OVHA Chat

Anoyher zero,that's 3 in a row.

I've used liquid yeat a few times with not so good results.A couple of beers were awful(I didn't know about starters).I moved on to,sprinkle and stir,dry yeast.Much better but still not gtreat.Drinkable,now.However,I still had a freaky fermentation now and,too often,then which I attributed to long lag times of 8 to 24 + hours.Then,I started rehydrating my dry yeasts and my successes were more frequent.Shorter lag times ( .75 to 4 hours ) and better fermentations.Better beers.

Recently,I began to follow the instructions proveded by the manufacturers of the dry yeasts,mainly Lallemand and Fermentis.I had read reviews regarding problems with a couple of yeast strains followed by rebuttles claiming that if the yeast were properly handled that these things would not happen.Hmmm.I began following said instructions exactly and got suprising results.My lag times are now zero to 45 minutes.And although very good results come from merely ptching the dry yeast on top of the raw wort,it doesn't work for me often enough.I worry every minute until bubbles appear in the airlock.But now,I walk away from my soon to be beer project knowing that fermentation has begun and I can relax.

Someday I wil try the liquid yeast again.Making a starter,using a stir plate,etc. would be a lot of fun.Not to mention the endless possibilities for creativenes.Wow,culturing a starter from yests gleened from bottles,smack packs,slants,hmmm. But,for now,Im enjoying my dry yeast and it's limitations.The zeros are a comforting pluss.

when you say zero do you mean it fermented down to 1.00? Thats very low! What was your starting gravity, what yeast are you using, how much are you pitching and what temperature are you fermenting at? Do you use yeast nutrients and/or O2?

Also did you say you had zero lag time as in the moment you pitch you have activity? I wouldnt think that wouldnt be possible with dry yeast, it is probably just normal air escaping as you move the fermenter around. I usually rehydrate the dry yeast before I pitch it. It is a little more of a process with sterilizing more water and then cooling it but I seem to have better attenuation that way.

A FG of 1.00 would be very dry, usually my beers finish around the 1.015-1.020 range depending on what I'm brewing. Have you tasted it yet? Is it sour at all? I've heard Lacotbacillus and brettanomyces bacteria will also consume more complex sugars than regular yeast strains dropping the FG below normal levels.

If you are not adding oxygen to the fermenter, that's your next big leap. Yeast need oxygen to replicate and produce strong cell walls. It may give the appearance of a longer lag if you are doing so because they are reproducing instead of producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. That does not start until reproduction stops. Always willing to help if help is wanted. I have a 3.5L on a stir plate right now if you want to drop by tonight to check it out and discuss. Also brewing Saturday day.