Nottingham seems weak

[JBrady]

This is my first time using nottingham yeast and it sure seems weak. It took 48 hours to get a half inch layer of krausen, bubbling at every 3-4 seconds. S05 takes only around 18 hours to be blowing krausen out of the top of the fermenter. Is this normal for nottingham? I'm fermenting at 64-65 which is kinda on the low end but it still just seems very weak. THanks for any info.

 

[birvine]

I found the same the time I tried it so am curious to see what people say.

B

 

[Praiodan]

I have had slow starts with Nottingham in the past (upwards of 3 to 4 days to get going); but after comparing a couple batches brewed with nottingham vs safale 05; I don't use nottingham anymore.

Safale 05 seems to start up faster, and doesn't leave that nottingham funky taste. Not sure what it is, but it definately leaves a unique flavor profile that I'm not too fond of.

 

[JBrady]

cool, i'm glad its not just me.

 

[ThereThere]

I rehydrated it once and proofed it but didn't pitch it cause there wasn't any activity.

 

[brewit2it]

This is my first time using nottingham yeast and it sure seems weak. It took 48 hours to get a half inch layer of krausen, bubbling at every 3-4 seconds. S05 takes only around 18 hours to be blowing krausen out of the top of the fermenter. Is this normal for nottingham? I'm fermenting at 64-65 which is kinda on the low end but it still just seems very weak. THanks for any info.

I made 2 batches recently, a brown ale with S-05 and a APA with Notty. I didn't rehydrate either, just poured them in. Both were fermented at Southern CA winter garage temps so just like yours, around mid-60's, in a waterbath. I experienced the same thing, the Notty took a little longer to get started, formed a significantly smaller krausen, and took significantly longer to finish (I didn't take a FG reading on either batch because I don't have a sampler yet and cant reach the fluid level of my carboy with turkey baster). The APA was still bubbling and had yeast movement on top for around 10 days and just now appears to be clearing. It will be another week before I bottle the APA so can't comment on outcome flavors but I agree that 11g Nottingham is a slower fermentation than 11.5 of safale 5.

One other thing I noticed is that the APA was much cloudier the whole length of the carboy where as with the safale all the action was on top. To me it almost seems like Notty is a hybrid Ale/Lager yeast since it actually has a lower temp range than other ale yeasts and from what I observed in my carboy.

 

[JBrady]

I have had slow starts with Nottingham in the past (upwards of 3 to 4 days to get going); but after comparing a couple batches brewed with nottingham vs safale 05; I don't use nottingham anymore.

Safale 05 seems to start up faster, and doesn't leave that nottingham funky taste. Not sure what it is, but it definately leaves a unique flavor profile that I'm not too fond of.

I only tried it because farmhousebrewingsupply.com had packs for 1.50. I hope it doesn't ruin my smash recipe with a funky flavor. I am fermenting at low temps so maybe it'll come out pretty clean.

 

[JBrady]

Thanks everyone for the info.

 

[mixedbrewer]

I love Notty! You just have to be careful which run you are using... lot numbers 1080961099v & 1087117102 were a little sluggish and not typical nottingham. If you rehydrate it and it all sinks to the bottom, most likely you have one of the lots above. When its a good pouch you will have action in 8-10 hours in the 60s and it will almost ferment itself away. I actually think its a great, clean, dry yeast.

 

[azscoob]

I ferment Notty at 60° and always end up with a fantastic clean tasting beer, if I want the characteristic English flavors that this yeast can offer I bump fermentation up to 65-67° and let the flavors come through. comparing S-05 and Notty is like comparing oranges to grapefruits, sure both are brewing yeasts, but one is an English ale yeast, and one is an American ale yeast, a better comparison would be to split an 11 gal batch and use Notty in one, and S-04 in the other.

I'm not interested in how fast or vigorous fermentation is, I'm looking for results, and I use what I find gets me the best results, I like Notty fermented at 60° in my APA, Notty at 65° in my English Mild, S-05 at 67° in my Strawberry Blonde, and S-05 at 59° in my Blueberry Summer Ale. Different temps, different results.

