Sleeping Yeast

[jody]

Hi Everyone,
Been a previous member and home brewer for a couple of years and hit a new problem that I need some help to solve! Making black ale at around 7%, the yeast activates and bubbles but then seems to die. Have tried stirring, re-pitching different yeasts and the same problem recurs. Also tried storing receptacle in different places but with no luck. Has anyone got any advice ?!

 

[ManseMasher]

What yeasts have you tried, and at what temperature have you been fermenting at? Have you got any hydrometer readings?

 

[MyQul]

What yeast strain are you using. What temp are you fermenting at?

 

[MyQul]

Yeasty minds think alike, MM

 

[jody]

I've tried British Ale dried yeast and White Labs English Ale Yeast (WLP002) fermenting at 76 deg

 

[ManseMasher]

76°f = 24.5°c. WLP002 range is 18 - 20°c. That might be a part of the problem, though realistically I would expect it to still ferment, but with a high risk of off-flavours.....

 

[MyQul]

I've tried British Ale dried yeast and White Labs English Ale Yeast (WLP002) fermenting at 76 deg

Did you just pitch the vial or did you make a starter?

 

[Covrich]

At 7% you're probably looking at a OG of 1060-1070. Def would want a starter with that.

 

[jody]

tryed liquid then just spread dry yeast straight in after only little impact with th liquid yeast

 

[LarryF]

1tsp of yeast nutrient and a good stir?

 

[jody]

sorry guys got to go to bed will catch the answers tomorrow

 

[CreweBrewer]

I reckon a non-starter pitch might be the issue.

 

[jody]

Thanks for your input guys but most of the obvious reasons I have already read about just trying to find some thing that I have missed. My beer is stored inside the house at around 18 c near the radiator and rapped up it kicks of well then after 48 hrs dies. I have used starters, liquid yeast and dry. im wondering could it be because it is near the radiator or is it that because of the high level of alc (7%) but I had got recipe from internet with good feed back. Sorry if info is a bit woolly but although I have been brewing a couple of years still class myself as a beginner.

 

[CreweBrewer]

Did you make a starter for this one? If you didn't, then there probably weren't enough healthy yeast cells to stand the high alcohol levels.

I've just done a high gravity (1.060) batch myself which has been fermenting for just over two days. It's gone off like a rocket today, with visible rising and dropping of material in the fermenter. When the krausen has dropped I'll drop the hydrometer in and let you know. I used a couple of vials of my split-batch WLP002 with a starter of around 1L.

Dave

 

[jody]

Ok thanks Dave

 

[Fil]

have you checked the gravity?? 48 hours sat next to a radiator @24c+ could be long enough for a batch with a double dose of yeast to ferment out with quite a few fussels mind you so not the best tasting result..

in a temp controlled environment a 1040-1050 batch pitched with S04 dry sprinkled on top will ferment out in only 4 days..

Gravity is the only test that can provide any certainty.. airlock activity isnt a guaranteed guide as co2 will escape from the smallest of lid cracks..

 

[jody]

Gravity reading tells us its stuck. What about this, when sparging could you sparge to much because we ended up with higher level of sugar than we aimed for, could this be why the yeast is failing? sorry if not enough info