Yeast Issues
My Imperial Russian Stout had a OG of 1.090. I pitched the Wyeast smackpack and watched it bubble for a couple of days. I was going to rack to the secondary after 8 days, but tested it first. My gravity was 1.055. I'm looking for 1.023.
A dude from Brewers Connection told me to put in some Yeast Energizer. So I bought it and just tossed in. Hopefully this will save it.
The guy asked me how much yeast I put in. I told him one, just like I've done for 14 years. (I've made this particular beer at least 6 times.) He seemed surprised.
This raises questions in my mind. Should I be using more than one smackpack? Should I be adding yeast energizers if I only use one yeast pack? What else can I do? Has anyone had these issues?
Lemme know your experiences and solutions. Thanks!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Justin Rawleigh on -
according to this calculator, you would need about 3.4 wyeast smack packs for proper fermentation. i think the general rule of thumb is that anything over 1060 would require 2+ vials/packs of yeast or a starter. I'm not a pro on yeast by any means though.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Lipman on -
1.090, yeah, one smackpack is not enough...maybe you got lucky here and there but for consistent results follow standard pitching rate recommendations and you won't get hosed. Who knows, you might have a certain batch with low viability or one of any number of variables.
http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html
There is a reason pitching rate calculators exist if you don't want to just take my word for it...otherwise you would just hear people telling you that one smack pack can handle any gravity of beer and any volume...not true. Pitch heavy, not light (within recommended ranges) and you will stand to have better fermentation, period.
My "back of the napkin" estimate is that anything above ~1.050 should take either a starter or more than one vial/smackpack. I believe you get more cells/pitch for dry so you can probably push that w/ dry yeast (assuming you rehydrate...don't get me started if you are of the "sprinkle it on top" opinion).
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Permalink Reply by Ben Lipman on
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Ok, how do you fix it now? Very tough situation. New yeast pitched into an environment with the presence of alcohol is problematic...as in, it likes to die. My best recommendation would be either
1) try a high gravity yeast with super high alcohol tolerance...probably won't work though
2) pitch in some slurry from an active fermentation so you are combining yeast that already has adjusted to the presence of alcohol. If you don't want to brew a rush batch to krausen your RIS, build up a really big starter and cross your fingers.
It is possible you ran out of nutrients...or oxygen...or your pitch was not healthy and the yeast just quit on you. Most quick and simple attempt would be pitch a starter (drop some nutrients in there for good measure) and hope it takes off. Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by John Dorner on -
So did the yeast energizer work?
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Permalink Reply by Jeremy Jones on -
Late reply, but if you haven't dumped the batch you can try what's listed here. http://www.byo.com/stories/techniques/article/indices/31-fermentati...
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Permalink Reply by Ben Lipman on
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Oh, this might actually work for you if you want to save the batch (and don't mind doubling your end product):
make another batch of equal size but do everything you can to ferment it way, way down as low as you can get (super low, long mash, sub some base malt for dextrose, super low attenuating yeast, etc). Then, blend the two together. If you can combine an over-attenuated batch with all or some of your under-attenuated batch you might be able to blend something close to what you were looking for. You might also waste time and money so who knows.
I know, pitch some brett in it and cross your fingers, might be ok. If it were me, I would follow that BYO link and add some yeast at high krausen, in fact, maybe brew a small batch and throw the whole thing in there, do a 1gal RIS but lower gravity and throw the whole mess into your under-done RIS. Make sure you have plenty of nutrients and oxygen?
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Permalink Reply by Ben Lipman on
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Final thought...distill it.
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Permalink Reply by Jeremy Jones on
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Look around at the next club meeting so you can contact John and do it the legal way. :D
Ben Lipman said:
Final thought...distill it.
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