Slow start

[Bombers hoppy ending]

Recently started an MJ Simcoe single hop IPA. It came with M44 yeast.
Pitched the yeast at 23C as the fermentation fridge was dropping the temp to 19C.
Checked after about 18hrs and found the yeast to all be in the cone of the snub nose. It looked like a beer that had been in the primary for 3 weeks and was ready to bottle.
Decided to give it a little swirl and lifted the temp to 20C. Checked again @ 48hrs and noticed a very slight amount of Krausen in the surface around the thermowell. Made the decision that if there was no change the following day, I would add another yeast.
However, 12hrs later and bingo thick fluffy Krausen and good pressure increase.
glad I didn’t add the second yeast now.
Having done a little research it appears the M44 can be a little slow. Appears to be the case in this situation.

 

[Irishwizard]

you are OVER thinking all this - just leave it alone

 

[Bombers hoppy ending]

This kit has acted differently to the previous 9, so Just documenting findings. Hopefully be useful for someone else who follows on. No OVER thinking here, but thanks for the input.

 

[Richard_H]

I had a kolsch yeast that took about 3 weeks at 20c to finally finish, another time I had a saison go ballistic and hit around 90% attenuation in a few days, yet slowly continued to drop a few points a week for a further 3 weeks. I have also had the same saison that was finished in under a week!

All we can do is create the best environment for the yeast to perform and leave it alone to do what it needs to do, as this stage it becomes a living organism which we have no control over.

Its not to say you have done something wrong this time compared to the previous 9 times, just let the yeast ride it out with the slight increase in temperature

 

[Bombers hoppy ending]

Hi Richard,
1st time using this yeast. Just documenting my findings so others may benefit. The point I was trying to raise, is that I thought there may have been an issue with the yeast, However it turned out to be fine.

I think it’s important that others have the benefit of seeing others findings so they can learn and make good decisions.

I also found it very intriguing that 12hrs after pitching, the yeast had already reached what I would consider it’s full volume and had all dropped to the bottom of the fermenter cone, resembling a beer that had finished fermentation. Made me think perhaps this was a bottom fermenting yeast.
appears it isn’t, going by the amount of Krausen after 60 hrs.

I always leave mine for 3 weeks before bottling and don’t take my 1st sample until 14 days in. Totally agree it takes as long as it takes.

 

[Sandimas]

I've found many of the MJ yeasts to be quite slow starting and slow finishing, with quite a long tail to the end of fermentation.

However, I pitched some M15 Empire Ale Yeast at the weekend and it went off like a rocket. I always re-hydrate my yeast now and am disappointed if the airlock is not bubbling within 6 hours.

 

[DavidDetroit]

However, 12hrs later and bingo thick fluffy Krausen and good pressure increase.
glad I didn’t add the second yeast now.

Glad it took off. Since I can't see my beer (plastic fermenter), I never know what's going on inside besides using a flashlight leaned gently on the lid so I can see krausen.
It's almost like a suspense movie though waiting to see how it all comes out. My thing is to go watch the fermenter airlock every half hour/hour until I'm satisfied that everything's fine. Even after six years I still do it.

 

[Richard_H]

I've found many of the MJ yeasts to be quite slow starting and slow finishing, with quite a long tail to the end of fermentation.

I have also noticed that, switched to Lallemand and found they generally perform better but this could be due to Lallemand suggesting to hydrate their yeasts.