US-05 + nutrient = Celebration

[aryoung1980]

I used a yeast nutrient for the first time with US-05 in an American Pale Ale. I hit 80% attenuation!

I will use a nutrient every time now. I used a new package of US-05 for a cream ale without yeast nutrient and had a horrible 58% attenuation.

I washed that same yeast, 6 weeks later I did a two step 1L starter and pitched it in my APA. Two weeks later I hit numbers I didn't even dream of.

For those of you who doubt the power of yeast nutrient, please try it for yourself.

I'm gonna celebrate this small achievement by brewing up a dry stout this afternoon.

Cheers my forum friends!

 

[BetterSense]

What exactly is yeast nutrient (chemically)?

How does one measure attenuation, OG/(OG-FG)? I have never paid attention to what attenuation I'm getting.

 

[aryoung1980]

I'd need to do more research to find out what the chemical makeup if my yeast nutrient is. I used the Wyeast Beer Nutrient Blend. The label says visit www.wyeastlab.com for more info. I'll let you do that.

You're close in your equation. Attenuation = 100%•(OG - FG)/(OG - 1).

 

[Dok]

I used a yeast nutrient for the first time with US-05 in an American Pale Ale. I hit 80% attenuation!

I will use a nutrient every time now. I used a new package of US-05 for a cream ale without yeast nutrient and had a horrible 58% attenuation.

I washed that same yeast, 6 weeks later I did a two step 1L starter and pitched it in my APA. Two weeks later I hit numbers I didn't even dream of.

For those of you who doubt the power of yeast nutrient, please try it for yourself.

I'm gonna celebrate this small achievement by brewing up a dry stout this afternoon.

Cheers my forum friends!

Your attenuation may be higher because you washed made a starter and re-pitched from a previous batch. The dried yeast may not have been in the best shape when you first pitched but you got rid of the dead stuff and it grew. I myself just recently discovered what you can get out of re-pitching. I think it it is true that the 2-3 pitches are the best.

 

[aryoung1980]

Your attenuation may be higher because you washed made a starter and re-pitched from a previous batch. The dried yeast may not have been in the best shape when you first pitched but you got rid of the dead stuff and it grew. I myself just recently discovered what you can get out of re-pitching. I think it it is true that the 2-3 pitches are the best.

I've washed and used starters previously but never even came close to 80%. However, this was the first time I did a step-up starter so that probably made a big difference (higher yeast count).

I still think the nutrient helped immensely. I'll find out for sure though because I'm making a stout with a 1.048 OG today without using a starter and the nutrient. Wish me luck.

 

[jpc8015]

I used a yeast nutrient and US-05 on my last batch. After 24 hours the airlock was at a rolling boil!

 

[aryoung1980]

I used a yeast nutrient and US-05 on my last batch. After 24 hours the airlock was at a rolling boil!

That's how mine was too; such a lovely sound. What are fermenting?

 

[osagedr]

Only way to tell for sure what role the nutrient was playing would be with a split batch.

 

[permo]

I pitch starters of WLP001 all the time and always use nutrient in my wort. I have adjusted my mash temps and fermentation temperatures to accomadate the rediculous attenuation of this strain when given optimum fermenting conditions. %80 is not crazy at all. Heck, if I mashed long and low .afermented at 70 degrees and pitched the appropriately sized starter, I would expect higher than that.

 

[bell0347]

I recently brewed a blonde ale using a pack of rehydrated Notty and Wyeast nutrient. Went from 1.049 to 1.008 in 3 days at 66F. My mash temp did get a little low at 150F, was aiming for 152F. For no more than it costs I'll be using the nutrient from now on.

 

[BetterSense]

As I asked earlier...what the heck is yeast nutrient? What chemical?

 

[SkyHighBrew88]

Simcoe Double IPA I made clocked in at 1.072 and clocked out at 1.012! Apparent attenuation 82.3% (Beersmith). Yeast nutrient is the shiz!

Beer is quite tasty too...



