What did I do wrong?

[MonkeyArms]

My first post so apologies if the answer is out there. I see so many tips and tricks on yeast but none that apply EXACTLY to my question.

I tried to harvest yeast from a couple of bottles of Bells Oberon and use that to brew myself a batch. I followed directions on Bells website: http://www.bellsbeer.com/news/how-culture-bell-s-house-yeast-bottle-bell-s-beer

My starter took a few days, but eventually, after stepping it up, I got some airlock activity that told me things were working. I wasn’t sure what to do at that point, but on brew day, I just went ahead and pitched the whole starter into my cooled wort. It still seemed active right up until that point, and perhaps that was my mistake. Maybe I should have let the starter finish all the way? Let it drop out, cold crash, etc, and siphon off the starter wort, just pitching the slurry.

Anyway, I got some fermentation after about 24 hours, but then it seemed to end prematurely. Took a gravity reading and it’s at 1.030. OG was 1.053 and final gravity should be about 1.010. I’ll check it again tomorrow, but I fear it’s stalled out.

Any thoughts on what I did wrong? If gravity has indeed stopped dropping, can I just buy some ale yeast and pitch it in to finish the job?

 

[myndflyte]

So it's only been 24 hours or has it been longer? I've pitched an active starter before when I didn't start it soon enough so I see no issues with that. I'd let it go for 2 or 3 weeks and see where you're at

If after 2 weeks you're still at 1.030, you could always pitch a neutral yeast like US-05 to finish it out.

 

[Dgallo]

Not really providing us with enough info to truly help. What pitch rate were you targeting with your final step up starter? How many days has it been fermenting? What was your fermentation temp?

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

You very well may have under pitched, but if your starter was active then let it ride it will take time for the yeast to thrive. What was the volume of your starter by the time you pitched? Going from dregs to having enough yeast for 5 gallons would take more than a few turns.

BTW welcome to the forum.

 

[mongoose33]

I pitch active starters all the time, so that's not necessarily it. The problem, if related to the starter, is that you probably didn't step it up enough.

We also, as @Dgallo notes, don't have complete information. What was your wort temp when you pitched? Did you oxygenate the wort? How? At what temp are you fermenting? How are you maintaining that temp? How did you build the starter and how did you step it up?

What time frames are you talking about? A day? Three days? What?

Until we have some better idea of what you did, it's all just taking a wild guess.....

 

[kh54s10]

I would say that Oberon's instructions are on the light side. I would try to start with yeast saved from all six bottles. And I would add a third step up in the starter sequence.

But I wonder as others already have, how long has it been since you pitched the starter. If it hasn't been at least 5-7 days, leave it alone until at least that time then get back to us with the stats then.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Took a gravity reading and it’s at 1.030.

How are you checking gravity?

A refractometer reading gets skewed by the presence of alcohol, and you must use a calculator. When someone says they have a FG ~1.030 it always make me suspicious. If you're using a hydrometer then disregard...

 

[MonkeyArms]

Thanks, everyone for the responses so far. Let me provide more details, as many have asked for.

Starter, Step 1: 1/2 cup of DME, 1 pint of water, 15 min boil, cooled to 80 degrees, then added to container with dregs from 2 bottles of Oberon.
Starter, Step 2: 2-3 days later, 1 cup of DME, 2 pints of water, 15 min boil, cooled to 80 degrees, than added to existing container.

So, total volume of my starter was about 3 pints. These are the directions on Bell's website, so if I didn't step it up enough, I blame them!

Brew day was about a week after the second step on the starter, and the airlock was still bubbling slowly, and as I said, I pitched the entire starter volume at the end of brew day. I had about 4.6 gallons of wort, cooled to about 78 degrees, and aerated it by simply splashing it into my fermenter, then pitching the yeast. All of my fermentations sit in my basement, which is about 70 degrees. That's where the starter sat and that's where my batch of beer is currently sitting.

