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Author Topic: Speeding up fermentation  (Read 36960 times)

Offline flbrewer

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Speeding up fermentation
« on: March 12, 2014, 07:28:35 pm »
Are there ways to speed up fermentation without producing off-tasting by products? Does increasing the viable yeast quantities work?

Offline euge

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2014, 07:37:59 pm »
Increase temp and/or yeast strain choice.
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Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2014, 07:42:36 pm »
To a point yes. Adding more yeast should ferment faster. The risk is not so much off flavors but a lack of fermentation flavors - esters, etc. You might be able to pick a yeast that finished faster.

Probably better to think of the whole process. With the right yeast and good temp control you could get a good ferment time and reduced post ferment aging time, move to bottling faster.

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« Last Edit: March 12, 2014, 08:24:10 pm by mtnrockhopper »
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Offline euge

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2014, 07:48:01 pm »
I think Windsor is a beast with normal beer. Very fast ferment. So is BRY-97 (sometimes). And that is at the mid-60's.
« Last Edit: March 12, 2014, 07:49:46 pm by euge »
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2014, 08:36:12 pm »
I have noticed on the few times I have let the temp crash too cold that ramping the temp up (say, from 50 to 68-70 over 3-4 days) quickly accelerates fermentation time with  no off flavors (assuming that yeast can work that cold.) Also, pitching a second batch of beer on a equal size beer 24 hours into its growth cycle really speeds up fermentation with no off flavors. So, say you brew 5 gallons of beer day one, aerate and pitch an adequate yeast pitch for that size beer, then put 5 more gallons on top of that 12-24 hours later you will drastically speed up fermentation time. Just be sure to aerate each batch well.

Offline quattlebaum

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2014, 09:29:13 am »
To a point yes. Adding more yeast should ferment faster. The risk is not so much off flavors but a lack of fermentation flavors - esters, etc. You might be able to pick a yeast that finished faster.

Probably better to think of the whole process. With the right yeast and good temp control you could get a good ferment time and reduced post ferment aging time, move to bottling faster.

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+1. When i want a "faster" ferm.  I plan my beer around that. Pick a style that i can use such yeast that flocculates faster along with not requiring requiring long aging. Above all i never do anything to"stress" the yeast

Offline dkfick

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2014, 09:30:53 am »
Increasing fermentation pressure will help as well. If you ferment at 15psi you can go warmer with reduced esters.
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Offline blatz

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2014, 09:43:56 am »
san diego super (WL090) ferments pretty quick.
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2014, 09:56:02 am »
Increasing fermentation pressure will help as well. If you ferment at 15psi you can go warmer with reduced esters.

good call, if you are able to run a pressurized fermentation that can really speed things up without compromising the quality of the brew.

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plus, you are already half carbed up at the end as long as you can transfer under pressure as well.
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Offline dkfick

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2014, 01:44:08 pm »
Yeah a spunding valve is pretty cheap and easy to make for a ball/pin lock keg. I have 2 10 gallon corny kegs I use to ferment in.
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Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2014, 10:54:29 am »
Give your yeast an impassioned pep talk daily.
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Speeding up fermentation
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2014, 11:31:19 am »
san diego super (WL090) ferments pretty quick.

+1.  Sure does. It's done and over in ~ 24 -72 hours, typically. The new Wyeast 1217 PC release is allegedly the equivalent as well.
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