Using Two Yeasts

[Kieren]

Hi all,
I have just started brewing a couple of months ago and have a question about using two different yeasts in the one brew.

I recently put down a dark wheat beer for my 3rd brew. SG was 1.038. I used a Wyeast 3056 that i had cultured from the previous brew. After 46 hours there was still no action in the airlock so i thought that perhaps i stuffed up somehow when i cultured the yeast and killed. I thought I would add some more yeast but the only one i had around was the dry yeast that came the can, a Coopers wheat. At this stage i thought i would also add more sugar because the SG was lower than i hoped for so i added another 500g of dextrose boiled in water. Before adding the extra yeast and sugar I tested the gravity and was suprised to read it at 1.012ish. After adding the extra yeast and sugar (2nd SG back up to 1.030) there was still no air lock action. Tested the gravity one week later and it was back down to 1.015. It tasted like it had fermented somewhat, not sickly sweet.

Will this be OK or has my half arsed brew method just screwed it all up?

 

[JasonY]

Kieran,
From what you describe your first yeast was fine and had done the job! IF you started at 1.038 and after a few days you got 1.012 then it has fermented and was fine. By adding dextrose and more yeast you are now going to ferment that out as well and end up with a very alcoholic brew which is probably not what you were after.

A lot of people have problems with 'the airlock not bubbling' this can be caused by the yeast not firing but more often than not is caused by the seals being damaged or not tightened enough. The best thing to do is take an OG reading (as you did 1.038) and then check it as you go along if it is going down then the yeast is working. You should also be able to see bubbles/activity on top of the brew as an indicator as well.

As to how this brew will be, taste it and see when the rest of the dextrose ferments out. Should be ok but it may pack some more kick :lol: