# Have I Killed My Yeast?



## fasty73 (20/9/10)

Me in my wonderful state of enjoying my home brews got a great idea after drinking half a carton decided I would add half a cup of sugar to my fermenters after they had been brewing for 2 day. I poured the sugar in on top without disolving it in water, now the first one volcanoed so I poured it in gently to the second one and mixed thoroughly. But alas it stopped bubbling through the airlocks and SG has been at 1018 for the last 4 days. I know I shouldn't have done it but it's too late for that now. My question is have I killed the yeast? Should I put 2.5 grams of yeast in each fermenter? I have a firesuit on so blast away if you feel the urge. I'm sure I'm not the first to try this. I just wanted a higher alcohol percentage


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## bum (20/9/10)

fasty73 said:


> Me in my wonderful state of enjoying my home brews got a great idea after drinking half a carton decided I would add half a cup of sugar to my fermenters after they had been brewing for 2 day. I poured the sugar in on top without disolving it in water, now the first one volcanoed so I poured it in gently to the second one and mixed thoroughly. But alas it stopped bubbling through the airlocks and SG has been at 1018 for the last 4 days. I know I shouldn't have done it but it's too late for that now. My question is have I killed the yeast? Should I put 2.5 grams of yeast in each fermenter? I have a firesuit on so blast away if you feel the urge. I'm sure I'm not the first to try this. I just wanted a higher alcohol percentage


Nah, some more sugar shouldn't have done anything too bad to your yeast. Although 1/4 cup of sugar isn't going to add too much to your overall alc% so you really shouldn't have bothered, IMO. Next time account for it in your recipe - don't fart about adding stuff later on a whim, this is something that really should only be done when you know exactly what you're doing and what the risks are.

How certain are you that SG reading is accurate? Have you checked your hydrometer for accuracy in 20C water (might be 15C, should say on the hydrometer somewhere) - if it reads 1000 in water at that temp it is fine, if not all your reads are out. 1018 seems pretty high for FG for the recipes you've been posting. Put this one up so people can give it a once over to work out a possible FG.

Even if your cleanliness was sub-par I don't see how it would have automatically killed all the yeast - it'd still be fermenting, wouldn't it?

Have you tried gently swirling the fermenters to get some yeast back in suspension and making sure the temps aren't too cold?


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## fasty73 (20/9/10)

Yeah I tested the hydrometer before I tested the SG's. I gave them a big stir yesterday but no life seemed to emerge. I do know they are sealed properly because if you give the fermenter a gentle squeeze the airlock does bubble. The original recipe for batch 6 was can of Tooheys Lager and 1 kilo of Coopers BE2, SG started at 1042. Batch 8 was can of Tooheys Lager and 1 kilo of coopers BE1 starting SG was1042 as well. They both seem to be SG1018. They were only brewed 7 days ago and haven't been bubbling for 4 days, 1 day after the sugar was added. I know I should'nt have done it but I did. I won't be doing it again. I have the temps at 25. I am going to leave for another week regardless as I don't want any bombs but I don't want it to go off in the fermenter.


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## Gavo (20/9/10)

fasty73 said:


> I am going to leave for another week regardless as I don't want any bombs but I don't want it to go off in the fermenter.




A bloody good plan, particularly at 1018. 
Your hydrometer reading sounds fine for your SG as that is about what is expected for your recipe. Oh and don't rely on the airlock bubbling for an indication of fermentation as they are of the devil and not to be trusted.

Gavo


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## fasty73 (20/9/10)

Yeah, I know airlocks can tell lies but I have never had one stop bubbling after 3 days.


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## ekul (20/9/10)

Also, temps of 25 are a bit high... I like to keep temps between 17-20, any higher and i get off flavours.


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## bum (20/9/10)

ekul said:


> Also, temps of 25 are a bit high... I like to keep temps between 17-20, any higher and i get off flavours.



I agree with this although I assume you're using the kit yeast, fasty, so it is probably a little more forgiving than some other strains. A little cooler will take a bit longer but it'll also punch out a cleaner tasting beer.

With the exception of the temps (and chucking stuff in the fermenter without a really good reason) I really can't see what you might be doing wrong. Your method of checking things and trying to revive it seems sound and your temps are clearly not going to send your yeasties to sleep. Bit of a stumper for me. Beside suggesting you rack them into another fermenter (and I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess you don't have any empty ones at present) I'm not sure what else you can do besides waiting as you plan. I wonder if someone with a more technical understanding of yeast health might please step in now and suggest whether it is time to think about a repitch or not?


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## fasty73 (20/9/10)

Repitch? Is that adding more yeast?I just got through the book "Understanding Beer Making" volume 2 by Grant Simpson and it has some pretty good idea's in there. It suggest 25 for the first week or so then drop it down to around 18 or 20 which is the principle I am going on. It really is a good book and helped me out heaps!! Racking sounds like a bad idea as it exposes the beer to too much oxygen. And NO I don't have any empty fermenters at the moment.
25 seems to be the optimum temp for yeast to work, and thats what I'm after.


