First BIAB Irish Red using the Nottingham Dry yeast

Thanks, no I have done maybe 6-8 all grain batches, using fly sparge and batch. Never had any issues until this biab. It was supposed to be a 3 gallon batch but I did end up with close to 4 gal post boil.
I will let it sit for the week and try cold crashing when I return and see how that looks.
It was the 3 gallon BIAB kit from NB. Maybe I will order another kit with different yeast so it will be here when I get back.

The reason I ask is the Biab may even help filter your grain. As far as the boil you need a vigorous boil to get the break to drop out. But really I donā€™t think that is your problem it just needs time. Itā€™s probably done and adding the extra yeast exaggerated the perceived problem so like @loopie_beer says cold crash it at 32F for the week and forget about. This is why I brew in buckets I donā€™t see my beer or judge it until it comes out of the tap in 5 to 6 weeks totally clear

Just lookin through my logs. It looks like I brewed the NB Irish Red BIAB a little over 2 years ago. 5/2015

151.5 for the mash
1.058 for the OG
Sprinkled the Notty
Forgot to log fermentation temp :rage:
After 3 weeks it was at 1.008.
I had 30 bottles.

I donā€™t suppose you checked the date on your yeast? My notes say the beer was tasty, but had some sh***y head retention. I made some note suggesting bottle washing issues to account for the head.

Iā€™d definitely give the kit a retry. Maybe try the ā€œweā€™ll replace itā€ guarantee?

Thanks, I will definitely try another kit. I will see what it looks like in another week but I have brewed this beer twice before, all grain and extract and have always had pretty good luck with it. Never used the notty yeast before though.

Who knows, maybe I let something get out of control but I watched it pretty close through the whole process.

Thanks for your feedback, I am definitely far from 1.008 SG. But I am just two weeks into it and if the notty yeast is slo then maybe it will continue over the coming week. I did not check the date on the first packet but when I hydrated it prior it really had no reaction, no frothy look etc. I pitched a second pack about a week ago which had a pretty recent date and I just sprinkled that in. Still did not notice much action.
Maybe I got an old kit.

Are you back from Germany yet? Curious as to what your brew is at now? Sneezles61

Just landed now. Will take another couple of hours before I can checkā€¦hopIng it turned out ok but if not I will try again later next week.

I will post the update soon

Well itā€™s still up around the 1.020 mark, maybe a touch below. Beer has gotten darkerā€¦meaning before only th top looked dark and the rest had that brown wort lookā€¦like a Black and Tan in a glass.

So I guess I may dump it. It doesnā€™t smell bad, although I did not taste it.

I have to fly to Ohio Monday and back late Tuesday night so I think I will wait till I get back and check it again before deciding. My new kit should arrive in the next couple of days anyway.

Why on earth would you dump a beer you havenā€™t tasted?

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I guess I just assumed if the fg was way off its prob not worth going through the bottling process. I planned to give the beer to a neighbor.

Beersmith estimated the fg at 1.014, I am at about 1.019. I am not experienced enough to know if that is a big deal or not. I assumed it was. I just put it in the freezer to cold crash for a few days and see what it looks like after that.

Well itā€™s been at .019 for awhile so thatā€™s about it I would say. Personally I would bottle it at the lower carbonation level which is appropriate for English ale. I wouldnā€™t age them just drink them

Thats odd it only dropped 30 pointsā€¦ Have you checked your hydrometer calibration? What elseā€¦ Lotsa unfermentables? That sucker shouldā€™ve gotten down furtherā€¦ I would toss more yeast to finishā€¦ Sneezles61

Yesā€¦ what do your hydrometers read in clean cool water? Mine has been off by as much as 3 points. It changes over time too. Currently itā€™s only off by 1 point. Same hydrometer Iā€™ve had for many years. The little paper inside with the SG numbers can slip over time in either direction.

Iā€™d also like to see your recipe in detail. Maybe you used too much crystal malts, or something odd.

