The Importance of Getting Yeast Right

[Journeyman]

As mentioned elsewhere I do vitality starters where I pitch the starter at high Krausen instead of waiting for activity to die down. This has consistently given me surface foam within an hour or 2 & 3 cm thick Krausen about 10 - 12 hours later. (maybe less because it's like that when I check the next morning)

Yesterday I made 2 basic brews, just can, LDME and hops tea. I made my starter of 1 pkt (11g) Nottingham in 2L with 500gm sugar. Foamed nicely, got 3 or 4 vigorous stirrings then pitched aroun 23° in each brew.

10pm, not much going on, just bubbles around the edge. 7:30am it LOOKED like a couple of cm of foam but a better look showed only the front of the FV's had that and the rears were open water. I tilt my FV's back so the trub collects away from the taps but I'm not sure why that would cause the foam to only be at the front.

Well, I tried and clearly from results I had my answer. Out with another pack of Nott and half in each, sprinkled dry over the open surface.

4 hours later, Krausen maybe 6 - 7 cm high covers the entire surface with what looks like meringue peaks where the new Krausen has pushed at the original stuff.

If I try it again I'll try a viability starter and see if I can make enough cells to do 2 brews.

[jamiek86]

I've had krausen miss certain parts of the surface before never noticed any strange effects in the beer though. Amazing what the little life forms can do brew to brew.

[Journeyman]

4 minutes ago, jamiek86 said:

I've had krausen miss certain parts of the surface before never noticed any strange effects in the beer though. Amazing what the little life forms can do brew to brew.

Mine have been consistent since I began doing the vitality starters - more than 15 months now & across many different beer types. So when something changes, I notice and try to work out why. 

And just had a look - the Krausen is thick & healthy looking now.

[jamiek86]

nothing better than feeling at ease with a brew

[Journeyman]

12 hours ago, jamiek86 said:

nothing better than feeling at ease with a brew

True that. I posted about it because I've been a bit 'meh' about the posts on yeast counts and doubling packets etc. and this is the first time I've seen the effect myself. Nott comes in 11g sachets which is clearly enough even for a high ABV brew, (high 1.07's) but this time I tried to stretch it across 2 brews, both in the mid-1.050 range.

So underpitch DOES matter.

[jamiek86]

2 hours ago, Journeyman said:

True that. I posted about it because I've been a bit 'meh' about the posts on yeast counts and doubling packets etc. and this is the first time I've seen the effect myself. Nott comes in 11g sachets which is clearly enough even for a high ABV brew, (high 1.07's) but this time I tried to stretch it across 2 brews, both in the mid-1.050 range.

So underpitch DOES matter.

geeze I wouldn't have thought one pack could do a gravity that high over hundred points u meant?

[Journeyman]

27 minutes ago, jamiek86 said:

geeze I wouldn't have thought one pack could do a gravity that high over hundred points u meant?

 No, 70 points. 1.070 is the same as 1.07.  From memory the highest was 1.075 and finished at 1.004 for a 9.5%. I used the enzyme in it which is why it got so low.