So I’m still pretty fresh on the whole homebrewing circuit (got the go pro small batch kit for my birthday last year) and have only brewed 2 batches before, but I did 2 more this past weekend and noticed something a bit funny between the two.
Both are Bavarian Hefeweizen 1 Gal Extract kits, both made nearly the same way. The only thing different between the two is one was purchased a several months ago (Around october) rather than around Christmas (2nd was a gift from my parents). Both had the yeast pitched around 66-67 degrees and have been in a spare bedroom where the ambient temp is around 68 degrees (glass carboys, blanket wrapped around them to keep the kiddo from messing with them)
Within 12hrs they both were starting to bubble away, but now nearly 60hrs into it, I’ve noticed one isn’t as vigorous as the other, and considerably lighter already. By that, I mean one has about an 1.5" of foam and the other is nearly .5". At first I figured it was due to the large amount of head space, but slowly I began to question it. I checked the lid, airlock, and bung and all seem to be in order no leaks.
Just curious as to what could cause something like this to happen between two nearly identical batches. Is it just chance? I’m not worried about it at all, just curious.
That’s just the yeast doing their thing. It isn’t uncommon to make the same recipe, pitch the same yeast, and have a slightly different fermentation. Yeast are living things and can be a bit unpredictable. It’s possible that one was slightly warmer when the yeast were pitched and got a faster start, or the yeast packets could have been from different lots from the manufacturer. Dry yeast lasts a really long time, and 2-3 months shouldn’t make much of a difference in how they perform.
Krausen height difference could be from pitching the yeast at slightly different temperatures. The fermentor with the taller krausen could have been pitched cooler. The cooler temperature slowed the growth phase of the yeast delaying the active fermentation compared to the other fermentor.
Yeast pitch rate could also figure in. A lower pitch rate will also increase the time of the growth phase.
The level of wort aeration can also figure in. A lower level of aeration can slow the growth phase and limit the number of new cells produced. This will result in lower activity. More esters may be produced in this one if aeration was different.
Color difference of the two beers may be from the amount of yeast in suspension or the age of the LME. LME stored warm for a period of time can darken slightly. This does not change the fermentability though. I purchased the ingredients for a Hefeweizen delivered August 1st. Just recently brewed but is read through in the glass. I store LME at 34°F.
Hope this helps. Fermentations are always a little different. The end result is still beer. The two Hefes will probably taste and look the same in the glass even though they look different now.
It very much does help! Like I said, I’m not worried about it. The end process is beer and if something does indeed mess up, it’s probably still gonna be drinkable. I just like to learn as much as possible as I go along and was just fascinated by the differences between the two already.
IIRC both were aerated pretty much the same way (dumped from kettle after cooling straight into the little big mouth bubblers, top put on, then shook for a few moments). Yeast was pitched straight in after words and there was really only about two hours between each batch being pitched and stored.
I think one might’ve been slightly higher in temp when I pitched and the other colder. That’s my guess at least at this point, but like I said I’m not worried about it. Just fascinated by the process and wanting to learn as much as I can as I go along.
I’ll post some pictures later to show the difference between the two.
Please, feel free to ask all the questions you need! There is alot of very knowledgable peeps here that enjoy discussing brewing as much as brewing itself… Sneezles61
Welcome to the forum. Great, unpretentious knowledge around here.
Too many variables to tell really about the yeast. But for a new Brewer I like your attitude about it will be beer and drinkable. For a product that was made thousands of years ago with little to rudimentary equipment we sure can get uptight about it. And we are light years ahead of even the 80’s!
I chalk it up to each of us wanting to brew the best product we can but at th end, it will still be beer.
That’s the way I look at it. If some dude in a straw-roofed hut with nothing but dirt beneath his feet and a pot over a fire can do it and it turn out alright, then whatever I make is gonna be good lol. It’s a hard thing to learn but it makes sense!
I checked on it when I got home and both carboys seem to be at the same level of activity, krausen height, and color now. I’m just thinking that one moved a bit quicker then the other and that’s that. Going to be moving to 5 Gallon brewing soon (even got the wife on board somehow. she keeps asking if i’ve bought the kit yet)
Next move right now is to let these two batches sit for awhile, put my paycheck in the bank, and buy the 5 gallon kit I’ve been eyeing for awhile lol!!!
Sneezles61