Cascase Kit, Yeast Didn't Fire

[xknifepointx]

I put down a batch of Cascade Spicy Ghost and noticed almost 40 hours later the yeast was not working, so I waited a few more hours and still nothing.

I chucked in a yeast I had laying around from a Coopers Pale Ale kit, now it's happily bubbling away two days later.

anyone know if this will ruin the beer ?

 

[Keifer]

what kind of yeast did you use at first? did you just chuck it in? rehydrate or anything?
It wont ruin the beer, it wont have helped either.

 

[xknifepointx]

what kind of yeast did you use at first? did you just chuck it in? rehydrate or anything?
It wont ruin the beer, it wont have helped either.

it was the supplied Bohemium kit yeast, I've had it since before christmas sitting in the room so I didn't know if it would be no good or not.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I put down a batch of Cascade Spicy Ghost and noticed almost 40 hours later the yeast was not working, so I waited a few more hours and still nothing.

I chucked in a yeast I had laying around from a Coopers Pale Ale kit, now it's happily bubbling away two days later.

anyone know if this will ruin the beer ?

I'll say the bleeding obvious - who knows. Assuming the Cascade yeast was dead, it should have no obvious impact I reckon. If it was just dormant (Too cold ??) and it will kick in later, results might be interesting. In essence, you kind of can't have tooo much yeast (though I know I will be corrected by someone) cos the yeast can only eat what it finds. If you put a brew on top of a previous brew's yeast cake, then you can't have too much yeast.(cos there's heaps of the little buggers there) I've no idea on the properties of the Cascade yeast v Coopers yeast but assume they would be fairly consistent. Come back in a couple of weeks and tell us the results :beer:

 

[xknifepointx]

well basically there was no action until 24 hours after I added the second yeast, so if anything, I've put 14grams of yeast in the wort.

 

[discoloop]

I've used the cascade yeast a couple of times and found it to be an insanely slow starter. Your yeast may well have been dead to begin with, but it may also have gotten there in the end if you just left it.

 

[hughman666]

yep it's a slow starter, but the best thing you can do with this kit is use a safale us56 instead of the kit yeast. in fact this applies to all kits, use a proper saf yeast, the results will be an instant improvement.

 

[mark_m]

I've tried a couple of cascade kits & wouldn't use the kit yeast again, Spicy ghost I tried 12 months or so ago & no activity after 2 days, pitched a coopers yeast & took off.
In my experience, of the kit yeasts, Coopers & Morgans seem o.k., Lion Nathan range ( Cascade, Tooheys) seem to come with questionable yeasties.
Mark

 

[Murcluf]

I've tried a couple of cascade kits & wouldn't use the kit yeast again, Spicy ghost I tried 12 months or so ago & no activity after 2 days, pitched a coopers yeast & took off.
In my experience, of the kit yeasts, Coopers & Morgans seem o.k., Lion Nathan range ( Cascade, Tooheys) seem to come with questionable yeasties.
Mark

Totally agree never had an issue when doing Coopers kits, but when I have used Lion Nathans Malt Shovel range it been a real hit and miss. More miss then hit, wonder if it has anything to do with the fact the kits come from the other side of the Tasman?

 

[SDHBrewing]

Totally agree never had an issue when doing Coopers kits, but when I have used Lion Nathans Malt Shovel range it been a real hit and miss. More miss then hit, wonder if it has anything to do with the fact the kits come from the other side of the Tasman?

I've just tried brewing the mahogany porter with the kit yeast, took 4 weeks to get the primary done, and after 2 weeks of secondary in the bottles it was still flat and sweet from the primer, even at room temperature around 18-20 deg in the house. The cascade website reckons it's a slow yeast, but I reckon they're shit.

I've never had any trouble with coopers kit yeasts and won't be using the cascade yeast again (no brand loyalty here, and I grew up in Hobart). I've got one of their pale ale kits to do but might use a cooper yeast or an english ale yeast or something.

 

[brettprevans]

kit yeasts are good for cheap toucans only imo. except for good kits like morgans etc. I always buy better yeast or reuse yeastcakes unless im doing a cheaper toucan. and when im doing a toucan i certainly use both packs of yeast.

Only time ive used cascade is for a Cascade imperial voyage toucan (done it twice) and it worked both times.

for whats its worth.

 

[Dave86]

I was talking to Col over at brew your own at home in kambah and mentioned I was doing a cascade mahogony porter partial and he was quick to point out that he'd had a heap of people reckon the cascade yeast was no good and advised not to use it. Definately go the saf or a liquid yeast IMO

Cheers

Dave

 

[xknifepointx]

okay so I started with a gravity of 1050 and it's now steady at 1018, but when I open the fermenter and smell it, it kind of burns my nose. not sure if this is the "spice" in spicy ghost or if it is a sulphur smell?

 

[phonos]

or it could be the carbon dioxide. I wouldn't be opening the fermenter unless you absolutely had to - why risk infections and oxidation? Just try to smell when your airlock bubbles.

 

[brettprevans]

kit yeasts are good for cheap toucans only imo. except for good kits like morgans etc. I always buy better yeast or reuse yeastcakes unless im doing a cheaper toucan. and when im doing a toucan i certainly use both packs of yeast.

Only time ive used cascade is for a Cascade imperial voyage PA toucan (done it twice) and it worked both times.

for whats its worth.

ok so Im going to go back on what i said above. Just put down another cascade IVPA toucan and the yeast hasnt fired (%*#@**!!). First time ever since using cascade. oh well maybe there's a bad batch going round. Im going wait another 24hrs and if still nothing chuck in some muntons Ive got stashed in the fridge. Actually im bottling a brew today that used some british liquid yeast, i might use some of that yeastcake!

anyway.....

 

[hughman666]

ok so Im going to go back on what i said above. Just put down another cascade IVPA toucan and the yeast hasnt fired (%*#@**!!). First time ever since using cascade. oh well maybe there's a bad batch going round. Im going wait another 24hrs and if still nothing chuck in some muntons Ive got stashed in the fridge. Actually im bottling a brew today that used some british liquid yeast, i might use some of that yeastcake!

anyway.....

forget the packet yeasts altogether. if you have a liquid yeastcake handy use that!

honestly guys, the single biggest improvement you can make to a kit is to ditch the yeast and use a saf dried yeast, or go to liquids (although this may be more expensive if you're not familiar with re-using them etc).

packet yeasts are shit. they sit in god-knows-what temperatures for god-knows-how long. when you buy a can from a supermarket or HBS you have literally no idea of how long it has been sitting with that yeast under the lid.

a good dried yeast will set you back ~ $4.00. considering this is a critical component of your beer, you really shouldn't be putting down a K&K without using one.