I thought I would share my first experience using WLP023 Burton Ale yeast.
So I made a ESB on Saturday (OG 1050) and pitched a 2l starter of WLP023 on Sat afternoon. The starter was very active when pitched and had been on a stirplate for 48 hours non stop. It is the first time I have used this yeast and gee did it go off. It was pitched at 18 degrees and dropped to 16 within an hour and has been stable between 15 and 16 16 degrees since.
Within 18 hours of pitching it was bubbling several times per second with a think layer of krausen. By the end of the next day I went to check and it had completely blown through the bubbler and spewed yeasty krasuen over the fermenter lid. It smelt like warm VB!!!
After cleaning the mess I checked again 4 hours later and it had blown the top again !!! This time I drained 1 liter of wort to reduce the volume as it has 25 liters which is 2 liters more than I usually do. I tasted a sample and it actually tasted OK so I hope its not infected but the aroma was very beery and yeasty with a little sulphur and not particularly fruity.
The next morning (this morning) it had done it again but much less so. I hope this will be the last time it happens.
It had attenuated from 1050 to 1016 in about 55 hours.
I have been brewing for 10 years and never had this happen before. Does anyone have much experience with this yeast and is what I have seen common?
I really worried now that it is infected but will leave it until I transfer to a secondary and then taste to see how it is. At this rate it will be ready for transfer tonight.
I was thinking that a ferment at 15 to 16 degrees would be slow and stable!! How wrong was I.
So I made a ESB on Saturday (OG 1050) and pitched a 2l starter of WLP023 on Sat afternoon. The starter was very active when pitched and had been on a stirplate for 48 hours non stop. It is the first time I have used this yeast and gee did it go off. It was pitched at 18 degrees and dropped to 16 within an hour and has been stable between 15 and 16 16 degrees since.
Within 18 hours of pitching it was bubbling several times per second with a think layer of krausen. By the end of the next day I went to check and it had completely blown through the bubbler and spewed yeasty krasuen over the fermenter lid. It smelt like warm VB!!!
After cleaning the mess I checked again 4 hours later and it had blown the top again !!! This time I drained 1 liter of wort to reduce the volume as it has 25 liters which is 2 liters more than I usually do. I tasted a sample and it actually tasted OK so I hope its not infected but the aroma was very beery and yeasty with a little sulphur and not particularly fruity.
The next morning (this morning) it had done it again but much less so. I hope this will be the last time it happens.
It had attenuated from 1050 to 1016 in about 55 hours.
I have been brewing for 10 years and never had this happen before. Does anyone have much experience with this yeast and is what I have seen common?
I really worried now that it is infected but will leave it until I transfer to a secondary and then taste to see how it is. At this rate it will be ready for transfer tonight.
I was thinking that a ferment at 15 to 16 degrees would be slow and stable!! How wrong was I.