OMG Knottingham!

[burntchef]

So I pitched two rehydrated packs in 12 gallons of wort with an og of 1.072 at 55 degrees on Sunday afternoon. Late Monday the ferm chamber had warmed it up to 68, and I had mild activity. Tuesday morning I checked the brew haus and the fermenter had puked about 1/2 gallon on the floor. I mopped up and installed a blow off. This pm the yeast is ripping!

Note to others, when using knottingham with high og wort, be prepared.
Eric

 

[RPh_Guy]

Actually, it's Knottingkahm.

Work smart, not hard. Always use a blow-off tube.

 

[Robert65]

Actually, it's Knottingkahm.

[emoji38]

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Once actually known as Snotingaham. No kidding.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Snotingaham

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottingham (see "History")

 

[CodeSection]

I was given a packet as a gift. However, I need more than one packet and when I look online to buy more, I see a slightly different packet with the word "Danstar" prominently displayed on the front. What is the difference between the two packets below (Saccharomyces cerevisiae vs Danstar)? Or are they the same?

 

[RPh_Guy]

They're the same.

S. cerevisiae is the species of yeast.

 

[CodeSection]

Thanks @RPh_Guy.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Lallemand has done away with the Danstar name.

 

[CodeSection]

I use a blowoff tube. I have no experience with using Nottingham yeast. But after reading this thread should I consider adding a few drops of Birko Patco 376 to the fermenter to control the foaming?

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I use a blowoff tube. I have no experience with using Nottingham yeast. But after reading this thread should I consider adding a few drops of Birko Patco 376 to the fermenter to control the foaming?

It isn't nearly as violent at 58-62 degrees. Or when the OG is ballpark 1.050 or less.

 

[Saunassa]

I use a blowoff hose for Nottingham and S-04 per recommendation of rph and others. It would have otherwise blown my airlock dry and probably out of the fermenter. I use 1/2" tubing because it can seal it better and much easier to route versus 1" tubing.

 

[dmtaylor]

Alcohol tolerance is about 9.1% in my experience. YMMV but if very high OG you may end up with very high FG.

 

[TurnipGreen]

The notty is a beast. I’ve gotten it up to 11% using a whole yeast cake from an other beer.

I’ve had it grain to glass in three weeks. And that’s bottling. Try saving some yeast, too. It works super fast and leaves a super clean beer pitching a pile of slurry.

 

[LittleRiver]

Last time I used Notty (slurry) I started it at 60F, and only took it up to 63F after the krausen fell. It was a nice beer, and there were no problems with excessive foam.

 

[Oldskewl]

I used Nottingham for the first time in a big barleywine recently. I pitched 2 pack directly into the 62 degree 1.104 wort. After 5 days I gradually raised to 68 degrees. It ended at 1.014. 11.8% ABV and 86% antentuation.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I used Nottingham for the first time in a big barleywine recently. I pitched 2 pack directly into the 62 degree 1.104 wort. After 5 days I gradually raised to 68 degrees. It ended at 1.014. 11.8% ABV and 86% antentuation.

Did it remain well behaved at 62 degrees, or was it a beast due to the high OG?

 

[Oldskewl]

I was expecting a more violent fermentation. No overflow using a blow off and airlock activity was steady but not crazy. Blowoff activity ended by about 8 days.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

So it appears that the main factor in controlling Nottingham is to keep fermentation at about 62 degrees F. or below, and that high OG may not be as significant a factor as I previously thought. The reference to 62 degrees does not mean to keep the fermenter in an atmosphere controlled at 62 degrees, but rather to have a temperature probe on the side of (or inside) the fermenter and use the probe to actively keep the fermenter itself at 62 degrees. Many have observed that when it's really ripping, Nottingham yeast will heat a fermenter to fully 10 degrees F. above the temperature of the surrounding air/environment. And that means ~72 degrees F. inside the fermenter, and that means massive blow-off.

 

[burntchef]

I am fermenting at 68 via a temp probe attached to the side of the fermenter and a piece of foam on the outside of the probe. short of taking the temp inside the fermenter, I hope to be at 68 inside. The heater barely runs.
Eric

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I am fermenting at 68 via a temp probe attached to the side of the fermenter and a piece of foam on the outside of the probe. short of taking the temp inside the fermenter, I hope to be at 68 inside. The heater barely runs.
Eric

Because of the visible churning of the Wort caused by yeast activity the surface temperature of the fermenter should be right close to the internal temperature. I believe that given how you described your setup above, due to your insulated temperature probe your internal temperature is (was) thereby right close to 68 degrees inside.

 

[Robert65]

I am fermenting at 68 via a temp probe attached to the side of the fermenter and a piece of foam on the outside of the probe. short of taking the temp inside the fermenter, I hope to be at 68 inside. The heater barely runs.
Eric

That's pretty warm for any British yeast. Standard practice is to pitch at 58°-60°F, hold the fermentation temperature to around 62°F, and only allow a free rise to around 68°F near the very end (to encourage diacetyl reduction and attenuation) if at all (really shouldn't be necessary with an adequate pitch of healthy yeast.)

 

[burntchef]

Standard practice? Did not see that coming. I read the directions on the packet and shot for a temp in the middle of the range. I am going to brew this one again and will ferm a lot lower, with blow off.
Eric

 

[Robert65]

Standard practice? Did not see that coming. I read the directions on the packet and shot for a temp in the middle of the range. I am going to brew this one again and will ferm a lot lower, with blow off.
Eric

The yeast manufacturers put higher than ideal "recommended" temperatures on all their packaged yeasts. This seems to be because they want homebrewers to see activity very quickly and feel reassured.

 

[burntchef]

That would have been some really good info for me, 3 years ago. I had no idea they fudged the directions....
Eric

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

The yeast manufacturers put higher than ideal "recommended" temperatures on all their packaged yeasts. This seems to be because they want homebrewers to see activity very quickly and feel reassured.

This, plus the manufacturers know that many do not have the capability to keep their fermenter at 62 degrees, and would be discouraged from purchasing the yeast if the package stated the truth.

 

[burntchef]

Well I kegged this up today. 2weeks in the fermenter and finished at 1.015. 78% eff. and 7.22 abv. It tastes wonderful even green.
Eric

 

[Tegra]

65 degrees and under pressure right from the start is the only way I have found to tame this beast.
T