Note: Also mashed at 149F and had just under a pound of corn sugar, so that helped too.

Wyeast Website says the nutrient includes:
A blend of vitamins, minerals, inorganic nitrogen, organic nitrogen, zinc, phosphates and other trace elements that will benefit yeast growth and complete fermentation. Additional nutrients are most valuable during yeast propagation and sluggish or stuck fermentations. Supplementing with nutrients will reduce lag time, improve viability and provide consistent attenuation rates.

 

[Gigan]

Hmm I just made a Simcoe DIPA as well with US-05 and no nutrients. Clocked in at 10.71 wonder how well I'll do with out it. Time will tell, It's in fermentation rage at the moment! BTW Mine is extract and I used 2 pounds of Corn Sugar. Not sure if you mentioned it but how long did you ferment?

 

[MrManifesto]

As I asked earlier...what the heck is yeast nutrient? What chemical?

Wyeast sells a powder that's a number of different things, but zinc is the main thing. Wort contains everything for the yeast but zinc and 02.

 

[SkyHighBrew88]

Hmm I just made a Simcoe DIPA as well with US-05 and no nutrients. Clocked in at 10.71 wonder how well I'll do with out it. Time will tell, It's in fermentation rage at the moment! BTW Mine is extract and I used 2 pounds of Corn Sugar. Not sure if you mentioned it but how long did you ferment?

Just checked. This beer had 13 days in primary starting at 66.5F and ending at 68.0F. I don't usually secondary but I had whole hops and did it in a bucket, it had a secondary fermentation of another 8 days before I bottled.

I had to make this after having Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA. You'll like yours i'm sure...

 

[Gigan]

Skyhigh Your IPA looks Awesome btw!

 

[Gigan]

Cool Mine is a Knuckle Sandwich clone attempt. So far it tastes right. Really loving the color of yours. What did Beersmith tell you your IBU's were going to be?

 

[SkyHighBrew88]

Cool Mine is a Knuckle Sandwich clone attempt. So far it tastes right. Really loving the color of yours. What did Beersmith tell you your IBU's were going to be?

IBUs were showing 69.3 (Rager) and SRM is at 11.7...

I used a blend of Crystal 60L and 120L with 2-row and 1 ounce of Carafa III for color. Was going for a reddish color but I'm thinking it's like the color of a copper penny. Glad you like it!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

As I asked earlier...what the heck is yeast nutrient? What chemical?

nutrient is usually dead yeast cells and zinc, maybe some other trace elements.





OP, i use wyeast nutrient in every batch and a teeny bit in every starter. i've also noticed increased activity and sometimes apparent attenuation since i started using it. can't say if its JUST the nutrient, or partly due to becoming more experienced. FWIW, s-05 is a beast to begin with, but i find myself getting ~80% apparent attenuation when using s-05+nutrient too.

 

[ArcaneXor]

The main ingredients in yeast nutrients are diammonium phosphate, urea and dead yeast that has been force-fed various micro-nutrients, most importantly zinc. If your nutrient is a white powder, it's lacking the dead yeast and may just be plain DAP.

Yeast energizers have similar ingredients, but in very different ratios.

 

[SkyHighBrew88]

The main ingredients in yeast nutrients are diammonium phosphate, urea and dead yeast that has been force-fed various micro-nutrients, most importantly zinc. If your nutrient is a white powder, it's lacking the dead yeast and may just be plain DAP.

Yeast energizers have similar ingredients, but in very different ratios.

Wyeast's nutrient is mostly grey with the occasional white spot. Cheap, good, and it works!

 

[Brew_Force]

The main ingredients in yeast nutrients are diammonium phosphate, urea and dead yeast that has been force-fed various micro-nutrients, most importantly zinc. If your nutrient is a white powder, it's lacking the dead yeast and may just be plain DAP.

Yeast energizers have similar ingredients, but in very different ratios.

Urea, huh?

(Maybe I'll brew a Piss Crazy IPA?)