Messages

1

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Should I pitch again??

« on: June 30, 2011, 09:21:36 PM »

Glad to hear it's going. Now go have a Caucasian. 

Ha!  Have to wait a few hours...it's only just noon here in Malaysia.

2

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Should I pitch again??

« on: June 30, 2011, 08:57:31 PM »

If you wanna ferment at 62-64 its best to start the yeast out at that temp rather than lowering the temp during fermentation. Some strains can tend to throw diacetyl if forcefully cooled. It can also tend to stall or slow fermentation. I wouldn't lower it much lower than 66 once you have visual confirmation of fermentation.

FWIW I have started US-05 out as low as 56 degrees. It will ferment at cooler temps.

Thanks Keith.  It's now bubbling away at 66F, I wont drop it any further, so I think it will be ok. I now know that the tote cooler I built works very well at keeping the fermenter cold...next time i'll keep the temps equalized.   

3

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Should I pitch again??

« on: June 29, 2011, 10:12:26 PM »

Opened it up - no activity at all.  Re-pitched 11g pack of US-05 at 68F.  Gave it a good shake.  WIll slowly drop temps to closer to 62F once I see fermentation activity.  Hopefully it turns out...

Thanks for all the advice.

4

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Should I pitch again??

« on: June 29, 2011, 09:03:06 PM »

Do you know you don't have activity, just because the airlock is not bubbling, as you are fermenting in a bucket, you could be good to go. Often times the seal around the lid is not good or the seal around the airlock, either of which would let the CO2 out without going through the airlock.

Should i pull the top and take a look?

5

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Should I pitch again??

« on: June 29, 2011, 09:02:23 PM »

Ok, thanks Gordon. I'll re-pitch. Crashing the temp was a mistake - had no idea the cooler I made (idea taken from a thread on this forum) would work so damn well!!  The yeast is about one month old, been sitting in my fridge...should still be good, right?  I added some nutrient originally.  I aerated by allowing cooled wort to pour from kettle into fermenting bucket below, through a strainer - seemed to aerate well.

Enjoyed your book.

Regards,
KLB

6

Yeast and Fermentation / Should I pitch again??

« on: June 29, 2011, 08:32:58 PM »

Hello everyone. 

On tuesday I made an all-grain AIPA.  Pitched at 64F using a packet of rehydrated US-05 then placed the fermenter in my tote-cooler with 2 frozen 2L bottles - resulting in temps the next morning of 49F.  I've slowly brought the temp up to 68F, but I see no fermentation activity (i.e. no bubbles in airlock).  I gave the fermentation bucket a good shake to try to wake up the yeast, but it's been 48 hrs with no activity.  Should I pitch another packet of US-05?

Thanks,
KLB

7

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 6/24 Edition

« on: June 23, 2011, 06:45:55 AM »

Big weekend, first all grain batch for me.  And while I can't prove it, I believe this will be the first all grain homebrew batch in the history of Malaysia...

8

All Grain Brewing / Re: Transition to all grain?

« on: April 20, 2011, 04:39:06 PM »

Great advice, as always.  Thanks guys.

9

All Grain Brewing / Re: Transition to all grain?

« on: April 19, 2011, 04:45:10 PM »

Tom,  

To control the fermentation temps I use a swamp cooler with an ice bath to keep the fermenter cool - approx 65F.  The swamp cooler isn't all that effective due to the high humidity here in S.E. Asia, but the ice bath helps, and I keep it all in our guest room with the A/C cranked.  So, I think I'll set the carboy in the ice bath (after using the IC to drop the temps to at or below 100), and pitch when the temp is down to below 68F.  I'll see how long that takes, then maybe for the next batch I'll purchase a pond/utility pump, per hopfenundmalz's suggestion.  

Thanks to all for helping out a brewer a long way from home!
KLB

10

All Grain Brewing / Transition to all grain?

« on: April 19, 2011, 04:32:54 AM »

Greetings Forum. 

I am considering a transition to all grain brewing, and I have one question - how do I cool the wort to an acceptable temp for pitching the yeast?  I am an an extract/steeping brewer now and use a combination of an ice-bath, 25ft copper IC and adding chilled H20 to the wort to drop the temp prior to pitching.  The problem is my "cold" tap water here in S.E. Asia averages about 80 + degrees F, which limits the effectiveness of the IC.   So, what's the best way to get a full 5+ gallons of boiling wort to acceptable temps for pitching in this climate?   I don't have a spare fridge to use help cool the wort either.  Should I just stick to extract brewing until I return to cooler climates?

Thanks,
KLB

11

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Dry Yeast Question

« on: March 23, 2011, 04:46:51 PM »

will do, thanks bluesman.  appreciate all the advice.

12

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Dry Yeast Question

« on: March 22, 2011, 04:30:37 PM »

Thanks again guys!  I can control the pitching and fermentation pretty well for the climate I am in - my last batch (american amber) I pitched at 60F and it fermented between 64-68F, according to the stick-on thermometer on the fermenter...fermenter sits in an ice bath.  From what I am reading it looks like I should be ok with pitching close to 60F and fermenting around 66F. Does this sound OK?  And how accurate are the stick-on thermometers?
 

13

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Dry Yeast Question

« on: March 21, 2011, 04:51:24 PM »

Great info, thanks guys.

14

Yeast and Fermentation / Dry Yeast Question

« on: March 21, 2011, 07:04:16 AM »

Greetings Forum, I have a few questions and was hoping the group could help me out - as you all have done in the past.  I live in a tropical climate (S.E. Asia) far from any homebrew supply stores and would like to brew a clone of Fuller's London Pride.  The recipe I have calls for Wyeast 1968 or White Labs WLP002; however, do to shipping times and temps, I am unable to get liquid yeast.  So, question #1 is: what is a suitable dry yeast substitute for the above mentioned liquid yeast strains?  Additionally, the recipe calls for 6.6 lbs of light LME, which leads to my second question.  Again, due to shipping restrictions, I am unable to get LME.  So, question #2 is:  What is the correct conversion of 6.6 lbs of light LME to DME?  I've found several equations on other sites, but all differ slightly and I would like your thoughts.  As usual, thanks for your guidance and advice.

15

Yeast and Fermentation / Secondary Temps

« on: March 03, 2011, 05:24:16 PM »

Hello forum, and greetings from Malaysia - I have a question for the group.  I recently brewed an amber ale, and in order to keep the fermentation temperatures down to a reasonable range (62-66F) I have the fermentor in a swamp cooler.  I want to dry hop this beer, and was wondering if I needed to keep the temps down while the beer dry hopped in a secondary fermentor?  My guess is that it should stay cool, as there will be residual yeast activity which will help condition the beer.  Is this correct?  Should I keep the beer in the swamp cooler for an additional 10-14 days while it dry hops?

Thanks.