Wyeast 1084 ? ?

[cam89brewer]

I am having another go at making an Irish Dry Stout the 1st one turned out ok but took a couple of months to have any head what so ever and for some reason during fermentation there is no real krausen and just seems to fizz instead.

Is this recipe adequate for a decent head retention?

21L batch

OG:1.060 FG 1.015

3kg JW Traditional Ale
1.4kg Wheat
1kg Flaked Barley
.5kg Roasted Barley
.15kg Dark Crystal
.1kg Caramalt

60g Hallertau Mittelfruh @ 60mins AA 6.4%

Yeast W1084 @ 17c

 

[tiprya]

The lack of krausen should be more worrying - what are your yeast pitching arrangements?

I have found this yeast is quite active, and has no problems carbonating batches, even a big Imperial Stout.

 

[Phoney]

Head retention can depend on a lot more factors than just your recipe. You're not telling the full story.

 

[mckenry]

I am having another go at making an Irish Dry Stout the 1st one turned out ok but took a couple of months to have any head what so ever and for some reason during fermentation there is no real krausen and just seems to fizz instead.

Is this recipe adequate for a decent head retention?

21L batch

OG:1.060 FG 1.015

3kg JW Traditional Ale
1.4kg Wheat
1kg Flaked Barley
.5kg Roasted Barley
.15kg Dark Crystal
.1kg Caramalt

60g Hallertau Mittelfruh @ 60mins AA 6.4%

Yeast W1084 @ 17c

Simple answer is yes. Any recipe is good for head retention. Its a combination of many things, such as mash process, e.g. too low mash temp &/or too long protein rest, ferment temp, even boiling too hard (I've read - never happened to me tho), more than ingredients themselves, that determine the type of head and retention.
Youll have to read up on all the head retention problem threads. There are many many causes.
Since your brew isnt krausening very well, I would be more looking at your yeast health. Underpitching is aculprit too. 1084 is a beast in my experience. Even year+ old yeast fires up perfectly well.

 

[cam89brewer]

I have good head retention after about 3 months generally as I assume this is normal for higher alcohol beers, my main query was about no krausen (is this a bad sign?) as it is obviously actively fermenting. I used a 4litre starter and a 10 day fermentation and my mash schedule is:

50C for 10 min
66C for 60 min
77C for 10 min
and 2 x 5 litre batch sparge.

60 min boil , chill and then pitch starter @ 18C.

I use this mash schedule for nearly all my beers and they all generally have excellent head retention.

 

[BoilerBoy]

Don't be worried about the lack of krausen during fermentation its just a typical behaviour of this yeast, happens everytime I have used it it.

Nothing to worry about, I have often thought 1084 looks not dissimilar to a "Lager" fermentation.

Cheers,
BB

 

[Murcluf]

Don't be worried about the lack of krausen during fermentation its just a typical behaviour of this yeast, happens everytime I have used it it.

Nothing to worry about, I have often thought 1084 looks not dissimilar to a "Lager" fermentation.

Cheers,
BB

Same happened the last time I used it and I was fermenting at 17c, but had fermented out in 7 days

 

[cam89brewer]

Well it is a comfort to know that it is normal.

thanks guys. :beerbang:

does any one else have any trouble with this yeast and diacetyl? The first stout I made I entered it into the recent stout extravaganza and it scored fairly poorly with the mate notes being that it had a butterscotch taste/aroma and suggested that it may be caused by diacetyl and must be a fermentation issue. The beer has only been in the bottle for a month or 2 and was posted approx 350km could the travel and its age be part of the issue?

 

[tiprya]

All of these problems could be caused by low pitching rates, how are you building your starters?

I've run 1084 at 18/19 and it has a good krausen, and (as far as I can tell) havn't had any diacetyl issues.

When you say 'took a few months to have any head what so ever' do you mean it took that long to carbonate, or it was carbonated but didn't have head? All my 1084's have had good carbonation after 2 weeks, and fair head that tends to die down towards the end of the glass.

 

[cam89brewer]

It takes about a month to carbonate and about 2-3 for good head retention.

 

[Doubleplugga]

I just made my first Russian Imperial and used 1084. Due to the starter failing I ended up pitching 3 packs of 1084 (the OG was 1.081) This yeast went ballistic! It was just spewing out the airlock for the first 24-30 hours. has settled down now (day 3) to a steady chug chug every second or so. I have never seen a yeast like it. Cant wait to try it in a few months when its ready. will definently be harvesting this one when it is done.