Weird fermentation differences

[bniesen]

So, here is what I did. I brewed 10 gallons of a Cream Ale, split the batch between a pair of 6.5 gal carboys. I used 2 different jars of washed American Ale 1056. I have one carboy with about an inch of krausen, while the other carboy had krausen that blew the airlock and bung clean off. I replaced both airlocks with blow-off tubes. Both batches are still actively fermenting with one carboy having a stronger fermentation than the other.

My questions are: Why would one carboy ferment so differently then the other? Can/Should I do anything about it? Should I expect a big difference between the 2 in regards to the final product?

I know there isn't a whole lot to tell until fermentation slows and a gravity reading can be done. Just was curious if anyone here has experienced the same thing.

 

[Fid]

Did you take a gravity reading for each "batch" after you split it? Is it possible that the after chilling you ended up with a higher gravity in one batch and a lower gravity in the other? I'm kinda shooting in the dark there... I'm not even real sure how likely it is that that could happen.
I guess the alternative would be that one of your jars of yeast had healthier (or more) cells so it took off stronger.

 

[bniesen]

My gravity reading was just from one of the carboys. I wouldn't think that there would be a difference between the two, wort wise.

 

[bniesen]

Anyone else want to put in their $.02?

 

[chickens4life]

my guess would be that you did not get the same number / viability of yeast in both carboys.
Alternatively it could be do to nutrients present or aeration (was one added to the carboy in a different way that may have introduced more oxygen? or did one get more trub than the other?).

 

[amandabab]

Anyone else want to put in their $.02?

how did you split the batch?
A lot of people fill one fermentor then fill the other one.
I like to put a couple gallons in each fermentor, swapping swapping fermentors until they are full. I get no consistency problems.

 

[Revvy]

There is nothing "typical" in brewing...No two fermentations are ever exactly the same.

When we are dealing with living creatures, there is a wild card factor in play..Just like with other animals, including humans...No two behave the same.

You can split a batch in half put them in 2 identical carboys, and pitch equal amounts of yeast from the same starter...and have them act completely differently...for some reason on a subatomic level...think about it...yeasties are small...1 degree difference in temp to us, could be a 50 degree difference to them...one fermenter can be a couple degrees warmer because it's closer to a vent all the way across the room and the yeasties take off...

Someone, Grinder I think posted a pic once of 2 carboys touching each other, and one one of the carboys the krausen had formed only on the side that touched the other carboy...probably reacting to the heat of the first fermentation....but it was like symbiotic or something...


Yeasts are like teenagers, swmbos, and humans in general, they have their own individual way of doing things.

No biggie...Just the unpredictable nature of our yeastie buddies.

 

[bniesen]

amandabab: I split up the batch just by filling one first then the other.

Revvy: Thanks for the reminder about yeast, being alive and how no two fermentations are the same. Thank you for the explanation.

I'll post back when fermentation slows down and I can take a gravity reading.