Should my stout be bottom fermenting?

[Minimoore.]

Hi, first time brewing for me.

I've been making Irish stout for the past few days at around 20-22 Celsius. I noticed online that stout is apparently top-fermenting but almost all of my yeast seems to be at the bottom. Is this a cause for concern? I've just put the hops in after five days and the gravity has gone from 1050 to 1032 ish.

 

[LeeH]

What yeast and do you have a photo?

 

[Minimoore.]

It says ale yeast, dk if that's enough detail.

Ik it looks like there's a lot of foam on the top but that's just remnants from a while ago

 

[Cwrw666]

That's just normal.

 

[Minimoore.]

That's just normal.

Okay, thanks very much. Would I be wrong that it would normally top ferment?

 

[yrhendystu]

That is what they call yeast slurry and will be what's left in the bucket after you bottle. You can reuse it to make a starter for your next brew or even use it to make beer bread.

 

[Pablosaurus]

Most of the action happens on the surface but it's certainly not unusual to see some activity at the bottom amongst the trub. Don't sweat it - you're all good!

 

[peebee]

"Top fermenting" is just a description, applied to ale yeasts in particular because they often prefer to be on top.

Selective repitching of yeast in the past has developed a number of strains of "top fermenting yeast" and brewers have adapted their processes to suit. And drinkers have come to expect the flavours they create. Some brewers prefer to use bottom fermenting yeast for their processes and the flavours those yeasts create are expected by drinkers of the beers created by bottom fermenters (lagers being an example).

At the end all yeasts will sink to the bottom.

 

[LeeH]

It’s all good!

Looks like it came close to popping the lid off though.

 

[jeg3]

It looks it's top fermented, then finished and the yeast has dropped out. It looks like a pretty vigorous fermentation, which I often find with dark beers ...

 

[LeeH]

Legendary thread here if you like a good kit stout.

https://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31569&start=60

 

[Minimoore.]

Oh cool, how would I reuse it if you don't mind? Would I have to put it in instantly or is there a good way to store it?

 

[Minimoore.]

Thanks very much. I've bookmarked it for the future

 

[Minimoore.]

It looks it's top fermented, then finished and the yeast has dropped out. It looks like a pretty vigorous fermentation, which I often find with dark beers ...

Does that mean most of the yeast is dead? I added the hops earlier and it's bubbling regularly now so does yeast drop back in?

 

[Minimoore.]

So apparently I can't quote links so mods edited it out.

I've found out how to do stuff with slurry so that's all good.

I was saying thanks to LeeH specifically, but thanks everyone for your help also

 

[jeg3]

Does that mean most of the yeast is dead? I added the hops earlier and it's bubbling regularly now so does yeast drop back in?

No it just means it's finished fermenting what it can and drops down to the bottom, dormant. Different yeasts metabolise different sorts of sugars, ale yeasts tend to be unable to metabolise more complex sugars so when all the simple sugars have been converted it goes to sleep.

If you were to add more wort or sugar it would wake up again.

 

[MrRook]

Hi, first time brewing for me.

I've been making Irish stout for the past few days at around 20-22 Celsius. I noticed online that stout is apparently top-fermenting but almost all of my yeast seems to be at the bottom. Is this a cause for concern? I've just put the hops in after five days and the gravity has gone from 1050 to 1032 ish.

It's not bottom fermenting. Or top fermenting. Whether yeast migrates to the top or bottom during or after fermentation the actual fermenting is going on in the body of the wort.