temperature to 75 degrees. What do you know 36 hours later the Nottingham is doing well. So the cure for me was temperature.

Forrest thank your guys for me!

 

[RavenChief]

For those folks who have actually contacted Danstar about the apparent problem with Nottingham, has anyone gotten a response? Because I have never recieved any response about this problem...

 

[Rover]

same here

 

[MickeyD]

I have received no response.

 

[stevedasleeve]

Yes I was contacted after I emailed Lallemand and I suggested I send them my packets, used and unused. They replied and I sent them off last week.

 

[JuanMoore]

Just wanted to update. I have continued using Notty, and have had several packets from the same lot# act perfectly normal, but then I got another one that smelled sour and sank to the bottom of the glass when re-hydrated.

I decided to try a little expiriment to see if my suspicions were correct about the last one I poured down the drain. I racked off some wort out of each of the fermenters into a 1 gal growler (I slightly overshot my volume anyway), and pitched ~1/3 of the sour smelling slurry.

Both large fermenters were at high krausen the next day, but the growler had no activity. After 72 hours I had given up, but was too lazy to dump it out. Sometime between 80 and 90 hrs after pitching it started fermenting vigorously, and I figured there was a bug or some wild yeast in there. I decided to let it run its course and bottled it at the same time I kegged the other 10 gal. At bottling it tasted fine! It's now carbonated and tastes great. It has a bit more ester flavor than I've previously gotten from Notty, but otherwise tastes perfectly normal.

IMO over 80 hr lag time is totally unacceptable, but of the ~10 packets I've used from this lot# only 2 have had issues, and the rest have been fine. Notty is so cheap, and such a great yeast, that I'll probably continue using it even if I have to toss a packet that smells funny every now and then. Not sure what any of this means, but I just thought I'd share.

 

[BobBailey]

Since an earlier post to this thread I decided to try Notty again. Rehydrated per instructions and pitched at 68 degrees. This was at 10:30AM on 9/8/2010.
72 hours later there was no sign if fermentation so I made a 400ml., .040 starter with another sachet of Notty. (made the starter just to proof the yeast. The starter fermented out in less than 24 hours. I did not rehydrate the yeast before pitching onto the starter.

Yesterday morning (9/12) ,at about 10:00, there was still no sign of fermentation. There was actually still a little negative pressure in the carboy from the drop to my 64 degree fermentation temperature.

I pitched the starter and when I checked at 4:30 this morning early signs of fermentation were present.



Recipe: Chinook IPA
Brewer: Bob Bailey
Asst Brewer:
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 24.00 qt
Boil Size: 28.57 qt
Estimated OG: 1.061 SG
Estimated Color: 13.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 69.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
10 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 76.92 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 7.69 %
8.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
8.0 oz Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
1.00 oz Chinook [10.21 %] (60 min) Hops 28.4 IBU
1.50 oz Chinook [10.21 %] (20 min) Hops 25.8 IBU
1.50 oz Chinook [10.21 %] (10 min) Hops 15.4 IBU
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 lbs Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 7.69 %
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 12.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 15.00 qt of water at 166.4 F 152.0 F


Both of the sachets of Nottingham were the same lot and I picked them up from the LHBS at the same time, so they were subject to the same handling conditions. I'm convinced that the problem must be with the packaging and not the yeast.

Since Notty is one of my favorite yeasts as well as being inexpensive, I think I'll go back to using it as my first choice again. I will be making small starters with it as a way to cull out possible bad packs.

 

[RavenChief]

If everyone who uses Nottingham dry yeast will just start "proofing" thier yeast prior to pitching, I think we can solve this problem. I have not totally given up on Nottingham yeast, but I will never again just throw it in the fermenter and assume it's good...

 

[Rover]

If everyone who uses Nottingham dry yeast will just start "proofing" thier yeast prior to pitching, I think we can solve this problem. I have not totally given up on Nottingham yeast, but I will never again just throw it in the fermenter and assume it's good...

I agree,
I have four more packs of this lot# from a different LHBS,. I have two recipes on deck that I would like to use Notty with. I was going to do an experiment with the packs but Fletch78 all ready did. I am going to proof the packs to see if they are viable, and if they are not I have some US-05 ready to go.

