Clumping Yeast

[dabre4]

I made a yeast starter with a stir plate with Wyeast 1968 London ESB and all the yeast has seemed to clump up. I have never seen this before. I didn't think too much of it and pitched them in this morning. All the clumps of yeast are now sitting at the bottom of the fermenter, which doens't seem right to me. I've given it a swirl but it all just settles to the bottom again. Anyone had any experience with this yeast, or knows what's going on?

Cheers

 

[raven19]

The yeast can tend to settle in a dense layer as being English it tends be a good flocculator.

I would suggest giving it a good thrashing with a sanitised spoon (Bribie Style) to get it back into suspension.

Also, is the FG starting to drop yet?

 

[Fourstar]

with 1968 being a good flocculator as noted, try and pitch at high krausen where possible. If that means adding more wort to the starter, so be it.

 

[Wolfy]

I made a yeast starter with a stir plate with Wyeast 1968 London ESB and all the yeast has seemed to clump up. I have never seen this before. I didn't think too much of it and pitched them in this morning. All the clumps of yeast are now sitting at the bottom of the fermenter, which doens't seem right to me. I've given it a swirl but it all just settles to the bottom again. Anyone had any experience with this yeast, or knows what's going on?

This yeast is highly flocculant, its the only yeast I've ever had form flocs and clumps while still on the stir-plate.
However, it's strange that it's settled to the bottom of your fermentor, given a new food source, it should mix in and start eating all the sugars in your wort.
Maybe it just looks like it's all settled out, but much of the yeast is now in suspension?

 

[Batz]

I would suggest giving it a good thrashing with a sanitised spoon (Bribie Style)

I can imagine Bribe administering a good thrashing.

 

[Pennywise]

This yeast will stick like shit to a blanket, as said best to pitch at high krausen with the starter.
I split packs up and store under distilled water, last time I pulled a vial of this stuff out it came out in a disc shape, that's how good it settles

 

[warra48]

I love WY1968, it's one of my favourites. The clumps in your starter are not unusual for this yeast.

I bottled a batch of Mild last week where I used this yeast, and for the first 2 or 3 days I did the BribieG thing and give the batch a good stir with a sanitised spoon to resuspend the yeast.
I pitched a jar of the slurry from the Mild into a Bitter last Saturday, and am giving it the same treatment.

It's amazing how quickly this yeast floculates in the fermenter. Clear beer at bottling time is not unusual.

 

[dabre4]

This yeast is highly flocculant, its the only yeast I've ever had form flocs and clumps while still on the stir-plate.
However, it's strange that it's settled to the bottom of your fermentor, given a new food source, it should mix in and start eating all the sugars in your wort.
Maybe it just looks like it's all settled out, but much of the yeast is now in suspension?

Thanks all. I think your right in this one wolfy. Yeah I have never seen this happen before, hence my concern. It's fired up now with a nice thick krausen, so must have still had plenty in suspension.

 

[Hinji]

Hi guys,

I think I may have had a similar problem with my ESB I have fermenting. I pitched the White Labs 'London Dry Yeast' WLP007 on Saturday, and fermentation was good for the first couple of days but the yeast has now settled into a dense layer on the bottom of the fermenter and SG has been 1024 since Monday. Flocculation is said to be high for this yeast so I am guessing that this is why it has settled, as apparently it should give 80% attenuation, even for 10% beers. As suggested I gave the whole thing a stir an hour ago to get the yeast back into suspension, however it appears as though it all fell straight back down. Airlock is bubbling but that means feck all.

Any suggestions?

Cheers

 

[chrisherberte]

I'm loving 1968, just kegged an APA using it. WOW! but yea, cottage cheese.