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## chappo1970 (20/9/10)

fasty73 said:


> Me in my wonderful state of enjoying my home brews got a great idea after drinking half a carton decided I would .....




Nuff said right there....


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## DUANNE (20/9/10)

fasty73 said:


> Repitch? Is that adding more yeast?I just got through the book "Understanding Beer Making" volume 2 by Grant Simpson and it has some pretty good idea's in there. It suggest 25 for the first week or so then drop it down to around 18 or 20 which is the principle I am going on. It really is a good book and helped me out heaps!! Racking sounds like a bad idea as it exposes the beer to too much oxygen. And NO I don't have any empty fermenters at the moment.
> 25 seems to be the optimum temp for yeast to work, and thats what I'm after.




25 is a good temperature for optimum yeast growth and efficiancy but not the best temp for good beer. if it was me id be doing the opposite of your ferment schedule, starting hot then cooling towards the end is just a good recipe for stalled ferments and diactyl production imo. is that the book you get from kmart? if you want a good read then spend the dollors on how to brew by john palmer.there is even a free online version here http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html .if you keep the temps at closer to 17-18 you will be amazed at the difference in your beer,the commercial breweries dont spend bucket loads on temp control just for the fun of it.


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## goomboogo (20/9/10)

Chappo, you look good with a beard.


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## fasty73 (20/9/10)

I AM starting at 15 THEN lowering to 18 as the brewers do. Yes it is the book from BigW.


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## fasty73 (20/9/10)

BEERHOG said:


> 25 is a good temperature for optimum yeast growth and efficiancy but not the best temp for good beer. if it was me id be doing the opposite of your ferment schedule, starting hot then cooling towards the end is just a good recipe for stalled ferments and diactyl production imo. is that the book you get from kmart? if you want a good read then spend the dollors on how to brew by john palmer.there is even a free online version here http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html .if you keep the temps at closer to 17-18 you will be amazed at the difference in your beer,the commercial breweries dont spend bucket loads on temp control just for the fun of it.


I am starting high and then lowering the temps.


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## felten (20/9/10)

Most of your yeast derived flavour compounds are going to be created in the beginning of the yeasts fermentation cycle, so starting at a high temp could possibly create more off flavours.

Starting at a lower temp IE. UNDER 20c , then ramping it up to say.. 22-24c after a few days would be, imo, a better option. The higher temperature at the end will help the yeast to finish up the fermenation.

So what I'm saying is do the opposite to what you're doing atm


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## manticle (20/9/10)

fasty73 said:


> I am starting high and then lowering the temps.




Other way round is better. Bad flavours are made from high temps in the first few days and the yeast might stall if the temps are reduced after that.

Try the next one at 18 to start, then ramp if you need to 3 or 4 days in. If you don't need to, leave it where it is.

This may be the reason for your brew stalling.


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## DUANNE (20/9/10)

it is better to start low then raise the temps for several reasons.put simply from my very basic understanding when you first pitch the yeast go through a reproductive phase where they make more of flavours and esters,lower temps keep this in check. as fermentation winds down you raise the temps up a bit and this helps the yeast to clean up fermentation by products such as diactyl and acetaldehyde wich are off flavours,the former is like butter scotch the latter like green apples or cider. if at the end you cool the beer down the yeast just go to sleep and dont bother cleaning up after themselves.and do yourself a favour and forget everything you learnt from that book,its about as reliable as the instructions you get with kits. youll learn a lot more on here if you are willing to listen to what some of the other guys have to say.


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## felten (20/9/10)

I think beerhog said it best


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## chappo1970 (20/9/10)

goomboogo said:


> Chappo, you look good with a beard.




Thanks Goomboogo :icon_cheers:


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## fasty73 (20/9/10)

OK, so lower temps to start then I will ramp it up to finish, sounds like a plan to me.


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## JestersDarts (21/9/10)

beerhog +1


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## ekul (21/9/10)

The last time i went through a homebrew phase i had that book and it says quite clearly to keep the brew at 25C. At the time i had this room which was a consistent 17C so i used to brew in there so i could bring the temp up. I rigged up an aquarium heater so i could keep the temp at a lovely 25C all the time. One day my aquarium heater died and the resultant brew was the best one that i'd made. Sadly this brew i also used one of those horrible brigalow "hop" (i use the term loosely) tablets so i attributed the good beer (drinkable anyway) to this. I stuffed around for ages trying to replicate that brew but because i'd read in that book that temps MUST be 25C i never made a good brew again because i kept the temp high, and i eventually gave up. One day i found this site and temperature was the first thing i changed, it made a considerable difference.

I would throw that book away if i were you, it will lead you astray... You'll get a far better education right here, plus its cheaper and tailored to your needs.


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## goomboogo (21/9/10)

Anything brewing related written by Grant Sampson should never see the light of day.


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## fasty73 (21/9/10)

Thanks for the tip!!


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