WY2001 stuck?

[haberlet]

Hi all,

I make quite a few Czech Pilsners- triple decocted 100% bohemian pilsner malt. I usually use 2278 but I tried 2001 this time because I wanted more of a true Urquell clone. I pitched at 42 F in 1.049 and let it rise over five days to 58 F. It's sitting at 1.025 on the sixth day with the airlock going off once ever 10 seconds and gradually slowing. No real gravity change (one point) in the last twenty four hours.

I usually have my process so down pat with 2278 that this is worrying me. Cause for alarm or let it ride? I'm leaving for two months on Sunday so I can't really monitor it. High mash was 157-158 F but that's pretty typical + triple decocted.

 

[eluterio]

Hi all,

I make quite a few Czech Pilsners- triple decocted 100% bohemian pilsner malt. I usually use 2278 but I tried 2001 this time because I wanted more of a true Urquell clone. I pitched at 42 F in 1.049 and let it rise over five days to 58 F. It's sitting at 1.025 on the sixth day with the airlock going off once ever 10 seconds and gradually slowing. No real gravity change (one point) in the last twenty four hours.

I usually have my process so down pat with 2278 that this is worrying me. Cause for alarm or let it ride? I'm leaving for two months on Sunday so I can't really monitor it. High mash was 157-158 F but that's pretty typical + triple decocted.

I would say leave it until the day before you leave. Im wondering if the yeast was older and you didn't make a big enough starter. I have used 2001 and its been solid but I also don't check until after 2 weeks. Tough decisions ahead, leave it for 2 months or rack it into keg it and leave it in your chamber and let it secondary for 2 months at 55 degrees. Or just leave it on the yeast cake for 2 months what do you have to lose? or pitch some more 2001 and let it sit for the 2 months. Ive had slow turning lager yeast mostly wyeast 2633 and 2308. both were fresh yeast and they both took their sweet time fermenting. or another idea pitch some 001 at 60 let it eat up whats left over.

 

[haberlet]

I would say leave it until the day before you leave.

I racked it over yesterday morning once the high krausen fell (my lager SOP). Airlock is down to once ever 16-18 seconds. Yeast was pitched into a 1.25 L starter, got going immediately. Not a big enough starter but it's still an adequate pitch rate for a low gravity lager in the mid-high 50s. Shouldn't be an attenuation issue either, 156-158 is normal for a Czech Pilsner and 2001 is rated at 74-76%. It's a head scratcher. I'll let it roll for two more days and report back.

I'm gonna have a friend put it in the fridge in two weeks to lager (he can't take an FG).. We'll see

 

[eluterio]

I'm gonna have a friend put it in the fridge in two weeks to lager (he can't take an FG).. We'll see

Good luck im going to hope it continues to drop for you! Sometimes things like this just happen.

 

[haberlet]

Down to 1.023 and slowly fighting. Word of advice to anyone considering 2001: it's gonna take forever

 

[Gcc_mtl]

Hey Guys,

Im with a similar problem now with the same yeast. I've used it in the past with no issues but this time it seems slow.

Im 3 weeks into primary at 1.037 (IG 1.048). Its been fermenting at 5-8C.
I feel uneasy moving it off its yeast now or going for a diacetyl rest.
Maybe my pitch was smaller this time at 1L.

Any advice as to whats going on, or what my next move it?

 

[haberlet]

I'm a bit late to this- sorry. As I'm back to college for a few months I can't update you on my progress. 1 L is a bit low but I've pitched pilsners with 2278 at that rate and been fine. Your nowhere near FG so it's not an attenuation issue yet IMO

My opinion from doing a lot of pilsners? I'd rack it over or vigorously rouse the carboy and re-oxygenate some. You can take some slurry with you but that's probably not the issue. Flavor compounds from lager yeast are created in first 3 days or first 25-30% for the most part so I'd definately really raise the temperature. My activity did go up when I rose it into the mid 50s.

Maybe a bad batch of 2001 around?

 

[MrPowers]

In my opinion, I would leave it, and raise the temperature to 10/11C and check it again in a few days. 5-8C is a good pitching temp, but most lager yeasts will have a hard time actually fermenting in that range.

I would certainly not add any more oxygen at this point, I think that would be detrimental to the finished beer's character.

 

[haberlet]

Turns out my refractometer adjustment calculator has been off- Re-did my calculations.. At the time of the thread, it was at 1.016. I made it home for a weekend and it's down to 1.012 (perhaps a tad low) from 1.048. Don't know when it finished off but I'm pretty happy with the results

 

[oscity]

Hi,

First - sorry for my bad english

Im brewing beginner.. I made several styles of beer - but all of them were Top-fermenting yeasts.

