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Author Topic: WLP540 - Slow attenuation?  (Read 6135 times)

Offline bierview

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Re: WLP540 - Slow attenuation?
« Reply #30 on: November 03, 2016, 02:48:42 am »
This is the first I'm hearing that racking to secondary is outdated.  Do others out there feel the same?

Offline bierview

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Re: WLP540 - Slow attenuation?
« Reply #31 on: November 03, 2016, 03:03:41 am »
I usually leave them on 7-10 days.  So here is a question.  How long would you leave WPL011 European?

I've never used that particular strain, but if it's like most other English strains then I would guess it would be done fermenting in like 48 hours, so then I'd leave it for about a week just to be safe.

General guidance for any fermentation: Wait until all signs of fermentation have totally ceased -- e.g., no airlock activity, krausen has fallen, beer has begun to clear -- and then check gravity, wait at least 3-4 more days, check gravity again.  If gravity stays the same after several days, you are safe to bottle or keg.  If not, wait a few more days and repeat until it's done.

I checked the gravity at 7 days and it dropped from 1.058 to 1.015.  It's still on the yeast because when I swirl the carboy, the blow off hose still bubbles quite a bit and there is a lot of creamy foam on the top of the carboy.  That would tell me it is still working but the gravity readings indicate that it is probably done.  Attenuation for this strain is 65-70.  I currently have 74%.

So here is a twist.  I racked to secondary, added caramelized figs about 12 hours ago.  All the figs rose to the top and seem to be fermenting.  There is activity in the airlock and bubbles crawling up the side of the carboy.  This may not be done in time for the holidays.  First time using WLP011.  What a powerful strain.

Offline dmtaylor

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Re: WLP540 - Slow attenuation?
« Reply #32 on: November 03, 2016, 07:20:33 am »
This is the first I'm hearing that racking to secondary is outdated.  Do others out there feel the same?

This has been the new norm endorsed by interweb geeks (including myself) for at least the past 5 years.
Dave

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Offline Hand of Dom

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Re: WLP540 - Slow attenuation?
« Reply #33 on: November 03, 2016, 07:43:20 am »
I've never used a secondary, mostly for reasons of laziness. 
Dom

Currently drinking - Amarillo saison
Currently fermenting - Pale ale 1 - 2017

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: WLP540 - Slow attenuation?
« Reply #34 on: November 03, 2016, 09:32:01 am »
This is the first I'm hearing that racking to secondary is outdated.  Do others out there feel the same?

Excluding racking to secondary seemed to be a popular sentiment when I started brewing in 2009. I'm not sure it was the prevailing thought at that time but it certainly was within a year or two.
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