 

[Steelers77]

I only tried it because farmhousebrewingsupply.com had packs for 1.50. I hope it doesn't ruin my smash recipe with a funky flavor. I am fermenting at low temps so maybe it'll come out pretty clean.

That's not the glowing endorsement I like to see!

That being said, we did return our supply in exchange for a new run back when that issue came up.

jBrady, do you have the empty packet? If so IM me the serial number. maybe you got one of the packs before I exchanged them.

I think notty is a good yeast but they have had some production issues that's been bringing them down as of late.

Cheers

 

[JBrady]

That's not the glowing endorsement I like to see!

That being said, we did return our supply in exchange for a new run back when that issue came up.

jBrady, do you have the empty packet? If so IM me the serial number. maybe you got one of the packs before I exchanged them.

I think notty is a good yeast but they have had some production issues that's been bringing them down as of late.

Cheers

I don't have the pack anymore but its fermenting fine, it just a little weak. I didn't mean any disrespect to the site with my comment on the cheap packs of notty, I think you have the best online brew shop going. You are beating every online brew shop in every catagory. I love the store and will use it and promote it every chance I get. Those 10 pound grain sales are out of this world!! Thanks again and I'm sorry if you took my post the wrong way.

 

[paraordnance]

I just tasted some Bombshell Blonde Ale which I brewed exactly 5 days ago. I did a no-chill method and pitched packet of re-hydrated Nottingham next day @ 58F wort. It started slow with almost no signs of fermentation and a very thin krausen about 24 hours later. Fermented along at 60F. Today, about 90 hours (less than 4 days) since I pitched the yeast the beer is done fermenting according to hydrometer readings! From 1.049 down to 1.011 in less than 4 days! I could not believe it. Don't judge by visual signs or slow start, Notty is a monster

 

[brewit2it]

I just tasted some Bombshell Blonde Ale which I brewed exactly 5 days ago. I did a no-chill method and pitched packet of re-hydrated Nottingham next day @ 58F wort. It started slow with almost no signs of fermentation and a very thin krausen about 24 hours later. Fermented along at 60F. Today, about 90 hours (less than 4 days) since I pitched the yeast the beer is done fermenting according to hydrometer readings! From 1.049 down to 1.011 in less than 4 days! I could not believe it. Don't judge by visual signs or slow start, Notty is a monster

I don't believe it. I believe you but not your Hydrometer. If it was 24 hours before you saw Krausen and you are fermenting at 58-60 I don't think there is any chance you are done in 90 hours.

 

[paraordnance]

I don't believe it. I believe you but not your Hydrometer. If it was 24 hours before you saw Krausen and you are fermenting at 58-60 I don't think there is any chance you are done in 90 hours.

well, its true. Belive it or not (its your problem) but its a matter of fact. I didn't even riged airlock, all I had its orange plastic hood on carboy and I know from past experience CO2 can escape through without problems. Krausen never developed bigger than 1 inch but I seen fearsome movement inside carboy during fermentation. I fermented it at 58F ambient since right beside it in a freezer happly bubling away my Kolsch with 2565 and its still going (didn't bother with readings). My hydrometer is calibrated and never let me down, my brew will possibly drop onother couple points since I move it to 64-66F room. I pitched re-hydrated yeast on Monday after work (around 6 pm) and decided to check hydrometer reading on Friday at lunch (noon) since movement inside almost stoped. If you do the math thats exactly 90 hours since I pitched. You probably not enough experienced brewer to realize this possible, but Notty droped from 1.049 down to 1.011 in 90 hours. I tasted the hydro sample and I think its amazing. I used this yeast in a past with good results and will do it in a future.

 

[beowulf]

Hmmm...my packet of 1080961099V did just fine. I reuse my yeastcakes quite a bit and have reused the aforementioned Notty twice already. The last reuse brought an IPA from 1.080 to 1.015 in 4 days, and that's with a 156F mash. Maybe just not enough active cells to begin with in the packet? Maybe after building it up it's fine. The first brew with this Notty went from 1.060-1.020 @ 156F (oatmeal porter), then second went from 1.065 to 1.012 @ 150F (hoppy red ale). I haven't bottled any of them yet but they seem to smell just fine.

Edit: the fermentation temps were around 63-67