Hi all,
I brewed 2 batches of IPA on March 3, using the same grain bill for both, but different hops, added in the same amounts and times. I also pitched two different yeasts, and have seen a puzzling difference in fermentations. I'd like to get some thoughts on what may have happened, and what to do next.
Grain Bill:
81% - 2 row
4.5% - Vienna
4.5% - CaraPils
4.5% - Acid Malt
3.4% - 20L
2.2% - Honey Malt
Both are 10 gallon batches with ~11 gallons going to the fermenters, I have brewed this version of IPA while varying hop varietals a dozen times or more, all with good results. I recently added two new SS Brewtech 14 gallon fermenters to my gear, and they are fantastic, with a digital thermometer to take temp readings during fermentation. I still use an old swamp type cooler set up, and put cool water in a bucket with the conical bottom of each container resting in water, and adding frozen water bottle to maintain temps at ~68F.
Beer #1: pitched 2 packets of US05, rehydrated. OG 1.058, FG at 1.011 after 2 weeks. Dry hops have been added, and will be kegging tomorrow. Sample tastes great/normal.
Beer #2: pitched Imperial Yeast Juice A38 (first time using, date on pack was 2/2/2018). Made a 2.5L starter a week before brewing, crashed, decanted, and pitched after warming to room temp. OG at 1.058. After 2 weeks, gravity was at 1.020, and there is definitely a taste of unfermented sugars.
Possible Issue #1 ; I left for a business trip to Germany for a week on the Sunday night after brewing this on a Sat. Left my wife in charge of checking temps and changing water bottles (which she has done before). Both beers got down to ~63F prior to fermentation kicking in due to cold basement + cold tap water in swamp cooler. The US05 got up to 67F during active ferm., better never required ice addition to the cooler. The A38 yeast beer got as low as 63F, and never showed the charteristic rise in temp I usually see for a couple of days during active fermentation.
Possible Issue #2: After returning from my trip, I checked both beers and got the gravity results seen above. I proceeded to secure a heating pad/timer rig I use to warm up my begian beers to the fermenter #2 in order to warm up the yeast, and covered with a blanket, gave it a good swirl to rouse the yeast, and after 1 day, temp was at 71F. I then proceeded to leave on another business trip, and neglected to mention to my wife to monitor temps, and adjust the timer to keep in the low 70's. When I returned home 3 days later, the beer was up to 88F! Gravity was still at 1.020 a day later.
At this point, I let the beer come down to ~72F over the next 2 days, then re-pitched 2 packets of US05 I had in my fridge, stirred the beer well, and adjusted my timer/heating pad to keep the beer at ~72F, where it remains today. I have swirled it several times over the last 6 days. I took a sample last night, still at 1.020, still with a flavor of un-fermented sugar.
Any thoughts on what could be happening here? Should I consider making another starter to pitch? Should I rack to a secondary before doing this? I am hesitant to keg as is, this is supposed to be a dryish IPA, with a hop forward flavor and aroma, the sweet taste definitely takes away from this.
Any comments are appreciated.
I brewed 2 batches of IPA on March 3, using the same grain bill for both, but different hops, added in the same amounts and times. I also pitched two different yeasts, and have seen a puzzling difference in fermentations. I'd like to get some thoughts on what may have happened, and what to do next.
Grain Bill:
81% - 2 row
4.5% - Vienna
4.5% - CaraPils
4.5% - Acid Malt
3.4% - 20L
2.2% - Honey Malt
Both are 10 gallon batches with ~11 gallons going to the fermenters, I have brewed this version of IPA while varying hop varietals a dozen times or more, all with good results. I recently added two new SS Brewtech 14 gallon fermenters to my gear, and they are fantastic, with a digital thermometer to take temp readings during fermentation. I still use an old swamp type cooler set up, and put cool water in a bucket with the conical bottom of each container resting in water, and adding frozen water bottle to maintain temps at ~68F.
Beer #1: pitched 2 packets of US05, rehydrated. OG 1.058, FG at 1.011 after 2 weeks. Dry hops have been added, and will be kegging tomorrow. Sample tastes great/normal.
Beer #2: pitched Imperial Yeast Juice A38 (first time using, date on pack was 2/2/2018). Made a 2.5L starter a week before brewing, crashed, decanted, and pitched after warming to room temp. OG at 1.058. After 2 weeks, gravity was at 1.020, and there is definitely a taste of unfermented sugars.
Possible Issue #1 ; I left for a business trip to Germany for a week on the Sunday night after brewing this on a Sat. Left my wife in charge of checking temps and changing water bottles (which she has done before). Both beers got down to ~63F prior to fermentation kicking in due to cold basement + cold tap water in swamp cooler. The US05 got up to 67F during active ferm., better never required ice addition to the cooler. The A38 yeast beer got as low as 63F, and never showed the charteristic rise in temp I usually see for a couple of days during active fermentation.
Possible Issue #2: After returning from my trip, I checked both beers and got the gravity results seen above. I proceeded to secure a heating pad/timer rig I use to warm up my begian beers to the fermenter #2 in order to warm up the yeast, and covered with a blanket, gave it a good swirl to rouse the yeast, and after 1 day, temp was at 71F. I then proceeded to leave on another business trip, and neglected to mention to my wife to monitor temps, and adjust the timer to keep in the low 70's. When I returned home 3 days later, the beer was up to 88F! Gravity was still at 1.020 a day later.
At this point, I let the beer come down to ~72F over the next 2 days, then re-pitched 2 packets of US05 I had in my fridge, stirred the beer well, and adjusted my timer/heating pad to keep the beer at ~72F, where it remains today. I have swirled it several times over the last 6 days. I took a sample last night, still at 1.020, still with a flavor of un-fermented sugar.
Any thoughts on what could be happening here? Should I consider making another starter to pitch? Should I rack to a secondary before doing this? I am hesitant to keg as is, this is supposed to be a dryish IPA, with a hop forward flavor and aroma, the sweet taste definitely takes away from this.
Any comments are appreciated.
