The dreaded Muntons stuck ferment?

[Sandimas]

Does rehydrating the yeast help with muntons kits?

It helps with any brew - piching dried yeast directly into the brew apparently results in a significant percentage of loss.

But you still need a decent amount to start with and the packet in some of the Muntons brews is just too small. Just get a Gervin yeast from Wilkos, I got some for a quid a packet in a recent sale, even full price they're only 1.75.

 

[Steved53]

Does rehydrating the yeast help with muntons kits?

I was also given the advice to stir kits for 2 mins before pitching to ensure the wort is thoroughly aerated.

I have never bothered to rehydrate before. The instructions with the Muntons kits is to just sprinkle it on the top. I think that is more to simplify it, and not put anyone off, than it being the state of the art technique. If think if they specified that you need to make a yeast starter, they would sell far fewer kits but would probably have a lower percentage of stuck fermentations! Rehydrating seems to be like an easy compromise.



I use Speidel fermenters which are able to be sealed off very well. With the round ones you can just lay them on the floor and roll backward and forward vigorously until you get bored. The rectangular ones are a bit more awkward.

Just stirring won't really aerate the wort. The aim is to get as much air into solution as possible, so that needs to be very vigorous, or use a mechanical stirrer on the end of a drill. Come to think of it, I have a superb Festo stirring machine on a stand, which I used to build my house. I could get a new stirrer (as the existing one is covered in cement) and be stirring whilst I go and have a coffee!

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=3888&stc=1&d=1450523017

Whatdya think?


You could remove the stirrer, thread it through the lid, line it all up, switch it on and come back when it's all oxygenated!


http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=3889&stc=1&d=1450523921

 

[Steved53]

Well, I just made it (for Christmas Day). Doesn't taste too bad either!

 

[dad_of_jon]

I did a muntons oaked ale BUT used a mangrove jacks american west cost yeast ;-)

og 1.055 fg 1.015 after reading the forum posts didn't trust the packet it came with.

end result - loved by others but not quite my bag. (not enough abv ;-) )

 

[Steved53]

Well I definitely prefer a lower abv ale - it allows me to drink more of them. If I drink any of the draft lager around here, I sometimes end up with a headache before I leave the bar!

 

[Pirate_Pete]

There was a bit of a discussion about the yeast packets on the Coopers forum. The Coopers bloke who posts says the reason the packets are only 7grams is because that's all that will fit under the plastic lid. Why they don't make the plastic lid bigger though wasn't mentioned. Has anyone emailed Muntons about the problem?

Coopers put different yeasts for different beer styles in their kits.
Some sleuth on the Coopers forum gave a rundown of what he thought the yeasts were in the new kits. This was neither confirmed or denied by the Coopers bloke.

 

[Slid]

There was a bit of a discussion about the yeast packets on the Coopers forum. The Coopers bloke who posts says the reason the packets are only 7grams is because that's all that will fit under the plastic lid. Why they don't make the plastic lid bigger though wasn't mentioned. Has anyone emailed Muntons about the problem?

Coopers put different yeasts for different beer styles in their kits.
Some sleuth on the Coopers forum gave a rundown of what he thought the yeasts were in the new kits. This was neither confirmed or denied by the Coopers bloke.

LOL - the yeast pack size is determined by the packaging. That's the tail wagging the dog or what?

Never come across anyone having a stuck fermentation with any of the Coopers kits / yeasts, though, to be fair.

Here is a link that explains which yeast comes with which Coopers kit.

https://www.coopers.com.au/coopers-forum/topic/7290/

Only the European Lager comes with just a Lager yeast. Most use the brewery yeast and some have what is described as an "Ale yeast". It would not surprise me if this were basically Nottingham, the same yeast that Muntons supply.

That extra 1g could be the difference. :lol:

 

[Pirate_Pete]

LOL - the yeast pack size is determined by the packaging. That's the tail wagging the dog or what?

Never come across anyone having a stuck fermentation with any of the Coopers kits / yeasts, though, to be fair.

