Mangrove jack west coast ale m44 yeast lagging

[spookus13b]

Mangrove jack west coast ale m44 yeast lagging for over 36 hrs now... Been cooking at 19 degrees , not a single sign of life !! O.G 1.050 one satchel not rehydrated and to top it off my burker immersion heater died sometime today whilst at work and it crashed to 12 degrees.... Is it salvageable or tip it ??

 

[trevgale]

I had a similar experience with that yeast. It ended up taking off after 48hrs, fermented out to around 1.013 in about a week and ended up having a plastic flavour which I think was Brett. Anyway I ended up tipping it, it the only batch I've ever tipped.

I would check the gravity to see if there has been any activity, if not I would pitch some US-05. This long lag time seems to be a pretty common complaint, although people have reported good results.

It's one yeast I won't be using again.

 

[spookus13b]

Mmmm I've read that it struggles.. Yeah I'm not happy been a few years in between brews. I usually use US-05 but went with this instead. Im not going to be home for another 48 hrs now so I think it will be dead by then!..?

 

[trevgale]

Reading through a few forums there are a lot of people that have experienced good results after a long lag time. Hopefully you will be one of them.

 

[goatchop41]

I used this for a Pacific Ale clone. Lagged for about 36ish hours, then ripped down to FG in about 3-4 days.

Also, why on earth would you consider tipping your wort just because the yeast hasn't taken off? :huh:
If it's been covered and your sanitation is good, then you don't have much of an infection worry. Warm it up and the yeast will wake up. The cold temps will just make them go dormant, not kill them!

 

[spookus13b]

So you think that after 72 hrs with no action it should be good to heat up??? It may be close to 96 hrs if I don't get home tonight!! Should I get some US-05 and chuck it once I get up to 20 degrees???

 

[goatchop41]

Depends how much of a rush you're in. If you are happy to wait a day and see, then I'd try to get the M44 going again (as I said, the lower temp won't have killed them, just quietened them down).
If the yeast has started to floc out, then i would be worthwhile rousing the fermenter as well as warming it up. If you take a gravity reading and there has been little activity then you can give it a real good shake - it'll rouse the yeast, and the extra oxygen will help get them going again. No worries about oxidation if the wort hasn't fermented yet B)

If that doesn't work, or you're in a hurry, warm it up to 16-20C then stick some more yeast in (and pleaseeeeeee rehydrate it this time - it only takes 15-20 mins and can only help you) :beerbang:

 

[spookus13b]

Yeah cheers I was super slack with not rehydrating no excuses!! Im installing a thermostat gauge and small ceramic heater in my brew cupboard to combat the cold once I jump start it tommorrow night!!! I'm in no rush!!

 

[HBHB]

At 1.050 and not rehydrated, I'd be pitching a second one with rehydration personally.

It's actually an excellent yeast, clean fermentation with a very low ester profile and has become my go to yeast for APA's and AIPA's - but always rehydrated as per the instructions.

 

[rude]

Just looked up the yeast & the instructions are pretty poor really
You would think rehydrate & use 2 10g pkts for 20 litres 1050 or is this yeast different

 

[pcqypcqy]

I had similar issues with these yeast. In the lag time, other nasties took a hold and ended up ruining this batch. DMS and wild yeasts I think took their toll. I noticed no activity around 24 hours after first pitching, then ended up repitching at 36 hours. Did not rehydrate that time, but do so now.

 

[spookus13b]

Ok I got home tonight put in a bath of 30 degrees let it shake about as I walked from the shed, let it siting the bath for 5 hrs keeping the water around 24-25, installed new heater in brew cupboard. Krausen kicked in after just 1hr!. Still bubbling and Krausen is near an inch thick... Thanks for the guidance guys!

 

[HBHB]

Spookus, it tends to do it's best work with an ambient temp around 18-19 degrees, so that makes the liquid temp about 20 during the more vigorous primary stage. I commonly bump it to 20 deg ambient at around day 7 or 8. Have certainly had some great results from it. Clean as a whistle, low ester profile.

 

[spookus13b]

Thanks HBHB! Yeah I've got the ambient set to 19 and it's bubbling nicely. After such a long lag time should I start my ferment time frame from last night? So I was planning a 14 day ferment dry hop on day 8 cold crash @ 3 degrees on day 12, bottle on 14?

 

[Vini2ton]

Starters are the go mate. Just a little extra effort and you'll have the confidence that your brew toil will not be in vain.1ltr with 100gm dme boiled put in flagon then cooled to 20c. Add rehydrated yeast (instructions and a conversation in itself) give it a day or two, then drain of 2/3s swirl then pitch. Or feed it more DME to step it up. I'm sure some of the experts will add to my advice. At the moment I,m workin up a big arse 34/70 for a big arse lager. Trust me its worth it.

 

[Brooa]

I've just used M44 for the second time, & both times it has kicked off within 24 hours. I think keeping temp as constant as posible is the go.

 

[goatchop41]

Starters are the go mate. Just a little extra effort and you'll have the confidence that your brew toil will not be in vain.1ltr with 100gm dme boiled put in flagon then cooled to 20c. Add rehydrated yeast (instructions and a conversation in itself) give it a day or two, then drain of 2/3s swirl then pitch. Or feed it more DME to step it up. I'm sure some of the experts will add to my advice. At the moment I,m workin up a big arse 34/70 for a big arse lager. Trust me its worth it.

Liquid yeast, yes, but a bit of research will tell you that starters for dry yeast generally aren't the go....I've read some stuff from Jamil that they can actually hurt viable yeast numbers in dry yeast! And for the price and effort involved when it comes to dry yeast, you may as well just grab another packet instead....

 

[Benn]

I used Mangrove Jacks M44 for the first time Saturday evening, Pitched it dry as per packet instructions. I had some minor temp fluctuations during the first 12hrs (first time using an STC 1000) first signs of fermentation began around 40hrs. Looks and smells good at a now constant 19deg.

 

[Brooa]

Yeah, mine may have started sooner because I'm in Brissy & It's pleasantly warmer up here.

 

[Vini2ton]

Come in spinner.