I just wish Danstar would reply to the emails regarding the problems with this lot#. They tried but they responded with the wrong lot#

 

[devilishprune]

Yeah I just looked in the fridge, and I have 4 packs of this lot number. I'm waiting for the verdict on this before I do anything, so hopefully there is a response soon. Other than that, I have some US-05 on deck.

 

[Rover]

You can tell right away if it's bad or not when you rehydrate it. I would just check and see, and if it's bad save the pack. If Danstar does the right thing, they will replace it.

If the pack is good....Make some good beer

 

[BorisLobb]

Just thought I'd post some more anecdotal evidence regarding this yeast.
Used the same lot #, same expiry everyone else is reporting in a 5 gallon 1.04 OG all grain pale ale recipe. Got the packets at Niagara Traditions store in Buffalo. Pitched with 2 rehydrated packets of this stuff. I opened the packets and they both smelled funky (kind of sulfury, rubbery). The yeast sank to the bottom (just like others are reporting). Pitched on sunday evening, and it took about 18 hours until the airlock started bubbling (slow bubbles though). I'm going to wait another day and then I'll take a hydrometer readingif the bubbles stop. I'll let you all know how it tastes.

 

[JuanMoore]

You can tell right away if it's bad or not when you rehydrate it. I would just check and see, and if it's bad save the pack. If Danstar does the right thing, they will replace it.

If the pack is good....Make some good beer

+1. Even if Danstar doesn't replace them, Notty is so cheap that I'd continue to use it even if I had to toss a pack every now and then.

 

[SwampassJ]

Anyone else disturbed by people not caring if it's bad because it's cheap? If this was a brew store giving a less than ideal crush to coax another lb of two or base malt out of a batch you would all go somewhere else.

 

[BobBailey]

Anyone else disturbed by people not caring if it's bad because it's cheap? If this was a brew store giving a less than ideal crush to coax another lb of two or base malt out of a batch you would all go somewhere else.

The big difference is that we are making a decision knowing the facts and not getting any surprizes.

 

[Rover]

Anyone else disturbed by people not caring if it's bad because it's cheap? If this was a brew store giving a less than ideal crush to coax another lb of two or base malt out of a batch you would all go somewhere else.

It's not that I don't care.

It's just that...what else can I do? I have emailed Danstar with no response and I have four packs left of this lot. Chances are is that I have some good yeast out of the four. It's not like I'm going to stop making beer because I had a bad experience with Notty. When the packs are gone I won't buy it again till this gets worked out (I hope it does). Worst case scenario, I have a bunch of US-05 ready to pitch.

 

[SwampassJ]

It's not that I don't care.

It's just that...what else can I do? I have emailed Danstar with no response and I have four packs left of this lot. Chances are is that I have some good yeast out of the four. It's not like I'm going to stop making beer because I had a bad experience with Notty. When the packs are gone I won't buy it again till this gets worked out (I hope it does). Worst case scenario, I have a bunch of US-05 ready to pitch.

That was my point. You've obviously gone out of your way to let them and us know it's screwed up and obviously being sane don't want to continue to support them until it is fixed. On the other hand there are a lot of people in this thread who have no issue with them selling inferior products just because it's cheap.

 

[smizak]

If everyone who uses Nottingham dry yeast will just start "proofing" thier yeast prior to pitching, I think we can solve this problem. I have not totally given up on Nottingham yeast, but I will never again just throw it in the fermenter and assume it's good...

I didn't even need to go that far. I could tell both packets I had were bad because the yeast wouldn't hydrate. Were talking 45min-1hr in 90F water. I bought some US-05 on the way home from work the next day before I even looked in the fermenter because I knew it wouldn't be fermenting when I got home.

Why bother? I don't understand the loyalty. They're obviously selling a defective product. Is it "solving" the problem by buying even more of their crap and hoping at least some of it works? People need to not buy it at all so Danstar/Lallemand can get their sh!t together and figure out how they ruined their own previously successful product.