OYL - 052 DIPA yeast slow to start?

[thed163]

Above mentioned yeast (the conan yeast) has been extremely slow to start. Not sure what's going on.

Anyone else experienced this? I got spooked when the LHBS told me 'it has an extremely short shelf life' and I saw it was a month old. That doesn't seem very old, but...

it's 2 days now, 36 hours or so... I plan to check when home to see if krausen has formed/if not... wait another day and take another hydro reading.

just curious if anyone else has seen this strain be slow to start.

 

[Sweetwort-Hopkins]

I've brewed 2 batches with the YeastBay version of Conan and here is my take so far:
The starters smelled glorious but I'm not entirely sure that the aroma or flavor of the yeast remained in the finished beer due to aggressive dry-hopping.
Also, it is said that successive generations of this yeast will attenuate better. I got less than desirable attenuation from each of the 2 batches so I actually washed the yeast from the second batch and will be excited to see how it performs as a second generation.
Unlike your experience, each of my brews started fermentation in less than 24hrs.
Did you make a starter? What was your OG on brewday?

 

[thed163]

I've brewed 2 batches with the YeastBay version of Conan and here is my take so far:
The starters smelled glorious but I'm not entirely sure that the aroma or flavor of the yeast remained in the finished beer due to aggressive dry-hopping.
Also, it is said that successive generations of this yeast will attenuate better. I got less than desirable attenuation from each of the 2 batches so I actually washed the yeast from the second batch and will be excited to see how it performs as a second generation.
Unlike your experience, each of my brews started fermentation in less than 24hrs.
Did you make a starter? What was your OG on brewday?

No starter. Pitched the entire packet into a 2.5 gal batch. OG was 1.060 (target was 1.050, but I changed up a few things like late extract addition, dif specialty grains, and changed hop schedule). I'm not entirely sure how those changes impact OG.

I opened it yesterday with no krausen. First time brewing in a bucket too. Usually brew in a carboy. Mine was occupied though.

From the yeast pitch rate and starter calculator
Cells Available:
150 billion cells
Pitch Rate As-Is:
1.08M cells / mL / °P
Target Pitch Rate Cells:
105 billion cells
Difference:
45 billion cells

 

[FlaglerBC]

72 hour rule. I know it's hard but relax and let the yeast do their thing. If nothing seems to be going on at 72 hours take a gravity reading to confirm. Then directly pitch some US04 or O5.

 

[thed163]

Yes 72 hour rule was what I intended to abide by before panicking... Just curious if anyone else had a slow starting experience also.

I shouldn't use the same yeast again (if I can get my LHBS to give me another package)... Also, can I use a refractometer to take the reading after 72 hours? or strictly hydrometer?

Thanks for the insight !

 

[FlaglerBC]

After yeast is pitched always use a hydrometer. I have used Conan once and believe that I had a lag time although I can't remember how long.

 

[thed163]

I'll wait until tomorrow night to take any further action. Thanks all. I'll update when anything changes

 

[Sweetwort-Hopkins]

No starter. Pitched the entire packet into a 2.5 gal batch. OG was 1.060 (target was 1.050, but I changed up a few things like late extract addition, dif specialty grains, and changed hop schedule). I'm not entirely sure how those changes impact OG.

I opened it yesterday with no krausen. First time brewing in a bucket too. Usually brew in a carboy. Mine was occupied though.

From the yeast pitch rate and starter calculator
Cells Available:
150 billion cells
Pitch Rate As-Is:
1.08M cells / mL / °P
Target Pitch Rate Cells:
105 billion cells
Difference:
45 billion cells

Hmm.. I would imagine that there is close enough cells in there to get the job done. I guess time will tell on this one! Good luck

 

[Sweetwort-Hopkins]

Oh yeah, what is your temperature?? That strain likes the low to mid 60s to begin.
I set my controller to 62.5F allowing for a higher temp (maybe 64-65F) inside the carboy. Then I raised the temp slightly over the first 7 days to reach about 68F.

 

[thed163]

Oh yeah, what is your temperature?? That strain likes the low to mid 60s to begin.
I set my controller to 62.5F allowing for a higher temp (maybe 64-65F) inside the carboy. Then I raised the temp slightly over the first 7 days to reach about 68F.

Ambient temps are around 60. It's in a swamp cooler. It'll start to get warmer tomorrow, but I plan to put some ice into the bath to make it stay steady at same.

I don't have temp control but the temps will be pretty consistent around 60 ambient, but I plan to keep rotating ice. I didn't wanna make it too low until fermentation began, since I'm guessing without fermentation, that 5-10 degree swing from ambient temps doesn't factor in.

 

[thed163]

Bubbles on the top... Not krausen by any name. No airlock still.
Bubbles is good I guess? Very small little bubbles on sections of the top of it

 

[thed163]

I think I've had an ah-ha moment.

It's gotten chilly here the past few nights. Since brewing sat night, it's been like 50 degrees at night. I need to warm my fermenter up, wake up these yeasty beasties, and see what happens.

Since no temp control, I've had it in water just hoping fermentation starts/maintains temp once it did. Since it never did, it's been too cold. I plan to take my aquarium heater, and put it in the water, and watch it very very very closely until it hits about 72 degrees or so (only setting keeps it around 78 if i just leave it)... and then see what happens andh ope fermentation begins...

Then figure out a good consistently semi warm place to keep it. Just last week I was struggling to keep things cool enough!

 

[thed163]

To all those looking on and wondering/laughing... temps were too cold. I raised to 70 degrees, gave it a swirl after a couple hours, and it took off like lightning.

Concerns now are oxidation from sitting and not eating the initial oxygen for 3 days... and what that will do to the beer.

Sanitation was spot on, so hoping no infection, but we'll see.