Issues with Wyeast

[Scrattajack]

Hmm I don't, I just let it pour in from the kettle to fermenter.

That's all I do. Just a thought.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

That's all I do. Just a thought.

Well a good splashy pour is a very good way to aerate the wort to be honest :-)

 

[Nottsbeer]

Well a good splashy pour is a very good way to aerate the wort to be honest :-)

That's what I do (as probably many here). I did however wonder on my last brew if aerating hot (say around 80oC) makes any difference than when cooler (when at pitching temperature). I guess not and there is enough oxygen present, but I had a quick doubt so did it again when cool! Do you generally aerate hot or cold?

 

[Nottsbeer]

That's what I do (as probably many here). I did however wonder on my last brew if aerating hot (say around 80oC) makes any difference than when cooler (when at pitching temperature). I guess not and there is enough oxygen present, but I had a quick doubt so did it again when cool! Do you generally aerate hot or cold?

Oh, I suppose my method at the moment may differ from others as I don't cool using a coil/chiller, so I pour the hot wort into a bucket to then cool in a water bath.

 

[foxbat]

All of them within the dates the most recent use by was 23/8 and I brewed last weekend.

That makes it over 5 months old which for a lager yeast is unusable without building back the cell count as you found out unfortunately.

You needed 180bn cells for a normal lager pitch rate. You pitched 30bn according to the calculators.

 

[JockyBrewer]

Wyeast packs have worked really well for me. Personally I think their california ale strain (1056) is cleaner and superior to the White Labs (WLP001) and dry Fermentis (US-05) versions. I’ve had cleaner fermentations, and the hops just ‘pop’ that bit more with 1056.

I always make a starter, and for clean fermentations I prefer to sit at the higher end of an estimated pitching rate,

 

[Pennine]

That makes it over 5 months old which for a lager yeast is unusable without building back the cell count as you found out unfortunately.

You needed 180bn cells for a normal lager pitch rate. You pitched 30bn according to the calculators.

Seems like it, I am just curious why but started then stopped after fermenting about 10 gravity points.

I probably should have read this too.

17. I’m brewing a lager, do I need to cool my wort to fermentation temperature before adding the yeast?
There are different views on this topic. The individual brewer ultimately has to weigh the pros and cons. If a brewer is to pitch the lager yeast at fermentation temperature (55 °F/ 12 °C and below) then the pitch rate needs to be increased and a slower start to fermentation should be expected. The other option is to pitch the yeast into wort (60-70 °F/ 15-21 °C) and maintain temperature for 24 hours or until signs of active fermentation are evident and then cool to desired fermentation temperature.

Anyway I think I will stick with Imperial or propogate for liquid yeast this one takes too much babysitting. It's nice to have a higher starting cell count for the exact same price.

 

[samale]

Seems like it, I am just curious why but started then stopped after fermenting about 10 gravity points.

I probably should have read this too.

17. I’m brewing a lager, do I need to cool my wort to fermentation temperature before adding the yeast?
There are different views on this topic. The individual brewer ultimately has to weigh the pros and cons. If a brewer is to pitch the lager yeast at fermentation temperature (55 °F/ 12 °C and below) then the pitch rate needs to be increased and a slower start to fermentation should be expected. The other option is to pitch the yeast into wort (60-70 °F/ 15-21 °C) and maintain temperature for 24 hours or until signs of active fermentation are evident and then cool to desired fermentation temperature.

Anyway I think I will stick with Imperial or propogate for liquid yeast this one takes too much babysitting. It's nice to have a higher starting cell count for the exact same price.

I had to do this in my latest Munich dunkel. It was yeast slurry I had a while in the fridge. I made a small starter for 24hrs then pitched the lot. I had to ramp up to 18 to get it going, then back down to 12.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Oh, I suppose my method at the moment may differ from others as I don't cool using a coil/chiller, so I pour the hot wort into a bucket to then cool in a water bath.

The only difference I think would be that the solubility of gas into cold wort is much higher, so ideally you’d give it a good slosh about after cooling

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I only ever make starters for high gravity beers and I’ve never had a problem with any liquid or dried yeast. I do whip the wort into submission at the time of pitching every time regardless of whether I should need to, I believe it helps the yeast get off to a good start.

It is possible that when pitching into unaerated wort the lag phase takes longer. I wonder if it might even be possible that because of a lack of oxygen you end up with a low cell count?

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Does anyone else find that when doing the aforementioned “good splashy pour” from the kettle/chiller into the FV, a massive foamy head quickly develops? I often find myself having to scrape it back to get some clear surface to pitch into…

 

[TonyT]

Does anyone else find that when doing the aforementioned “good splashy pour” from the kettle/chiller into the FV, a massive foamy head quickly develops? I often find myself having to scrape it back to get some clear surface to pitch into…

Yup. Me too.

 

[Pennine]

I only ever make starters for high gravity beers and I’ve never had a problem with any liquid or dried yeast. I do whip the wort into submission at the time of pitching every time regardless of whether I should need to, I believe it helps the yeast get off to a good start.

It is possible that when pitching into unaerated wort the lag phase takes longer. I wonder if it might even be possible that because of a lack of oxygen you end up with a low cell count?

Yeah it's a great suggestion, I know for dried yeast it's unnessecary per the manufacturers but liquid it's definitely something I will start doing.

I usually don't have issues with my smaller batches so rarely ever make a starter. I also think dry yeast is so easy to use now and between fermetis and llalemand you have so many choices it's hard to see the value in liquid yeast anymore unless you want a specific oddball strain, or a belgian trappist style yeast. There isn't a good substitute for them yet.

 

[Pennine]

Does anyone else find that when doing the aforementioned “good splashy pour” from the kettle/chiller into the FV, a massive foamy head quickly develops? I often find myself having to scrape it back to get some clear surface to pitch into…

Yep same here, it's actually why I always rehydrated dry yeast so they don't get stuck on the bubbles and get into the wort.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I also think dry yeast is so easy to use now and between fermetis and llalemand you have so many choices it's hard to see the value in liquid yeast anymore unless you want a specific oddball strain, or a belgian trappist style yeast.

That's a really interesting idea, I'd never thought to check their catalogue(s). I see that Lallemand has an 'English Style Ale Yeast' (perhaps they have other more specific ones too). I have to admit I do get a certain kick out of using e.g a West Yorkshire vs. London III vs. Ringwood etc depending on what I'm brewing - but I wonder how much difference I would really detect in practice. I suppose I should do split batch to compare...