Now I made a Pilsner Urquell Beer with Wyeast 2001. Like on the package written - I let the package swell 3 days by 22deg Celsius (72 Fahrenheit).
The worth had the exact same temperature when I pored the yeast into it. Then I mixed it with air and let it stand another couple of hours.
After that I placed it into the cellar where it is 13deg Celsius (55deg Fahrenheit). After 24h nothing happen? Should I wait longer?

Should I let the worth with the yeast stand by 22c (72F) until the bubbling started or should I pitch the yeast into colder worth?

I read I can not pour the 22deg warm yeast into 13deg cold worth. ?! So wheres the fault.

Do also all the WYEAST Lager packages need to be swell by 22deg (72F) ?!

 

[eluterio]

Hi,

First - sorry for my bad english

Im brewing beginner.. I made several styles of beer - but all of them were Top-fermenting yeasts.

Now I made a Pilsner Urquell Beer with Wyeast 2001. Like on the package written - I let the package swell 3 days by 22deg Celsius (72 Fahrenheit).
The worth had the exact same temperature when I pored the yeast into it. Then I mixed it with air and let it stand another couple of hours.
After that I placed it into the cellar where it is 13deg Celsius (55deg Fahrenheit). After 24h nothing happen? Should I wait longer?

Should I let the worth with the yeast stand by 22c (72F) until the bubbling started or should I pitch the yeast into colder worth?

I read I can not pour the 22deg warm yeast into 13deg cold worth. ?! So wheres the fault.

Do also all the WYEAST Lager packages need to be swell by 22deg (72F) ?!

I don't think 3 days is what was written on the package. It says 3 hours and I hop that is what you did.

Pitching it at the same temp it should have started but if you let the wyeast smack pack sit for 3 days it might take a little longer to start fermenting. I would let it sit for up to 72 hours and see what happens. I recently used 2001 and it took 60 hours for it start fermenting.

 

[eluterio]

To add on this topic of 2001 I recently made a Czech Pale Lager. I received some advise from a wise brewer of mine and didn't make a starter. I had some fresh yeast just 15 days old according to the packaging date and pitched it directly into my wort of 1.040. It took 60 hours for it to show signs of life and only took a few days of good fermentation before it was started to slow down. Im not sure if this is common with 2001 and I wont have reading until I keg it this weekend. Ill post my results this weekend.

 

[haberlet]

That's surprising advice- I don't totally doubt it but I'd like to hear the logic. PU really only has a hint of diacetyl and while yeast character (fruity/floral) is more than a lot of lagers, I still think the yeast character is going to be too aggressive from just a smack pack.

To the guy asking a question- You pitched a smackpack without a starter. You're gonna have to give it a lot of time to get the yeast count up, 48+ hours. You'll still have great beer but take your time, don't repitch.

My advice is when you pitch less yeast, you should lower your initial temperature into the 40s. They are counteracting scales, as most yeast character is formed in the first three days, so the more yeast you pitch, you can get away with a higher pitch temp, and vice versa. Just my experience.

 

[oscity]

My brewing supplier told me tol let all the Wyeast Yeast swell at least 1 day for each month of the producing date. So it means this Yeast was from December 2015 - now its February - so yes - 2 days it should stay at room temperature.
My question was if I have to cool the yeast down to the temperature of the worth?
And what temperature does the worth have to has when I pour that yeast into it?

Here is what Wyeast writes on their page:

Allow the package to incubate and swell for 3 hours or more (it is not necessary for this package to fully swell before use) at 70-75°F (21-24°C).
Use sanitizing solution to sanitize the package before opening.
Shake well, open and pour the Activator™ into 5 gallons of well aerated or oxygenated wort up to 1.060 OG at 65-72°F (18-22°C). Maintain temperature until fermentation is evident by CO2 bubble formation, bubbling airlock or foaming on top of wort. For high gravity or low temperature fermentations additional yeast may be required.
6. Adjust to desired fermentation temperature.

 

[Gcc_mtl]

So to give a conclusion to my story.

I let it stay at 8C for another 2 weeks. It took about 6-7wks in total to reach a steady reading of 1.018. I brought it in a diacetyl rest for 4 days. It topped out at 1.012. That's a little higher than my usual (Ive done this particular pilsner 8 times already). Its now in its laggering stages, and I took a swig before I racked it into the keg.. I think its my best one yet. Obvi tastes green, and a little too hoppy. Im wishing this will decrease with the aging process, but the metallic finish is really nice. I think I will continue using this yeast, but will manage my starter volume better, as well as the introduction temperature of both the starter and wort.

We'll see once its properly aged and carbbed for a true final conclusion.