# Nottingham yeast question?



## Nick667 (22/3/15)

I have been using Nottingham for the last few brews and I am having problems getting a decent head.
I found Mr Malty yeast calculator and I may be under pitching.
I have been brewing 25 lts and the calculator says I need more than 1 packet.
US-05 seemed to do the business but I love the way Nottingham drops out so clear almost without any sediment.
Am I pushing it to far?


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## Bribie G (22/3/15)

What style of beers and what method.. AG, extract, KnK ? Maybe a bit of wheat, a short protein rest at 52 or something. If you are running Notto at faux lager temperatures then a couple of sachets would be a better pitching rate.


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## Nick667 (23/3/15)

I am doing all grain, BIAB and no chill in the stock pot covered with plastic wrap and lid weighed down over night. I have been brewing mainly ales ( golden,ipa ect ) and have started temp control recently. The golden ale is c/o Doctor Smurto in the recipe database but updated by him and has malted rye. Maybe change to wheat???
Even after 3 weeks the beer is struggling to get a head.


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## RdeVjun (23/3/15)

As per Bribie, a little wheat or a protein rest could help, however it also sounds as though the yeast strain isn't the only change?
How are you dispensing, I would guess by bottle but maybe not? Either way, perhaps it could simply be low carbonation?
Nevertheless it wouldn't hurt a bit to increase the pitch rate to Mr Malty levels, that is a simple low- hanging fruit style improvement.


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## Parks (23/3/15)

Nottingham is a monster of a yeast - I really doubt under pitching is your issue. Like RdeVjun said is it simply under carbonated?

Are your bottles/keg/glasses clean with definitely no remnants of PBW/Napisan/whatever you use to clean?

If so as mentioned 5% wheat or carpils for head or simply do a rest for 10min at 72deg and you'll get head like you never dreamed of h34r:


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## Nick667 (23/3/15)

Hey thanks a lot for your help guys.
I am spotlessly clean and rinse well.
It is an under carbonation issue for sure, I just don't know why.
I bottle with one measured t spoon sugar per bot.
Does Nottingham take longer to carbonate in the bottle?
One of my home brew shop gurus said it may be because Nottingham attenuates (?) so well that there isn't much yeast suspended so it may take longer.
If I change the rye to wheat and raise the temp after mash @ 60m to 72 for 10m do you think it will do the job?


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## Parks (23/3/15)

How long after bottling are you sampling?
What temp are you storing your bottles at for carbonation/conditioning?

I rarely bottle but have found that when I bottle condition using accurate priming rate it takes up to 6 weeks depending on temperature. This could well be because I use similar highly flocculant yeasts as you do and my beer is quite clear on transfer.


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## Nick667 (23/3/15)

Forgot to say that I do a sparge of sorts with 4lts of 77 deg water after the mash run slowly through the bag over the pot while the gas is on and also adding cold water, to the pot only, to bring the quantity up before the boil.


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