24 hours after I pitched the yeast, I saw no airlock activity, so I gave the fermenter a good couple of shakes to re-aerate, and then the airlock started going wild for a few hours, then stopped again about 12 hours later. It's been quiet ever since and that was 24 hours ago now. If that doesn't make sense, let me restate: I brewed on Wed, Sept 4, re-aerated on Thurs, Sept 5 in the evening, and its now Sat, Sept 7 in the morning.

My OG was 1.053 and I took a reading on Friday after the airlock activity stopped and got 1.031. I'm looking to get it down to 1.010. There was visible krausen/foam when I opened the fermenter to take the gravity reading.

Sounds like it could either be the starter wasn't stepped up enough, or I just need to put on my patience pants. I feel like I rely heavily on what the airlock is doing. I've seen people say that's not always indicative of what's going on, but I can't logically convince myself that the yeast are doing their thing without causing CO2 to escape out of the airlock.

 

[Dgallo]

I will repeat what those people are telling you the airlock is not an indicator of fermentation. Co2 can escape from the bung or your lid and the airlock won’t move. The only true way to determine fermentation is occurring or that it has stopped is by taking a gravity reading.

 

[GoeHaarden]

24 hours after I pitched the yeast, I saw no airlock activity,

Are you using a bucket? Buckets are notorious for not sealing 100% and gas will escape via path of least resistance which makes airlock activity unreliable. Airlocks should be used for entertainment purposes only...

 

[MonkeyArms]

How are you checking gravity?

A refractometer reading gets skewed by the presence of alcohol, and you must use a calculator. When someone says they have a FG ~1.030 it always make me suspicious. If you're using a hydrometer then disregard...

Hydrometer, and making temp adjustment calculation.

 

[MonkeyArms]

And, yes, I’m using a bucket. I can check gravity again today or tomorrow to see if it’s moving.

 

[GoeHaarden]

I can check gravity again today or tomorrow to see if it’s moving.

Also, just noticed that you only brewed 3 days ago. It's fermenting, and can take several days depending on a lot of factors.

My suggestion, leave it alone and quit opening that lid. Take a gravity reading at two weeks, or 10 days if it's killing you...

You're just setting yourself up for oxidation and infection issues when you crack that lid...

 

[MonkeyArms]

Also, just noticed that you only brewed 3 days ago. It's fermenting, and can take several days depending on a lot of factors.

My suggestion, leave it alone and quit opening that lid. Take a gravity reading at two weeks, or 10 days if it's killing you...

You're just setting yourself up for oxidation and infection issues when you crack that lid...

Ok, and if at that point, I find the yeast has failed me, could I just add some fresh yeast and save the batch?

 

[Dgallo]

Ok, and if at that point, I find the yeast has failed me, could I just add some fresh yeast and save the batch?

Yeah but I would bet you anything you’ll be at fg

 

[mongoose33]

If you have krausen, it's fermenting.

 

[kh54s10]

The first problem I see (if my math is correct) was that you starter worts were too strong. That would stress the yeast. I do the first step at 1.025. That would be about 34 grams in .5 liter. The second step I do at about 1.038 - 1.040. For that you need 100 grams per liter. Strong wort will stress the already weak yeast cells.

But your starter volume is pretty good. And it seems your fermentation is proceeding normally.

And, yes, I’m using a bucket. I can check gravity again today or tomorrow to see if it’s moving.

I wouldn't bother, any change from today will be minimal. I wait 14 days, always, before taking a first reading. A typical fermentations takes 5-7 days at minimum.

It is unlikely that the yeast has failed you, but yes after waiting about 10 days if the gravity hasn't dropped you can try adding more yeast. My guess is that you won't have to.

 

[MonkeyArms]

Thanks kh54s10. I agree my starter wort was too strong. This was my first attempt at making a starter, and I followed these directions: http://howtobrew.com/book/section-1/yeast/preparing-yeast-and-yeast-starters

He said it would be 1.040, but it actually came out at more like 1.066

 

[myndflyte]

I find the yeast has failed me, could I just add some fresh yeast and save the batch?

Yeah. I would say if after 14 days you're still stuck at 1.030, then just pitch some fresh yeast to finish it out.