Heā€™s already shown in more yeast. His thermometer or hydrometer is off. I call it done.

My finish hydrometer reads just a hair over 1.000 with cool tap water. I was hoping it was offā€¦but I have also been brewing quite a few back to back batches and have never had this happen.

I just took another reading as I figured I may as well since I was testing the hydrometer and itā€™s still cold but still around the 1.020. I also tried to not go so deep with my wine thief thinking I may have picked up a bit of yeast previously, so I went down about a third of the way this time.

The recipe is the NB Irish red 3 gallon biab . I used the Nottingham ale yeast, and did pitch a second package on 10-5 because I saw so little reaction on the first pitch on 10-1. First pitch I tried hydrating the yeast per instructions , and honestly did not see any creamy/ frothy activity. Second packet I just sprinkled in from the pack. Always saw a very small level of activity. On the first pitch it appeared from the ring around the carboy that there may have been a 1/4 inch of krausen on top at some point, but I missed it as the next day it was gone.

I am starting to feel I have enough effort into this small batch ā€¦I hit the OG so I thought it must not have been too far off regarding the recipe.

Iā€™m getting a bit irritated with this batch and I may dump it and brew again the same kit with different yeast ( should arrive this week), and see how that goes. I hate to give beer away that I donā€™t feel good about. I suppose I could keg it and see how it tastes and looks and then bottle the next one for the neighbor. Then I would not be further aggravated by bottling and waiting 3 weeks for a lackluster batch.

I will taste what I have in the hydro flask now, is there any indicators / clues you guys would look for in the taste to aid in solving the puzzle?

Itā€™s a good learning experience anyway.

I didnā€™t know you kegged. Then by all means get that thing carbonated drink some then make a decision. Iā€™m thinking youā€™re the worrying type. Relax and have a home brew. Another thing is if your just worried about FG rack the thing to a secondary with some table sugar and call it an imperial red

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You could always still add a pound of extract or plain sugar, let that ferment out, and then call it good.

But yeah, I really cannot see what the heck went wrong with this. Was your mash temperature initially way too high above 170 F for >5 minutes to where your enzymes got killed off? Thatā€™s the only other thing I can think of. This really should not have happened otherwise. I can understand the frustration.

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Yes, too high a temp when first mashing in could have hampered your amylase phases, but, you did hit your OGā€¦ Keg it, call it a dayā€¦ There is another area I will read into later that helps to understand the relationship of yeast and nutrients, or lack of that will stall a fermentation processā€¦ Maybe some one can shed some light too? Sneezles61
ā€œBrew your own 2014 Novemberā€ has a great article you could readā€¦

OH GEEZā€¦ You where in Germany, then any thing about the brews over there you picked up on? I mean, the original/cradle of modern day brews!! Weā€™ve missed your thinking on that!! Sneezles61

Yes I was in Germany ( about an hour southwest of Frankfurt) but for a global sales meeting. So everyday starting with Sunday evening day of arrival was carefully planned and scheduled from 7:45 am until the evening dinner and events concluded at anywhere from 11 pm til 1 AM ( or later for the younger guysā€¦). We did tour a local winery one night before having dinner there. It was fun to see the huge stainless fermentors with the air locks on the top. But honestly trips like this one bring me closer and closer to a retirement ( or next chapter ) decision. Need to do some pleasure traveling.

I donā€™t think my mash temp got too high BUT I suppose itā€™s possible. I will be super careful with the next batch to be sure. It was my first biab so I may have got something wrong there.

Thanks for all the help guys. Itā€™s all part of becoming a better brewer right.

Biab is no different than any other all grain as far a strike temperature so not sure why you keep mentioning that. I had a problem once like you mention and it was a faulty thermometer I was mashing at 170. That said I just finished brewing my Red ESB which is just a beefed up Irish red but I use 1968 London ale and it predicts a final of .020. now I know notty can go lower but itā€™s just a number. Donā€™t get hung up on the final gravity when itā€™s done itā€™s done just drink it.

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