Pitching yeast

[GFHomebrew]

An overpitch does causes excessive krausen, but it's not too big of deal. A severe underpitch is way worse. Lag times are important to watch because it tells you a little bit about your pitch rate without getting too involved or technical. Generally 8-18 hours is a good lag time for ales. It lets you know the pitch was healthy and about the right amount. Lagers should be 18-32 hours. This is all depending on pitch temperature. Higher fermentation temperatures will increase the krausen as well.

English yeasts (Wyeast 1318 is a good example) and German Kolsch yeasts (K97, 2565 and even 1007) are most susceptible to a really high krausen because a lot of them are top croppers, meaning they can and do flocculate up. CO2 gets trapped under the yeast that flocc's upward and creates a excessive krausen.

English yeasts in general can tolerate a lower pitch and may benefit by from this because ester production is increased by the lower pitch. I wouldn't think it was as good of an idea with German Kolsch or German Alt yeast. Generally those beers are low in ester production, so head space is key with those beers.

S04 is a English yeast that tolerates low pitches very well. I pitch 1 pack (11 grams) into a 7 gallon 1.058 OG beer and it works great, although lag times are pushing 18 hours. The krausen is about 1/3 the height as compared to a normal pitch (.75 million cells/mL/degree plato)

Kveik is an entirely different beast. Underpitch and it has a 2-4 lag time. Kveik Voss has a fairly low krausen.

As do most I've found kviek strains that is.

 

[Daniel Parshley]

I know just what you are talking about! I get slow bubbling 4-12 hours before the yeast "formally" takes off and the slow bubbles that form come out the top of the air lock. I think it has to do with the Star San and not a problem. Once the ferment really takes off, it is a bubble more frequently than one a second (chugging along) versus the slow interment bubbling as the yeast get its act together. Take comfort. That bubbling is the yeast getting ready to do it thing. As others have noted, a blow-off tube works. I overfilled my fermenter (yes, the 5 gal line is not the same as 6 gal line) and it saved the situation, although a bit lower ABV than intended.

 

[naDinMN]

No, good yeast quantity. Just not enough space between the top of the liquid and the airlock.

The recipe builder here has a good estimate of how much yeast to use, give it a try. But half a pack for a 2 1/2 gallon batch sounds just right for an ale.

This.

 

[Ward Chillington]

I'm gonna unearth this thread since I see some other kveik-ers on here and I need a little advice as to my next step.
I brewer a batch of my SaazTenial Blonde and decided to listen to Brulosophy recommendations on slurry pitch rate for kveik and I'm thinking i have a stalled fermentation. About a week into fermentation plus 2 days of virtually no off gassing, I checked the SG. Starting was 1069 and I was now at about 1024 so I dropped 2 more heaping ice tea spoons of slurry into the wort then gave things a swirl and 2 days later we are at 1023 which is putting me in the 6% and range.
So here's the question as I have op-ed to cold crash at this point, given that I'm a bottle conditioner, what considerations should I take so I'm no building any gushers?

 

[GFHomebrew]

I'm gonna unearth this thread since I see some other kveik-ers on here and I need a little advice as to my next step.
I brewer a batch of my SaazTenial Blonde and decided to listen to Brulosophy recommendations on slurry pitch rate for kveik and I'm thinking i have a stalled fermentation. About a week into fermentation plus 2 days of virtually no off gassing, I checked the SG. Starting was 1069 and I was now at about 1024 so I dropped 2 more heaping ice tea spoons of slurry into the wort then gave things a swirl and 2 days later we are at 1023 which is putting me in the 6% and range.
So here's the question as I have op-ed to cold crash at this point, given that I'm a bottle conditioner, what considerations should I take so I'm no building any gushers?

Yeah this is what I've found with Kviek it a a bit of a dark horse especially after a few generations on the yeast it can start getting lazy on you.
Then some fermentations it just smashes it out to final gravity in three days!
So when I ferment with it it's nutrient in the boil pitch low and ramp temp a degree or two the other side of high krausen and hold it there.

I'd bottle as is if:
You've raised ferm temp a couple more degrees
If you've given it a bit of a rouse.
If no glory
Bottle and keep in a cooler for good measure.
You might even find the bottle carbonation might be hit n miss
Put them bottles somewhere warm

I use my heat belt in the Esky to finish them off.

 

[Sunfire96]

Maybe some PET bottles just in case?

 

[Ward Chillington]

Thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming friends!

Working with kveik has been a game changer indeed and @Trialben I've followed your recommendations already so we're tracking there buddy.....

I'm sticking with a 1/3 of a quart of slurry to 5 gals of wort from here on, over pitch be damed! I think what I'll do with this batch is definitely watch my CO2 volume as I have been pushing the high side with this recipe, nothing like a good head on your beer, but gushers and bottle bombs are the worst! And @Sunfire96 ...this batch is getting 2 of my little PET "anxiety" bottles ....one in the "Esky" and one out...ya know...for science!

 

[Sunfire96]

Thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming friends!

Working with kveik has been a game changer indeed and @Trialben I've followed your recommendations already so we're tracking there buddy.....

I'm sticking with a 1/3 of a quart of slurry to 5 gals of wort from here on, over pitch be damed! I think what I'll do with this batch is definitely watch my CO2 volume as I have been pushing the high side with this recipe, nothing like a good head on your beer, but gushers and bottle bombs are the worst! And @Sunfire96 ...this batch is getting 2 of my little PET "anxiety" bottles ....one in the "Esky" and one out...ya know...for science!

Good plan. It's nice being able to "feel" the carbonation with a PET bottle and if it carbs up in less than a week you'll know something's off