Slow Ferment Question

[Housecat]

Hey all,

Just wondering, do you get lazy yeast?

I put down a brew last Saturday. Put it in my fridge set at 18 and pitched US-05 at about 22.
It didn't take off until almost two days later and only after I had given it a really vigorous stir.
It is still going and the krausen looks like the head of a beer that has frozen still and has a caramel type colour to it.
The hydrometer reading is slowly dropping with the latest at 1018 (SG 1055) so there is activity in there just not a huge amount.
Also, the taste is sweet in a not-yet-finished fermenting way so I am 99% confident there is no infection.

Just interested on any thoughts you might have as to why it has taken so long when other batches have usually finished their krausen activity by day four.


Cheers
HC

 

[raven19]

I think its a case of relax and dont worry about it. Once the krausen is up on the brew you are 99% of the way there imo!

Gravity is dropping, so all good there. The wort may not have as much oxygen it it when yeast was pitched, a slightly older batch of yeast, etc... there will always be minor differences from brew to brew on a homebrew scale.

I would not be concerned with infection just follow your normal process.

 

[np1962]

I agree with Raven, depending on how much yeast you pitched it probably took a couple of days to build up enough numbers before it actually started eating the sugars.
More yeast, oxygenation may be required with a 1.055 wort.
Relax. it's fermenting and 6 days really isn't very long.
Cheers
Nige

 

[Housecat]

Thanks for the replies, I guess the biggest thing for me is that the krausen is still there after I expected it to be gone! This is my second effort at the extract side of things too so, still learning along the way

HC

 

[roverfj1200]

Most dry yeasts will take 24 to 48 hrs to rev up. And pitching at lower temps will only increase this.

 

[Margwar]

I read a bit about raising the ferentation temp too... After 4 -5 days I like to bring my temp up to 19 and then 20. Seems to make a difference and things finish off a bit better...

 

[kierent]

things always seem to work out if ur patient.

Did you rehydrate your yeast? I always find it starts quicker if I put the yeast in some 24ish water, stir and cover with glad wrap for 15 min or so.

 

[Housecat]

That's what I'll be trying next. I used to rehydrate but can't think why I don't any more
The beer fermented out quite well and it is CC as we speak so I can find out if it is good on the weekend

HC