SleepySamSlim
Grandmaster Brewer
So as a back ground - last Winter and Spring I came to the conclusion that Safale 04 or 05 were just harder working yeasts than Danstar Windsor or Nottingham. On batches with OG around 1.050 to 1.055 I would have the Danstar yeasts leave me at around 1.020. And with both yeasts I was doing a simple sprinkle and go process. I also tend to pitch at (or near) the yeasts upper temperature range to ensure they get going and get busy. And with the Safale yeasts I consistently get FG's in the 1.011 - 1.018 range. Lastly, I do extract and specialty grain brewing. I do a 3.5g partial boil and top off to 5.5g.
So last week I brewed a new Porter recipe and decided I wanted to try Windsor again - and this time I would re-hydrate the yeast. BeerSmith predicted OG as 1.059 - I measured 1.059 and with temp correction of +1 it was 1.060. The yeast re-hydrated nicely and I added small wort samples every 5 minutes to bring it to pitching temp. I pitched and aerated at 70deg. at 8PM. Next morning it was bubbling rapidly - by end of first day I had almost 1.5" krausen and activity continued for another day and a half. It then petered out totally. So I figured 2.5 days of high activity it was probably done and let it sit a couple of days until the weekend. So I do a SG check and crap --- I'm at 1.024. So I sprinkle on a pack of Safale 05 I had and we'll see what happens.
Any ideas here ? Should I have used 2 packs of Windsor ? Keep in mind with my current processes I've fermented batches up to 1.058 with Safale with no issues. And I know that above 1.060 you may need either more yeast or a 1 liter starter. Baffled
So last week I brewed a new Porter recipe and decided I wanted to try Windsor again - and this time I would re-hydrate the yeast. BeerSmith predicted OG as 1.059 - I measured 1.059 and with temp correction of +1 it was 1.060. The yeast re-hydrated nicely and I added small wort samples every 5 minutes to bring it to pitching temp. I pitched and aerated at 70deg. at 8PM. Next morning it was bubbling rapidly - by end of first day I had almost 1.5" krausen and activity continued for another day and a half. It then petered out totally. So I figured 2.5 days of high activity it was probably done and let it sit a couple of days until the weekend. So I do a SG check and crap --- I'm at 1.024. So I sprinkle on a pack of Safale 05 I had and we'll see what happens.
Any ideas here ? Should I have used 2 packs of Windsor ? Keep in mind with my current processes I've fermented batches up to 1.058 with Safale with no issues. And I know that above 1.060 you may need either more yeast or a 1 liter starter. Baffled