Help on 4.1% ipa brew

[tommos76]

I made an all grain ipa on Saturday which is fermenting in a glass carboy at 18 degrees. I removed the cap on day 4 to add 40g of cascade and since then I havent seen any more signs of fermentation. I'm assuming that fermentation has completed and turned temp up to 21 degrees .

I used 4.1 kg of Maris otter
1 1/2 packets of safale sa-05 yeast
As half of first packet got stuck to sanitised funnel.

Martin

 

[kelper]

Got any hydrometer readings (SG or specific gravity) ?

 

[tommos76]

Yes it was 1045 at sg I will attach a pic too.

Thanks

 

[kelper]

Ah, but what is the SG now? This will tell you and us if fermentation is complete or nearly so...

 

[tommos76]

I will have to check tomorrow and will let you know.

Thanks
Martin

 

[ChrisRedWills]

also one package of us 05 yeast should be enough for 23litres as it has 200 billion cells leave for another week then check with hydrometer
good luck I'm sure it'll be fine

 

[tommos76]

Thanks Chris.

When I tipped the first lot in I didn't dry the funnel which was soaked in star San so most of the first packet was stuck to the side lol

 

[ChrisRedWills]

I'm no expert tommas but to much yeast I think can cause off flavours I use a lot of s 04 and us05 and I always rehydrate first get them yeasties working and increasing in numbers no worries about sticking to funnels
good luck

 

[Slid]

I'm no expert tommas but to much yeast I think can cause off flavours I use a lot of s 04 and us05 and I always rehydrate first get them yeasties working and increasing in numbers no worries about sticking to funnels
good luck

Yes, reading the instructions on the packet and following them is always an approach, I guess.
Never really bother with rehydrating dry yeast, just whisk up a bit of foam in the FV and sprinkle on that, myself.

In a similar situation, with yeast stuck to a funnel, I would just have added water slowly until the funnel had unblocked. That counts as re-hydrating, too, after a fashion.

 

[ChrisRedWills]

totally agree slid I just find rehydrating kicks off fermentation quickly I did G H patersbier p128 yesterday pitched yeast at 1600 it was bubbling at 2000 and is going like a rocket lol

 

[divrack]

Adding that much extra yeast will do nothing bad. I give you my big special Maximum guarantee.
As to it showing no sign of activity, we talking airlock or have you looked inside to see that kreusen had fallen etc? I barely need you to answer that tbh. My advice is to leave it until you are good to rack as air is not the friend of hoppy beer. It's almost certainly that your bucket is just leaking enough that slower activity shows no sign. Although it's also possible that with that much yeast it's basically done. If you are in a rush take a quick peek, but I would advise not opening it for a week, or more, then open only when you are ready to go. Obviously testing is advisable before bottling to check its got where it wants to.

 

[tommos76]

Hi Divrack I've got a bubble airlock on a 5 gallon glass carboy. I stayed it with starsan before taking it off and covered the hole with foil which had starsan on it while I was sorting out the hops. Carboy bung was off for about 2 mins in total which I washed and put fresh starsan in.

 

[dad_of_jon]

The bubbles can effect the hydrometer reading. I flick them out before taking a reading. if you had fermentation wait at least a week before dry hopping then take a fg reading 5 days later I reckon you'll be around 1.010.

 

[tommos76]

That's great fingers crossed all will be good.

Thanks

 

[divrack]

Hi Divrack I've got a bubble airlock on a 5 gallon glass carboy. I stayed it with starsan before taking it off and covered the hole with foil which had starsan on it while I was sorting out the hops. Carboy bung was off for about 2 mins in total which I washed and put fresh starsan in.

None of that would stop a fermentation. I'm pretty sure it's done then, 4 days isn't too bad really. Personally I would Chuck in the dry hops now, hoping for a bit of activity to flush out any o2, but it does depend a bit on what your plans are for it, and what it's doing now. If it's starting to clear then probably better to wait until clear then Chuck them in a couple days before bottling

 

[tommos76]

It's been 10 days since this was put into the fermenter so I've taken a hydrometer measurement and it was bang on 1.010 which is what I wanted to achieve. I've just added a 30g sachet of Young's beer finings Nd going to leave it about a week before closed transfering to a keg .The taste seems to be nearly there and I'm hoping that the bitterness will lessen over time .it's the first time I've used a protofloc tablet in a brew so was surprised to see big clumps of white in the bottom of the fv. All in all I think I'm on the right track!
Martin

 

[GerritT]

That's beer baby!!

 

[Alex.mc]

I have one fermenter which notoriously shows low airlock activity. The seal on the lid is probably the cause, but beer out of it has never been a problem. CO2 is 1.7 times denser than air so removing airlocks to clean or replace liquid shouldn't ever be a problem if done gently and slowly.

 

[tommos76]

Thanks Alex.mc.

 

[An Ankoù]

I'm no expert tommas but to much yeast I think can cause off flavours I use a lot of s 04 and us05 and I always rehydrate first get them yeasties working and increasing in numbers no worries about sticking to funnels
good luck

I absolutely agree with you. This using of multiple packets or sachets of yeast in a roughly 5-gallon batch is madness. Rehydrate and effectively pitch twice the amount when it comes to dried yeast.