Made a batch of the White House Honey Ale last Thursday, and this time they sent me Liquid Yeast instead of powder (which i prefer). I popped the packet in my palm, let the packet inflate, and used it. I haven’t got any of the aggressive fermenting that I usually get from the powder yeast, in fact not bubbling at all (at least that I know of). There is a little activity in my bubbler, like when I go to bed I’ll wake up and theres more water on one side of the bubbler than the other, which means theres something happening. Should I re pitch, or does it look fine? THanks
Looks like fermentation to me. Are you fermenting at a cooler temp than you usually do? I know most people who brew those smaller kits, it’s their first brew and they are pitching at really high temperature (high 70’s) when they should be pitching in the low 60’s. A lower temp will usually result in a slower and less violent fermentation.
Right now its fermenting in my closet which is at about 65-70 for the most part, maybe a little cooler on a cold morning. It just scared me a little because I’m used to seeing it bubble like crazy for the first few days, and this batch just didnt get a whole lot of activity. Thanks
Your fermentation temperatures are to high. Yeast produces heat as it works. Wort temperature can rise 5° to 10° during active fermentation depending upon OG. That is the reason for vigorous activity. Slow and long fermentation will result in better flavors.
Put your fermentor in a tray of water and wrap a cotton towel or sweatshirt around it, swamp cooler.
Get your fermentation down to the mid 60°s.
[quote=“flars”]Your fermentation temperatures are to high. Yeast produces heat as it works. Wort temperature can rise 5° to 10° during active fermentation depending upon OG. That is the reason for vigorous activity. Slow and long fermentation will result in better flavors.
Put your fermentor in a tray of water and wrap a cotton towel or sweatshirt around it, swamp cooler.
Get your fermentation down to the mid 60°s.[/quote]
Well, with the fermentation I thought it wasn’t fermenting enough. Its fermenting nice and slow right now so hopefully it will keep me on the right track.
I don’t necessarily rely on the airlock to tell me when fermentation is going. I’ve had some beers where the airlock just barely/never moved and everything fermented fine. Worst case scenario you can take a gravity reading and see where it is.
[quote=“flars”]Your fermentation temperatures are to high. Yeast produces heat as it works. Wort temperature can rise 5° to 10° during active fermentation depending upon OG. That is the reason for vigorous activity. Slow and long fermentation will result in better flavors.
Put your fermentor in a tray of water and wrap a cotton towel or sweatshirt around it, swamp cooler.
Get your fermentation down to the mid 60°s.[/quote]
fermentation is not going to be 10 degree hotter, 5 is even pushing it. You might get a couple degrees maybe 3.
You are fermenting fine, buckets do not always seal well and gases escape other places.
You are seeing Krausen
[quote=“grainbelt”][quote=“flars”]Your fermentation temperatures are to high. Yeast produces heat as it works. Wort temperature can rise 5° to 10° during active fermentation depending upon OG. That is the reason for vigorous activity. Slow and long fermentation will result in better flavors.
Put your fermentor in a tray of water and wrap a cotton towel or sweatshirt around it, swamp cooler.
Get your fermentation down to the mid 60°s.[/quote]
fermentation is not going to be 10 degree hotter, 5 is even pushing it. You might get a couple degrees maybe 3.
You are fermenting fine, buckets do not always seal well and gases escape other places.
You are seeing Krausen[/quote]
We’re on the same page today, grainbelt. I agree completely about the temps. I read a lot of posts where homebrewers claim temperature jumps 5-10 degrees and although, maybe they’ve seen it. I haven’t. During the most active fermentation I’ve seen 5 degree jumps, but it’s usually only 1-3 degrees higher than ambient. Just my findings.
PS: to the OP, your picture looks like a happily fermenting beer to me.
One thing to consider is the size of the batch brewing. 5 gallons is a much larger thermal mass than 1 gallon so it’s going to take a lot more energy to raise the temp of 5 gallons than it is with 1 gallon. So I could see increase in temps over 5 degrees in smaller batches. I personally have only ever brewed 5 gallons and I have only seen 2-3 degrees difference over ambient.
