Mangrove Jacks Liberty Bell M36 yeast in a Red IPA kit.

Bobtheblob · Jul 12, 2020

I'd read reviews of this yeast and I thought it would be explosive with a massive krausen. Someone even said it all fermented out in 48 hours. I'd prepared a blow off tube system just in case.
Well it's all been a bit of a let down since I pitched the yeast on Thursday evening. It's all bubbling away nicely and quietly and the krausen only looks about an inch thick.
Hope everything is ok.

jimbo1982 · Jul 12, 2020

Bobtheblob said:
I'd read reviews of this yeast and I thought it would be explosive with a massive krausen. Someone even said it all fermented out in 48 hours. I'd prepared a blow off tube system just in case.
Well it's all been a bit of a let down since I pitched the yeast on Thursday evening. It's all bubbling away nicely and quietly and the krausen only looks about an inch thick.
Hope everything is ok.

I currently have a stuck fermentation on a coopers irish stout modded to a milk stout. I used mj empire ale yeast and it was exactly as you describe. No vigorous ferment as I've had using the coopers yeast on the stout kit. Very disappointed and now stuck with a stout that is not finished.

Cheshire Cat · Jul 12, 2020

For years I only used Gervin yeast on any variety of beer I made then in the B2B HBS in Northwich I saw MJ yeasts in their nice packaging and started using them. However I was not impressed as it took an age for them to get started and I had quite a few stalled fermentations. So I moved onto Safale 04 and 05 which are great as is the lager yeast. I then discovered CML which are equally good.

Thorbz · Jul 12, 2020

@jimbo1982 What was the OG and current gravity on your milk stout ? Depending on how much lactose you added, you can expect it to bump up the FG a fair bit. Also, the attenuation on MJ Empire Ale is relatively low.

jimbo1982 · Jul 12, 2020

Thorbz said:
@jimbo1982 What was the OG and current gravity on your milk stout ? Depending on how much lactose you added, you can expect it to bump up the FG a fair bit. Also, the attenuation on MJ Empire Ale is relatively low.

Og was 1.045. Currently at 1.020. I added the can, 1kg dark dme, 250gr lactose and 200gr brewing sugar. Brewed to 21 lt. Would have expected the fg to drop below 1.020.

chthon · Jul 12, 2020

Mangrove Jack's yeast work really best with hydration, and then between 4h and 24h before pitching.

jimbo1982 · Jul 14, 2020

Well I officially give up with this stout. Now to decide weather to bottle it or boot it down the garden!!

Bobtheblob · Jul 16, 2020

Re my original post - There was hardly any krausen, maybe an inch thick at one point. It's now all gone on day 7 and the beer is already looking clear in the sample glass. The SG is down to 1.012 from 1.050 so I've chucked in the hops for a few more days before I bottle it.