yeast question

[bbqbuddy]

i saw this touched on in an earler thread but I just want throw my situation out there since its not quite the same scenario.

I started fermenting a basic american ale(extract brew). To start off it was temping around 74 and even a little higher. I decided that since my first batch had a harsh alcohol bite to it that my fermentationt temp may be a little high for american ale yeast(wyeast). When I looked at the specs it said 72 degrees tops or 60 degrees bottom.

On day four of vigorous fermentation I made the choice to move it to a cooler place. Within 24 hours my fermenter was down to 60 degrees. It is now on 7 days of fermenting. Needless to say the bubbling slowed and died. But thats not uncommon for the stage that its at......

I want to know if the yeast can handle that large of a temp shift. And if not, should I repitch?

 

[Junebug]

Well, it wouldn't be unusual for fermentation to peter out at five days...mine usually slow down before that. I'd take a specific gravity reading to see if the beer is close to where it's final gravity "should" be. That is, assuming that you have a hydrometer...

 

[bbqbuddy]

Thanks junebug! yeah I got a hydroM- gotta break down the science of it all! I figured that would be the next diagnostic. Check the gravity. I'll check it at the end of this week and see. Im just curious if you can just pitch yeast here and there and end up with the same result. Is there such a thing as OVERpitching? I can imagine UNDERpitched effects.

 

[TimBrewz]

I have used Wyeast 1056 a lot its the "house" yeast-I have crashed it a few times from 70 to 60 overnight accidentally and had no problems-as long as primary fermentation was about done you will be fine-its super versatile yeast

by the way-fermentation creates heat-so those high temps are likely due to the first few days of fermentation-next time just ride it out

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Was was the OG of the first batch that you thought had too much alcohol bite to it, and what yeast did you use?

74 is a bit on the warm side, but I wouldn't think that it would improve attenuation and give you more alcohol.

 

[bbqbuddy]

TimBrewz! Thanks for the info man. Comforting. Since this is my second batch Im trying to one-up from the last batch and tweak a few things. Not doing so hot at the moment but hey Im tryin! I will surely take your advice on "riding out" the early temp spike next time.

ohiobrewtus!- nice avatar btw. The first batch was an Imperial Pale Ale. It read out at 1.070 or so and was fermented with wyeast 1056. It finished up about 9%. Dont get me wrong, it was quite tasty and I polished it off pretty quick. It was fermenting in the upper 70's and almost 80. My buddy brought up the alcohol bite and I kind of agreed. Didnt slow me down from drinking it up. Ive had some 11% + belgium beers at a bar here so I know that the alkytaste can damn near knock your head off. And get you into drunken trouble as well. bad memories. ooh.

I was just reading in John Palmer's book about how higher than prescribed ferm temps can cause creation of fusel alcohols that have a stronger alc flavor. I dont know. I figure if I can mellow the flavor a bit with a lower ferm temp that would be an easy tweak to do.

Thank you so much for the input guys! I really appreciate it. I got noone to talk to about this stuff.

 

[bbqbuddy]

The next beer will be a clone of some sort.......I been eyeballing fat tire or sierra nevada pale ale. Any killer beer clone recipe web sites anywhere?

 

[Junebug]

I did this one, and it turned out well- if you are bothered by that syrupy flavor that liquid malt extract seems to leave, go with dry malt extract. :rockin:

http://byo.com/recipe/708.html

 

[Junebug]

I didn't do the dry hopping option with that recipe, and it was pleasantly hoppy. A little more than the SNP.

 

[bbqbuddy]

Junebug! Thanks for the recipe bro. Thats pretty much the beer Im leaning towards doing! Like it.

Hey you brought up a good point about the liquid extract. Im a total newbie so I cant compare yet. But is there a difference in flavor between liquid and dry? Guess so.

That might be an interesting forum question. Have everyone weigh in on one side or the other (LME VS. DME) and why. Probably already been done though.

Ive used majority liquid on my two batches. I used a couple pounds of dry mixed in with liquid on my first batch

.

 

[Junebug]

The topic of dry versus liquid has been addressed in the extract brewing section. I have finely honed taste buds and every single one of my beers made with liquid extract have had a slight "syrupy" flavor. Sort of like maple syrup. Yooper suggested brewing with dry malt extract to eliminate that flavor and she was right on. The "twang" is gone. My SNP clone was made with liquid malt and I can detect the off flavor in it, although it's greatly disguised by the hoppiness. My next brew will be the clone again, only with dry extract. The measurements are different, you'll use less of the dry malt than liquid- Yooper posted the conversion amount on here somewhere...

 

[bbqbuddy]

Junebug! thanks for the wisdom. I'll make sure to make the change! I hear you are able to get a lighter color with dme as well. Heard it mixes better. No scorching. I think Im sold.

peace