Stressed Wyeast 1450, low temp pitch.

[dstockwell]

Or it was a combination of other things. First thing removed the smack pack from fridge, did everything with smacking to pushing on the bag to break the inner package (nope when it came time to pitch still not broken) starting to not like this delivery system.

So I opened the bag and carefully broke the inside bag, I brew 3G batches so I didn't make a starter and pitched. Should have checked my temp, because after a vigorous shake of the bucket, put in temp fridge, attached temp probe, came back a little later and ST1000 reading 53F. Well nothing I can do except open the fridge even though it's not running yet since temp is to low, no heating device to warm it up.

So I'm fermenting a Porter OG: 1.063 FG should be 1.016. So I leave alone and hope for the best and after 1 week in primary I checked FG to see how it was going. Not good one week FG: 1.040, oh great. So out of the fermentation fridge and into a 68 - 70 degree closet swirling the yeast and leave. Small bubbles here and there, so I know something more is happening, but after 2 days all stop and FG: 1.030 OK now what to do.

So the first thing I do is scramble to the web searching stuck fermentation, etc, etc. And I likely hurt the yeast by pitching it in the low 50's, combined with not busting the inner bag in a timely manner, should not have needed a starter for 3.25G of wort, but maybe next time I just go ahead and do it anyway. So as a last resort I pulled some slurry (different than 1450) from the fridge, let it warm to room temp, thinned with a little sugar water so I could poor through the hole the airlock sits in and wait. A few hours later small bubbles (that's good) and still a few going this morning, with any luck I might just make it closer to FG.

When the yeast was delivered it was still cool to the touch, so in the fridge it went, so I though all would be good - probably was with the exception trouble busting the inner bag, too pitching at to low a temp.

Oh well next time just make a starter...

 

[Denny]

As you might imagine, I've used 1450 more than a few times.....first, there was no need to break the inner bag. That's nutrient, not yeast. If you're not going to proof the yeast you don't need to break the pouch. Next, 53 didn't hurt the yeast. It won't be very active at that temp, but you didn't hurt it. Maybe you produced a wort high in unfermentables? what was the recipe?

 

[dstockwell]

Recipe Type: All Grain BIAB
Yeast: Wyeast 1450
Batch Size (Gallons): 3.25
Original Gravity: 1.063
Final Gravity: 1.016
IBU: 33
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 32 SRM
ABV: 6.2
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14 Days at 68 degrees

Grain Bill
72% Ireland Ale Malt
6% Brown Malt
6% Oat Malt
5% Victory
5% Flaked Barley
3% Chocolate
3% Midnight Wheat

Mash

BIAB Single Infusion mash for 60 minutes at 154 degrees.

Boil & Hops
.5 oz. Pilgrim 9.1% @ 60 min.
1 oz. Sonnet 4.2% @ 5 min.

 

[Denny]

Hmmm, not exceptionally high in unfermentables. Was the yeast old?

 

[dstockwell]

Yeast was within the use by date, can't check since its trash long gone. Yeast was still cool / not cold when it arrived, put in fridge immediately.

 

[flars]

Take another hydrometer sample for SG in a week and a half with the fermentor at the warmer temperature.

How much foam is produced when you aerate the wort?

 

[Sadu]

The expiry date does make a difference. I found that a 5 month old pack of 1450 in 2.5 gallons of 1.040 wort was an underpitch. It got there eventually and tasted good, but took about 3 weeks to hit FG and I was in full panic mode along the way. I ended up pulling a cup of slurry from another batch to help it along, and it got there eventually.

 

[dstockwell]

How much foam is produced when you aerate the wort?

Hard to say, white bucket. I pour the wort into the bucket, put the lid on and shake, and shake, then airlock on. I think there is plenty of foam.