This is my 2nd run at Caribou Slobber extract, first full boil with it. Brewed it up 11/09 and pitched Danstar Windsor yeast at 66 degrees. Pitched it dry. By next morning 11/10 it was looking good with a foamy krausen forming temp at 68. By evening the krausen was nearing the neck of the 6 gallon carboy, all looking good, temp at 68-70. Decided to cool it down a little bit thinking it was a nice strong fermentation going and added a frozen water bottle to bring down a little bit. This morning 11/11 noticed the krausen was starting to drop and it kind of worried me a little. Out picking up a zillion leaves all day and mowing and when I came back in tonight to check there is no activity in the airlock and it does not look as if the yeast is working. Temp is still at 66 which I figured was OK. Last time I did this brew the krausen didn’t drop til 5th day but looking at my notes I did keep it at a lower temp all the time. A tad worried something is wrong here. Do you think I should repitch more yeast at this point. I’m letting it warm up at this time to see if that helps but I absolutely see no activity in the carboy. It will warm to 68/70 where it is at now.
There is a chance that active fermentation is over. I wouldn’t worry. Just cause there is no air lock active. That is not a sure sign that fermentation is done. Best way to tell if fermentation is complete is taking a gravity reading with a hydrometer… if you didn’t take original gravity reading test a few samples over a week’s time and if has not changed your fermentation is complete. For now if you dont own a hydrometeri would let it do its thing and wait out the two weeks fermentation time
I’d give this one plenty of time and I agree with the recommendation to check a SG (in a few days, really too soon now) to see where youre at. I really am not a fan of that yeast as my one and only stalled fermentation and major faux pas/bottle bombs occured with a similar scenario to yours (back when i was a noob brewer, of course 
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Thanks for the replies and advice. I guess I will wait and see what happens here. I did take an OG so I will take another reading in a few days to see where that falls. Just seemed strange to me that initial fermentation went so quick o this especially the way it started out. But then again this is only my 10th brew. I have so much to learn.
Windsor is a low attenuating yeast. I used it for the first time for my last Caribou Slobber. The SG was 1.019 after two weeks. Very syrupy and too sweet to drink. I took it down to 1.011 by pitching a half liter starter of US-05 at high krausen. Took another two weeks and it is tasting great. 1.011 was the typical FG when using WY 1332.
Same issue i did had. Did use. Us5 yeast. Took a reading. And the gravity droped. So. Left it be after about. 2weeks. A taste sample and grav check it tasted good. A nice beer to drink once finished. Dont rely 100% on airlock activity. Use your hydrometer
I am with you as to yer next step. When you sample and find it is not dry enough, then as Flars sez, to repitch with a higher attenuating yeast. Let yer taste buds and hydro reading direct you! Sneezles61
So what do you think. How long should I wait? Give it a week? 2 weeks? Take a gravity and taste then decide whether or not to pitch again. I have never had to repitch so what is the process? Do you aerate again or will that add too much oxygen at this point? Not saying that I will have to but just want to know the proper procedure just in case.
You brewed 11/09, so I would check 11/14, 5 days should give you time for the yeast to settle down to just cleaning up, then you’d do good to run yer test. Don’t bother the brew, hydrate or make a starter, which ever you choose. When hydrating, add after 10 minutes of hydrating, or with the starter, look for yeast action, foamy top, then pitch. Sneezles61
Awesome. Thankyou
Check the SG on 11/23 and again on 11/28. Don’t try to rush a Slobber or fix a problem that may not exist. CS tastes best beginning well after 8 weeks in the bottle.
Thanks Flars, will do. 8 weeks in the bottle? Last time didn’t last more than 4 or 5 weeks. Bu this time I also have 3 others bottled up so that might help it to last a tad longer.
