Sierra Nevada's Otra Vez

Beer Recipe Design
21

Thanks again for all your help. The extract version is in progress. A couple questions.

  1. I am went the live route. I pitched the good belly and it has started getting funky. How long should I let the lacto go prior to pitching yeast?

  2. I have WLP001 and US-05. Should I do a 2L starter of WLP001 or two packs of US-05. Or one of each with no starter? If there is not a discernible difference in taste, I would go the easy route with the US-05.

Thanks!

22

24 hours should be good with a half carton in 5 gallons, as long as you used no hops. Do you have a pH meter or test strips? Check it to see if you’re in the mid 3’s, otherwise give it a taste and see if there’s some tartness along with the sweetness.

I’d go with the two packs of us-05.

23

Thanks porkchop! It’s ready to go. I’ll use the US-05. Pitch / ferment at 68?

24

Yeah, 65-68 will be just fine! If you’re fermenting in a carboy, don’t forget a blow-off hose. Have one going right now with Swanson lacto tabs, yeast needed a couple days to really get going but the blowoff was insane by day 4.

25

I hear ya!!!

26

Hi Porkchop!

I re-hydrated and dropped two packets of US-05 in and I have yet to achieve lift off. I admit that I did not shake the carboid. Any recommendations?

27

How long ago?

1 Like
28

Four days.

29

Yikes! Any chance the yeast was bad? I’ve always had liftoff in a couple days, even without rehydrating.

30

Do you have a lhbs? I would go for some fresh yeast asap.

31

The yeast could have been old. I believe I may have more.

32

I haven’t had any issues direct pitching dry yeast into wort of pH 3.0, without rehydrating. My water is pretty hard, too, so the titratable acidity is way higher than normal.

The good news is that your wort is pretty darn stable at this point. Once lacto p has gone to work, not much other than healthy yeast can live in there.

33

I feel as if I’m making this up but, unfortunately, I am not. Wednesday I pitched another US-05, plus a WLP001. Nothing! Friday, I then pitch 2 US-05 packs. Still nothing!!! It is at 68 degrees. A yeast black hole wort. What gives!?!?

34

Do you have a pH meter? Maybe take a gravity reading?

35

I do not have a hydrometer. However, add one PH strip to the concoction (dropped the first). PH is a 3.

36

You do need to get a hydrometer. How did you determine that no fermentation had started? Have you tasted a sample. You may have had a quick fermentation without seeing the airlock bubble, especially if you are using a bucket.

37

Understand. I was prepared for some bubbling, foaming or something along those lines. Porkchop spoke of using a blowoff tube. It’s been flat.

38

Not sure what to tell you… I’ve never had one fail to take off with a packet or two of us-05. I usually fill it close to the neck of a carboy and have a couple days of blow-off, then fermentation finishes over a week to 10 days.

I would grab a hydrometer if I were you and make sure that it didn’t ferment out without you noticing… Stranger things have happened. What temperature is the wort?

39

I say taste it now… That much yeast should’ve had that sucker foaming at the locker! Sneezles61

40

Hey guys! Sorry it took me a while to follow-up. I took your advise and kegged it. It turned out great! Love it!! I may add a little more salt down the road. Super refreshing, fruity and fun. Less tart and more drinkable than Otra Vez. Based on my internal first beer buzz meter, I’d say it’s about 4.5% (no need for hydrometer). Thanks again!!!