Brewed a red IPA 10 days ago. 1.07 OG. Used safale 05 with a qt starter (1/4# DME). Made the starter 36 hrs before brewing. Had vigorous activity in both the starter and the batch. I tried fermenting at a lower temp (fermometer says 62). Usually, I ferment at 68-70, but I decided to try an area of the basement that is not heated +/- 60F. I went ahead and racked, as I am dry hopping and the beer is needed for a b-day in a little over 2 weeks. I have it in the house now at 68. I washed the yeast (1 qt of cold sterilized H2O in the carboy). Do you recommend just to leave it for a week and check or is repitching an option?
Primary after 10 days at 1.04
- Thread starter waitej02
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Yeah, it sounds like your yeast got too cold, but I'd recheck your gravity. If you say you saw good activity in the carboy and it's been 10 days, I'd really expect it to be mostly done, especially with US-05. If it really is still at 1.040, I would consider pitching another starter as you've removed it from the bulk of the yeast.
I did check twice, once with refractometer 10.8 brix and once with hydrometer at 1.04. I don't have more US05, but I washed the yeast and I have around 48 oz of clean yeast from the carboy which I just harvested this AM. Would you pitch that?
First off, a starter is not only unnecessary with dry yeast, but can be detrimental. Dru yeast should be re-hydrated as per manufacturer's instructions.
Second, 60 F is not a bad temperature for US-05. Fermented at that temperature will take longer, but produce a much cleaner beer in general. I do recommend raising the temperature to 65 - 68 degrees for a week or so after active fermentation is complete to allow the yeast to clean up any off flavors.
My guess is that your stalled fermentation is either due to under pitching because the starter didn't increase your cell count and caused the yeast to use up most of its energy reserves or that the temperature was either lower than you thought or you racked off of the yeast too soon. At that temperature fermentation may have slowed enough that you thought it was complete. A gravity reading prior to racking would have been useful.
I don't think this brew will be ready to drink for the party. If the fermentation doesn't restart after warming up to 65 or so, I wouldn't repitch your slurry, as it's is probably stressed. If you have noticeable signs that fermentation restarted go ahead and repitch it.
Good luck.
Bob
Second, 60 F is not a bad temperature for US-05. Fermented at that temperature will take longer, but produce a much cleaner beer in general. I do recommend raising the temperature to 65 - 68 degrees for a week or so after active fermentation is complete to allow the yeast to clean up any off flavors.
My guess is that your stalled fermentation is either due to under pitching because the starter didn't increase your cell count and caused the yeast to use up most of its energy reserves or that the temperature was either lower than you thought or you racked off of the yeast too soon. At that temperature fermentation may have slowed enough that you thought it was complete. A gravity reading prior to racking would have been useful.
I don't think this brew will be ready to drink for the party. If the fermentation doesn't restart after warming up to 65 or so, I wouldn't repitch your slurry, as it's is probably stressed. If you have noticeable signs that fermentation restarted go ahead and repitch it.
Good luck.
Bob
Thanks Bob. I did rehydrate following the instructions, but I pitched to the starter. Yes. I should have taken the gravity before racking. It was 10 days and I hadn't seen activity in a few days. It is going well again, so I will just let it go another 7-10 days at 68 and check. If I get 1.02, I'll go ahead and keg and keg hop since I dry hopped with activity still going on. I still hope to be able to get it carbed in time.
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