Here is a link that explains which yeast comes with which Coopers kit.

https://www.coopers.com.au/coopers-forum/topic/7290/

Only the European Lager comes with just a Lager yeast. Most use the brewery yeast and some have what is described as an "Ale yeast". It would not surprise me if this were basically Nottingham, the same yeast that Muntons supply.

That extra 1g could be the difference. :lol:

That was the reason given. Although I think a few people were

.
I'm sure someone pointed out that they put an 11 gram packet under the lid and it seemed to fit OK.

Also I think there's a newer updated list of the yeast which comes with the new cans. I'll post it if I can find it.

I'm intrigued by the yeast discussion though. I've been told not to buy it if it's not stored in a fridge at the LHBS. It's got to be kept properly etc, etc. But as has been pointed out Coopers send the stuff half way around the world and it seems OK.

 

[Sandimas]

I'm intrigued by the yeast discussion though. I've been told not to buy it if it's not stored in a fridge at the LHBS.

I wonder if they meant liquid yeast?

I've never seen kits containing yeast or separate packets of dried yeast stored anywhere but on the shelves of the various stores I've been in. But this is the UK and it rarely gets that hot here.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

This subject has been discusses several times over the years, has anyone emailed them to let them know there is a problem?

.

 

[Slid]

This subject has been discusses several times over the years, has anyone emailed them to let them know there is a problem?

.

The issue is discussed at length on the Muntons site feedback page. I read through this ages ago and was disinclined to point out that the punters were right and the Munters were wrong, as everyone who tried to do so seemed to be treated like an imbecile.

My advice to experienced brewers (a few kits) is to get some US 05 and re-use the yeast.

Clibit says he thinks the yeast is fine, so I'm sure it is - usually acknowledged as being Nottingham yeast. Not as sure as the scientists Muntons employ, though. In practice, a small packet of poorly stored yeast, near the end of its shelf life and with no yeast starter, is proven to be unreliable.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Good advice there Slid.

 

[Steved53]

Well, just as a bit of an update, I fermented this for one week at the lower end of the recommended temperature, then around 1 week at 19.5°. After this I took a hydrometer reading and it was around 1020. Following advice here I raised the temperature again and did another week at 22° and about a week at 24°. After this I crash chilled it and transferred some into a corny keg (and started drinking it).

The rest was sealed in the fermenter and left it at 18°. It is clear that it has carried on fermenting, as it is now highly carbed, and I'm having to release the pressure on the fermenter.

I have never had a beer continue to ferment out for so long. To be fair, it hadn't quite reached 1014, before I had to keg some of it, but it really is taking its time.

Anyway, apart from the American IPA kit that I need to start, I am hoping within the next few weeks to be starting all grain. The grain mill has now arrived, and the rest of the equipment should be arriving within the next few weeks. I intend to be a little more adventurous with my choice of yeasts, so we'll see how I get on.

Hoppy New Year!

 

[Ale]

I'm doing one of these after seeing them at a local garden centre. Mine is stuck at 1020 so I have upped the temp a bit. I have half a pack of S04 so mght add that to get it going again. As it happens, for this kit I decided to rehydrate the yeast before I started, something I have never done before. I also dry hopped it with Fuggles and the bit from the trial jar I sampled is fantastic.

 

[astralcc]

I have just brewed this kit to the instructions at 22 degrees. Started at 1048 on 26/04/19 was 1012 on the 03/05/19 and bottled at 1008 on 08/05/19. Within a day of starting the brew it had built up such a head that it blocked the air lock.

I now appear to have bottles of brown HP sauce, even if you tip the bottle to get a thinner layer of beer in the neck you still can't see through it! Doubt if it will settle out even after secondary fermentation and weeks of storage. Will report back in a few weeks.

Virtually every time I brew an expensive two tin kit I get rubbish, some so bad it goes down the sink.

By the way this is my 67th kit and I have found kits vary. Some that I have done many times before suddenly turn out below par so I give them a break for 6 months or so and then they are OK again.