I made the BBP last Monday, OG was 1.060. I took a gravity reading on Friday and was 1.030. and today it is still the same. shouldn’t it be lower? do I need to re-pitch some yeast? or just take it to secondary?
Could be one of many issues. Can you post the recipe or a link to it?
Which yeast did you use? And did you make a starter?
I used the Dry yeast, and NO starter, I think that was my problem.
It’s possible, but that’s still pretty crappy attenuation. You could try to pitch some more yeast. And next time make a starter 
Don’t make starters with dry yeast, it’s counter-productive - the yeast is packaged with all reserves filled and ready to go and making a starter will deplete the nutrients. Re-hydrating the yeast is a good thing to do, though - pitching directly into wort kills off about 50% of the cells.
You don’t need a starter with dry yeast, actually it could be determentatal to do a starter with dry yeast (references: Yeast by Chris White, Brew Strong yeast show). If you do use dry yeast make sure that you rehydrate before pitching. If you just toss it in without rehydration much of your yeast will die.
Personally if you can get liquid yeast and do a starter that is a much better way to go.
[quote=“Cheshire_Cat”]You don’t need a starter with dry yeast, actually it could be determentatal to do a starter with dry yeast (references: Yeast by Chris White, Brew Strong yeast show). If you do use dry yeast make sure that you rehydrate before pitching. If you just toss it in without rehydration much of your yeast will die.
Personally if you can get liquid yeast and do a starter that is a much better way to go.[/quote]
Sorry, that’s what I meant to say. Get liquid yeast and make a starter.
Well, it looks like I’ll be re-pitching. Thanks for all your input!!!
I think it’s done. Don’t pitch more yeast unless you also put some more sugar in there.
Also, I’m going to have to call BS on rehydrating the yeast. I’ve never had a problem dropping dry yeast right on top of the beer. In fact, my dad dropped a package of Nottingham on top of 5 gallons of 1.072 IPA and it attenuated down to 1.013.
I agree. My old notes suck, but I’ve found 2 entries where I pitched dry US-05 with OGs in the 1.050-1.065 range, and in both cases my FG was 1.011. I have one entry where fermentation was very active after 30 hours, which made me wonder if a starter is necessary.
I just re-read your original question, wondering if it is time to transfer to a secondary. Yes, do it. The aeration should get things going to finish the job. I seldom take a reading before transferring to a secondary because I’ve always assumed that it was not completely finished anyway. I had always believed that the point of a secondary was to put the beer in a safer place for it to finish fermenting and condition without as much risk of contamination.
I agree. My old notes suck, but I’ve found 2 entries where I pitched dry US-05 with OGs in the 1.050-1.065 range, and in both cases my FG was 1.011. I have one entry where fermentation was very active after 30 hours, which made me wonder if a starter is necessary.
I just re-read your original question, wondering if it is time to transfer to a secondary. Yes, do it. The aeration should get things going to finish the job. I seldom take a reading before transferring to a secondary because I’ve always assumed that it was not completely finished anyway. I had always believed that the point of a secondary was to put the beer in a safer place for it to finish fermenting and condition without as much risk of contamination.[/quote]
Racking to a secondary is ADDING risk of contamination. Secondaries are generally used to get the beer off the yeast cake so off flavors don’t begin (you’ll get lost of responses of how long to keep a beer on the yeast cake) or for dryhopping or adding things to the beer like fruit, oak chips, etc or just to help the beer clear up. I only secondary beers that I really want to clear up or dryhop. But moving the beer from one vessel to another is always adding risk of contamination, not preventing it.
At 1.030??? That’s crazy talk.
There is very strong and scientific evidence that putting dry yeast directly into wort kills around 50% of the cells.
http://seanterrill.com/2011/07/29/dry-y ... -take-two/+1 That’s gonna be uber sweet!
I think that’s your only option at this point. The kit contains a fair amount of dark extract, but I would still expect it to finish around 1.020. Make a small (500-1000 mL) starter with whatever yeast you have on hand and pitch it at high krausen. The one thing I absolutely would not do is transfer a beer to a conditioning vessel (“secondary”) before it’s reached its expected FG - unless you’re deliberately trying to stop fermentation.
That squares with what I’ve seen in split batches, which is that pitching rate has little to no effect on final gravity. The attenuation limit of the wort is set before fermentation begins, and as long as there is some healthy yeast present it will ferment nearly to that limit.
I think that’s your only option at this point. The kit contains a fair amount of dark extract, but I would still expect it to finish around 1.020. Make a small (500-1000 mL) starter with whatever yeast you have on hand and pitch it at high krausen. The one thing I absolutely would not do is transfer a beer to a conditioning vessel (“secondary”) before it’s reached its expected FG - unless you’re deliberately trying to stop fermentation.
That squares with what I’ve seen in split batches, which is that pitching rate has little to no effect on final gravity. The attenuation limit of the wort is set before fermentation begins, and as long as there is some healthy yeast present it will ferment nearly to that limit.[/quote]
Thanks for the reply I figured it was a bit too high from all the reading I have been doing, I have learned a lot from all of you folks, and thank you all for your valuable input. I am making a starter today and will re pitch tomorrow. Ill keep you all updated as to how things go.
At 1.030??? That’s crazy talk.
There is very strong and scientific evidence that putting dry yeast directly into wort kills around 50% of the cells.
http://seanterrill.com/2011/07/29/dry-y ... -take-two/[/quote]Proud of you. You know what? My dad’s latest beer started at 1.052 and finished at 1.014, and he rehydrated it. I think that the other IPA at 1.072 might have done better, finishing at 1.012.
I’ve never rehydrated a dry yeast in my 4 years of brewing, and all of them have fermented successfully, finishing anywhere from 1.010-1.014.
But really, I think, science-schmience, either way, it works.
Isn’t the target FG of that beer somewhere in the 1.025-1.027 range?
I wish I knew, it doesn’t say in the recipe, and I cant find anything on NB website. that is why I asked if 1.030 was too high. everyone seems to feel the need to discuss weather or not you can pitch dry yeast right on top of the wort, and their ways to pitch yeast. I have only received a few good responses to my actual question. “is 1.030 too high, and should I re-pitch?” I am very new to brewing, and this is my first beer. from what I read you should end up around 1.010. I have just made a starter and will add it tomorrow.
Again Thanks to all for your input!!