One thing to consider is the size of the batch brewing. 5 gallons is a much larger thermal mass than 1 gallon so it’s going to take a lot more energy to raise the temp of 5 gallons than it is with 1 gallon. So I could see increase in temps over 5 degrees in smaller batches. I personally have only ever brewed 5 gallons and I have only seen 2-3 degrees difference over ambient.[/quote]
Same here. 5 gallon batches. Usually 1-3 degree temp raise, but have seen it as high as 5F higher than ambient.
[quote=“grainbelt”][quote=“flars”]Your fermentation temperatures are to high. Yeast produces heat as it works. Wort temperature can rise 5° to 10° during active fermentation depending upon OG. That is the reason for vigorous activity. Slow and long fermentation will result in better flavors.
Put your fermentor in a tray of water and wrap a cotton towel or sweatshirt around it, swamp cooler.
Get your fermentation down to the mid 60°s.[/quote]
fermentation is not going to be 10 degree hotter, 5 is even pushing it. You might get a couple degrees maybe 3.
You are fermenting fine, buckets do not always seal well and gases escape other places.
You are seeing Krausen[/quote]
I have a ‘Number Eight’ to disaprove what you say. Fermentation started at 64°. Day two temp was 78°. I did overpitch the yeast. It has been 5 years now. Still hoping the fusel alcohols produced will mellow.
[quote=“flars”][quote=“grainbelt”][quote=“flars”]Your fermentation temperatures are to high. Yeast produces heat as it works. Wort temperature can rise 5° to 10° during active fermentation depending upon OG. That is the reason for vigorous activity. Slow and long fermentation will result in better flavors.
Put your fermentor in a tray of water and wrap a cotton towel or sweatshirt around it, swamp cooler.
Get your fermentation down to the mid 60°s.[/quote]
fermentation is not going to be 10 degree hotter, 5 is even pushing it. You might get a couple degrees maybe 3.
You are fermenting fine, buckets do not always seal well and gases escape other places.
You are seeing Krausen[/quote]
I have a ‘Number Eight’ to disaprove what you say. Fermentation started at 64°. Day two temp was 78°. I did overpitch the yeast. It has been 5 years now. Still hoping the fusel alcohols produced will mellow.[/quote]
Sorry, you saying it doesnt make it true. You’re ambient temp may have rose which in case caused everything to rise. Extremley Doubtful fermentation caused a 14 degree jump
No, basement ambient temps do not change much through out the year. If you want to disapprove what happened with my Number Eight , you will need to dupicate the conditons.
nah i will just go with doubtful, over a decade of brewing I have never seen anything over 5 on a homebrew scale. Anything I have heard over that I have asked for proof and get nothing
I can get bigger increases if I wrap the fermentor in insulation, which is useful in the winter. Never anything close to 14F, though - getting anything much above 5F is a struggle, even with a fast yeast.
I believe the numbers you observed. But considering that this was 5 years ago I’m wondering if there might be some other variable you didn’t notice or have since forgotten about.
nah i will just go with doubtful, over a decade of brewing I have never seen anything over 5 on a homebrew scale. Anything I have heard over that I have asked for proof and get nothing[/quote]
Where is your proof to dispell this “myth?” You saying it doesn’t make it any more true than flars claim. I easily see ferm temps rise 7* above ambient… so I don’t think 10* on a high OG RIS is too far fetched.
nah i will just go with doubtful, over a decade of brewing I have never seen anything over 5 on a homebrew scale. Anything I have heard over that I have asked for proof and get nothing[/quote]
Where is your proof to dispell this “myth?” You saying it doesn’t make it any more true than flars claim. I easily see ferm temps rise 7* above ambient… so I don’t think 10* on a high OG RIS is too far fetched.[/quote]
first we are talking abut 14 degrees, and if this was an issue you would have notes on yeast manufacturer websites, issues with tons of beers being to hot, estery, etc…All I am saying is it is probably doubtful and there are probably many other factors that are coming into play, not just fermentation rising 15 degrees
