Overpitching?

[tpitman]

Washed yeast from a previous job, and used it for a yeast starter, which appeared to work (krausen formed in the flask).
Pitched the yeast into a wort with an OG of approximately 1.047. Fermentation started within 6 to 8 hours and fermented normally for just over a week then abruptly quit. I let it sit for another week, but noticed no additional bubbling.
Opened the fermenter, and the gravity was 1.015. I tasted a sample and it tasted okay, so I batch primed it and bottled it. After a week I cracked one open. A slight sound of air escaping, but the pour produced no head and I saw only a few bubbles being released. A taste proved it to be fairly flat, and slightly sweet (which I ascribe to the batch priming and residual sugars from the malt).
I plan on pouring some of the bottles into a mini-keg and force carbonating to see if it's reasonably drinkable, but I wonder why the fermentation seemed to peter out rather abruptly after a week of normal activity. Is it possible I over pitched the yeast? I've never had a problem like this before. Even after 3 weeks in the primary I generally will still see a bubble or two an hour.

 

[WayFrae]

I think it is probably fine. Maybe just wait another week or two. If it tastes sweet, I would bet that the bottle carbing isn't finished yet.

 

[Shooter]

I would just give it another week or two in the bottles. It may just be carbonating slowly.

 

[Shooter]

I think it is probably fine. Maybe just wait another week or two. If it tastes sweet, I would bet that the bottle carbing isn't finished yet.

Yes, what he said!

 

[zacster]

Only a week? Definitely wait some more.

 

[boydster]

A week in the bottle??? Too soon. Patience. The sweetness you tasted is undoubtedly from the unfermented priming sugar. Give it another 2 weeks at 70° (longer if your temp is lower) before worrying.

 

[tpitman]

So no one seems to think the short fermentation period is unusual? I've just never had one end so abruptly after a week, then no airlock activity. I thought perhaps the yeast had crapped out completely.
I usually leave beer bottled for a couple of weeks at a minimum, but I expected more that what I got in the way of fizz after a week.
I'll wait another week or two and see if it improves in the bottle.

Thanks to all for your comments.

 

[BigFloyd]

So no one seems to think the short fermentation period is unusual? I've just never had one end so abruptly after a week, then no airlock activity. I thought perhaps the yeast had crapped out completely.
I usually leave beer bottled for a couple of weeks at a minimum, but I expected more that what I got in the way of fizz after a week.
I'll wait another week or two and see if it improves in the bottle.

Thanks to all for your comments.

I'd be surprised if one of my ale batches was still pushing the airlock after a week. Some strains like Windsor can drop activity after just a few days even with precise temp control.

You didn't over pitch.

 

[acidrain]

Bubbles don't indicate fermentation. Those other batches were probably just off-gassing.
Did you take gravity readings every two days until you were sure the fermentation had stopped? If not, that's a good way to get bottle bombs!

 

[Leithoa]

Over pitching mostly results in off flavors. Without some more info it's hard to say for sure what if anything is wrong. 1.015 is a bit high given your OG but that could be a reflection of poor extraction or caramelization if you used LME.

Unless you added quarts of starter to your beer you didn't over pitch. It's not uncommon for healthy yeast to reach full attenuation in 3-4 days. Carbonation takes time, I wouldn't worry until week 3. Even then as long as no off flavors showed I wouldn't be concerned.
If you're pressed for time or just impatient you could rebottle after adding 1/2 a packet of fresh neutral yeast. I'd suggest against using champagne yeast if you go this route due to your high FG.

 

[kwgriz]

I also recommed waiting longer for the bottle carbing. I have started waiting a full three weeks before even putting them in the fridge.

As for the one week fermentation in the primary, since I have begun to use a starter, almost all of my fermentations are done off-gassing by the end of 7 days (I use a blow-off tube). I usually take them out of my temp-controlled mini-fridge at that point and keep them in the ambient air of my basement (generally around 68-69 degrees). I put in an s-shape airlock, and most have little to no airlock activity.

I still follow the wait 4 weeks total (primary & secondary) per Revvy's recommendation, and haven't yet been disappointed in any of my beers.

 

[hunter_le five]

1) One week is not an abnormally short fermentation time for ales

2) Airlocks are poor indicators of fermentation. Use your hydrometer for this. Ignore the damn airlock.

3) One week is not long enough to bottle carb much of anything. Try again after the beer has been bottled at least 3 weeks.

 

[tpitman]

It'll hit the three week mark in a couple of days.

I'm gonna set aside a couple of bottles in the fridge this afternoon and sample them on Sunday and see if anything has happened.

Thanks, all.

 

[tpitman]

Cracked one open on Sunday. A slight sound of air escaping, very few bubbles rising, no head. Pretty flat. Sweetness is gone but it didn't carb up. I've got one mini keg and the ghetto tap that someone posted instructions for on this site (the thing works great) and I'll put 10 or 12 bottles in the keg and force carb it to see if it's drinkable. Tastes okay but hard to really judge without some fizz.
As I said at the beginning, I've never had a fermentation act this way, so I'm not sure what happened.

 

[KeninMN]

I see you're located in Orlando, so you probably don't have a basement, but what was the temperature of the room you conditioned your bottles in? If it was low (less than 70 F) it will take longer than if it was warm. You could try rousing the yeast by gently overturning the bottles several times and then store them in a warmer room for a week. I pack my bottles in 24-bottle cases, so I pick up the whole case, turn it upside down twice and then store them for at least another week if they haven't carbed up enough within two weeks.

 

[skw]

Yeast can be weird sometimes. My latest batch took over a month to carbonate. I was >< this close to adding more yeast and sugar to the bottles and am glad I waited it out.

 

[tpitman]

72 to 74 degrees for conditioning. I've never had a beer go this long to carbonate. This was s SMaSH ale with light malt extract, East Kent Goldings hops, and some washed California V ale yeast (I know, an odd combination).
I was trying to get a bit more mileage from the yeast and wanted something closer to an English bitter (although the OG was on the high side for that) in terms of hops.
I've been doing SMaSH ales for the last few batches, and the last one I'm down to finishing was the best beer I've made yet. The chill haze is finally gone and I've got a nice, clear hoppy ale with a head like meringue and lacing all the way down. Just a hint of some caramel malt would've made it perfect.

 

[Leithoa]

As long as no off flavors are developing I'd just write it off to lazy yeast. Put the beer in the back of the closet, brew another batch and start with fresh yeast.
I had a batch do something like this one time. Pitched dry yeast, fermented normally and then took +2.5 months to carbonate. I'm still not sure what happened.
The only thing I can suggest is review your starter and washing procedures and see if there's a way to make them better. Maybe add energizer, get an air stone, use a lower starter wort, &c. Anything to reduce stress on the yeast.