yaddayadda93
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- Nov 16, 2012
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I've butchered the fermentation of my return to brewing and I need advice on where to go from here. I'm doing a Chocolate Stout with the following grain bill:
1# crystal malt
8oz brown malt
4oz chocolate malt
4oz black patent
4oz roast barley
6.6# dark malt extract
1# lactose
4oz malto-dextrin
8oz cocoa
1 pack Wyeast 1187
First problem: The OG was 1.040 instead of the 1.065 it was supposed to be. In retrospect, that may be because I did not mix up the carboy thoroughly once I topped off with water.
Second problem: For the first time I used a "smack pack" of yeast. Following the packet's instructions, I waited three hours for the yeast to reactivate and (as the packet recommended) I didn't worry too much when the packet was not bloated. Turns out I smacked only one of the packets of nutrients and the other was still intact. I had none of the experience, time or patience to do it right, so I opened up the other nutrient packet, pitched the yeast and crossed my fingers.
Two days later, there was no significant fermentation. Figuring the problem was the unbroken nutrient packet, I bought another packet, smacked the crap out of it to break both of them, waited the three hours it said on the packet and pitched the yeast again. The next day I read in a book that the packets should take three DAYS (not hours) to fully reactivate and bloat the packet! Damn it!
Fours days later there had been some fermentation, including some krausen, but not as much as I expected. Two days after that, fermentation had pretty much stopped again. A hydrometer reading had the gravity at 1.03. I tried to rouse the yeast by vigorously shaking the carboy. No dice.
The day after that I tried one more time to add more yeast by dumping a packet of regular Red Star yeast in and giving it another stir. Still nothing. Two days later the gravity has dropped to 1.029, so there's something going on, but it's pretty slow.
So .... now what? Do I just wait for another two weeks in the primary fermenter for the gravity to drop to 1.02 (hopefully)? Do I add yet more yeast (and properly activate it this time)? Do I just go ahead and rack it to a secondary fermenter? Even if it's ruined, I DO want to continue through the entire process so I can learn my mistakes on a single bad batch, even if the end product is undrinkable. For what it's worth, when I tasted the wort out of the hydrometer, it does taste like flat beer and it does have some carbonation in it.
Thoughts?
1# crystal malt
8oz brown malt
4oz chocolate malt
4oz black patent
4oz roast barley
6.6# dark malt extract
1# lactose
4oz malto-dextrin
8oz cocoa
1 pack Wyeast 1187
First problem: The OG was 1.040 instead of the 1.065 it was supposed to be. In retrospect, that may be because I did not mix up the carboy thoroughly once I topped off with water.
Second problem: For the first time I used a "smack pack" of yeast. Following the packet's instructions, I waited three hours for the yeast to reactivate and (as the packet recommended) I didn't worry too much when the packet was not bloated. Turns out I smacked only one of the packets of nutrients and the other was still intact. I had none of the experience, time or patience to do it right, so I opened up the other nutrient packet, pitched the yeast and crossed my fingers.
Two days later, there was no significant fermentation. Figuring the problem was the unbroken nutrient packet, I bought another packet, smacked the crap out of it to break both of them, waited the three hours it said on the packet and pitched the yeast again. The next day I read in a book that the packets should take three DAYS (not hours) to fully reactivate and bloat the packet! Damn it!
Fours days later there had been some fermentation, including some krausen, but not as much as I expected. Two days after that, fermentation had pretty much stopped again. A hydrometer reading had the gravity at 1.03. I tried to rouse the yeast by vigorously shaking the carboy. No dice.
The day after that I tried one more time to add more yeast by dumping a packet of regular Red Star yeast in and giving it another stir. Still nothing. Two days later the gravity has dropped to 1.029, so there's something going on, but it's pretty slow.
So .... now what? Do I just wait for another two weeks in the primary fermenter for the gravity to drop to 1.02 (hopefully)? Do I add yet more yeast (and properly activate it this time)? Do I just go ahead and rack it to a secondary fermenter? Even if it's ruined, I DO want to continue through the entire process so I can learn my mistakes on a single bad batch, even if the end product is undrinkable. For what it's worth, when I tasted the wort out of the hydrometer, it does taste like flat beer and it does have some carbonation in it.
Thoughts?