Thursday, October 20, 2011

Yeast and Bubbles

Last week's yeast problem turned out to be not much of a problem at all.  I made a new starter of British Ale II intending to decide at brew time if I should pitch both samples.  I discovered, as I let the new batch of yeast start, that the first batch had begun to take off and that I probably could have used the starter I was complaining about.  Not wanting to over-pitch I threw the first starter away and went with the second sample, which was accelerating normally.
The beer seems to be fermenting well during the four days since I pitched.  But I have noticed an odd sort of bubble in the foam of this batch.

They seem a bit large, as if maybe there is a film of some sort on the surface of the wort.
I experienced the same phenomena with the Blonde Ale I just made a few weeks ago.  The Blonde tastes as it should so I guess I'm fretting too much over what is probably nothing.
However, I do expect cleaner looking Krausen on the beer I make.
Good Beer To You.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Slow Yeast

I wanted to make an English Pale today but was stopped by a very slow starting yeast.   I popped the inside packet of a pouch of Wyeast 1335 yesterday about 9AM thinking I was going to boil up a quart of dry malt about noon and make a healthy starter for today's brew.
About 4:30, despite the dismal growth of the pouch, and the manufacture date stamp of May 11, I made the wort and put it all in the growler I use for such things.
Late last night, nothing.
This morning, nothing.

I headed back to the brew shop and told them what happened but without the used pouch, I coud not get a replacement.  I ended up buying a pouch that was made in August and a pound of dry malt and headed back home.
When I got here I shook the old yeast up one more time and got a small release of CO2.
It's still going very slowly.  I think I'll pitch the second pack into the wort today and see what happens

Next time I'll remember to save the old pouch for evidence.  But C'mon. I was in the shop less than 48 hours ago.  I would not burn 4 bucks worth of gas and drive clear accross town just to get a free pouch of British Ale yeast.