Pitch Fresh Yeast - Bottle after 1 week?

[dendron8]

Heres my scenario:

day 1, Pitch two packs of s-33 in an imperial milk stout (1.094 og)
day 11-13, gravity readings, shaking and warming told me yeast was toast at 1.054.
pitch fresh pack of s-05 on day 13. airlock activity 12 hours later.
day 18 airlock activity has stopped.

my plan is/was to bottle this on day 20. as long as i check that gravity is not changing between day 19 and day 20, can i assume it is safe to bottle, or do i need to give it more time to allow the 2nd round of yeast to "clean up after itself" ?

if i need to wait, how long is too long to sit on the original dead yeast/trub? if i dont bottle on day 20, im going on vaca and wont be able to bottle it until at least day 28.

 

[kh54s10]

If your gravity is stable and in the 1.022 - 1.015 range I would say it is done. From day 19 to day 20 should be enough time for the yeast to "clean up".

How long is too long to sit on the trub? - Many months.... I left one on the trub for 5 1/2 months. It was an IPA so I don't think it was as it should have been, but with a good fresh dry hop it was pretty good.

 

[dendron8]

If your gravity is stable and in the 1.022 - 1.015 range I would say it is done. From day 19 to day 20 should be enough time for the yeast to "clean up".

How long is too long to sit on the trub? - Many months.... I left one on the trub for 5 1/2 months. It was an IPA so I don't think it was as it should have been, but with a good fresh dry hop it was pretty good.

Wow, I am impressed at the will power to resist the desire to drink that beer for almost 6 months

 

[kh54s10]

Wow, I am impressed at the will power to resist the desire to drink that beer for almost 6 months

Doing house fix-ups in preparation for selling. Stripping wallpaper, painting, cleaning etc. I bought lots of beer while not dealing with that one though.

 

[mattdee1]

Don't worry about cutting the "clean up" business short by bottling too soon... it will continue regardless of whether the beer is in the fermentor or in the bottle. Just make darn sure the beer is at final gravity before bottling because you don't want gushers or bottle bombs. Bottling just a tiny bit too soon (i.e., when the yeast are still eating sugars), even if you luck out and it doesn't cause gushing or exploding bottles, can lead to higher-than-intended carbonation which is a major bummer in a stout. Take it from somebody who has made this mistake.

 

[Sadu]

...can lead to higher-than-intended carbonation which is a major bummer in a stout.

I agree. The more I brew the more I'm realising how important carbonation levels are.

I tasted my own Vienna lager last night which wasn't fully carbed vs an imported Negra Modelo. I actually way preferred my lower carbed version, even though the head was lacking. I have always done lagers at around 2.7 volumes but beers in the 2-2.3 range can be pretty delicious.

 

[mattdee1]

I agree. The more I brew the more I'm realising how important carbonation levels are.

I tasted my own Vienna lager last night which wasn't fully carbed vs an imported Negra Modelo. I actually way preferred my lower carbed version, even though the head was lacking. I have always done lagers at around 2.7 volumes but beers in the 2-2.3 range can be pretty delicious.

No doubt. If, like me, you spent many years drinking fizzy pee water from AB and their ilk, you tend to associate "flatness" in beer with "bad beer." So, based on that, my first few batches I thought it would be a good idea to go on the high side for carbonation, but wow... does it ever suck when it's too fizzy. These days, for many common styles, I typically like just enough carbonation to get a little tingle from the gas, and that's it.

 

[flars]

What was the SG on day 18? I think you have a problem fermentation. Rouse the yeast and raise the temperature of the primary to 72°F and go on vacation. Check the SG when you get back.

 

[dendron8]

What was the SG on day 18? I think you have a problem fermentation. Rouse the yeast and raise the temperature of the primary to 72°F and go on vacation. Check the SG when you get back.

flars, your intuition serves you well

i checked the gravity today, only down to 1.040. the Safale 05 started at 1.054 so it is working, just not as quickly as I had hoped/expected. I am going to take your advice and leave it until I get back. Who knows, I may even have to pitch another fresh pack..

by the way, the temp has been at 73 since day 11. I have shaken it several times as well.

 

[dendron8]

Even after vacation, the gravity never got below 1.040.. After shaking several times and waiting another week I finally just put it in the garage. This warmed it up to about 80.. And now I see airlock activity. I'm guessing that is not ideal but at least it's doing something now