Wyeast 1187 Ringwood Ale

[hwall95]

Was your yeast starter on a stir plate?

What gravity is it sitting at?

Is there krausen?

Sorry I thought you replied to this earlier.. No the yeast wasn't on a stirplate, and therefore no krausen that I saw. It did let us off slight bubbles this arvo but I'll check it again the morning. The gravity was 1.045ish from memory and was just LDME and water boiled for 10 minutes in the flask.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Sorry I thought you replied to this earlier.. No the yeast wasn't on a stirplate, and therefore no krausen that I saw. It did let us off slight bubbles this arvo but I'll check it again the morning. The gravity was 1.045ish from memory and was just LDME and water boiled for 10 minutes in the flask.

I would say that you've under pitched your yeast. Using a yeast calculator, 1.5L would produce enough cells for the job if it was on a stir plate being constantly aerated. If you google search yeast calc and have a play around with the numbers and methods you will see an estimation of different results by method.

 

[hwall95]

I would say that you've under pitched your yeast. Using a yeast calculator, 1.5L would produce enough cells for the job if it was on a stir plate being constantly aerated. If you google search yeast calc and have a play around with the numbers and methods you will see an estimation of different results by method.

Sorry I think I may have been confusing at the end on my first post. The starter isn't pitched yet, and the wort of the beer is 1.04 as it's just an English mild. The wort is still cubed as I'm yet to pitch the yeast until I feel there's adequate yeast culture so I may need to do another step. Overall I was just expecting the yeast to be a bit more active in the starter like previous English ale strains I've used

 

[Bribie G]

I always give it a good aeration thrashing with a slotted spoon on day 2.
Ringwood became very popular when 1469 West Yorkshire was only released every 2 years as they are cousins and give similar results, being stone square yeasts.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Starter stepping is much easier with continuous aeration from a stir plate. I would give it another starter and rouse it whenever you walk past it. Wait a few more days for your current starter to ferment then chill it for a day or so in the fridge, decant the beer off and add the slurry to your new starter.

I'll add this in if its in your brewing budget :
http://www.digitalhomebrew.com/digital-stirplate-v3

No affiliation, happy customer. Also you get a lifetime warranty.

 

[Mardoo]

Second the rec for a stirplate and also for the digital homebrew one. Their lifetime warranty is no bull. I just had my wall wart fall apart about three years after purchase and they replaced it immediately, despite my offer to pay for it. Also, happy customer, no affiliation.

 

[hwall95]

Yeah will buy one soon, sick of starters taking their time..

Also bad news, I just got home from work and tasted the yeast and it's definitely sour now. Didn't smell sour two days ago so my guess it must of got infected since the yeast wouldn't take over. Orginally the yeast got stuck in transit over the australia day long weekend so maybe that shook them up a bit. I don't know, either way will grab another packet of english from brewers choice tomorrow morning. Might actually try the new MJ dark ale yeast because I want to get this mild on tap sooner then later and been meaning to try it after hearing good things about it. But that's a bit off topic.. If anyone happens to want a sour english starter in Brisbane, let me know

 

[hwall95]

Yeah will buy one soon, sick of starters taking their time..

Also bad news, I just got home from work and tasted the yeast and it's definitely sour now. Didn't smell sour two days ago so my guess it must of got infected since the yeast wouldn't take over. Orginally the yeast got stuck in transit over the australia day long weekend so maybe that shook them up a bit. I don't know, either way will grab another packet of english from brewers choice tomorrow morning. Might actually try the new MJ dark ale yeast because I want to get this mild on tap sooner then later and been meaning to try it after hearing good things about it. But that's a bit off topic.. If anyone happens to want a sour english starter in Brisbane, let me know

Update, grabbed another pack of Ringwood, but this time it's Manufacture Date is 14/01/15 so nice and fresh. Will make a 1L starter and pitch at full krausen.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Update, grabbed another pack of Ringwood, but this time it's Manufacture Date is 14/01/15 so nice and fresh. Will make a 1L starter and pitch at full krausen.

Give it a good shake every time you walk past it. AND grab a stir plate Sir!!!

 

[hwall95]

Give it a good shake every time you walk past it. AND grab a stir plate Sir!!!

Yeah I have been, the last shake actually nearly exploded out with krausen and it popped the glad wrap I place over top.. Can safetly say this yeast is very active! And yes, stir plate will be purchased hopefully tonight

 

[hwall95]

Anyone experience stalled ferments with this one? Pitched my 1L starter at full krausen a week ago, it fermented like crazy and then slowed down at 1.02 4 days ago and tested it just now and it's gone nice and clear but still at 1.02.

It's a dark mild, OG 1.042, 25L, aerated from pouring from 1/2 cube then shaking the remainder of the cube and then pouring the rest, very foamy! Mashed at 69 for 60 min, raise to 72 for for 15. I was more hoping for an FG of 1.012 to 1.016 because at the moment it tastes slightly too sweet for my preference. I fermented at 19 and it's been sitting at 21 for last three days and I've given it a few swirls to knock some yeast back up.

Think I may pitch a packet of S04 if I can get to LHBS sometime soon

 

[RdeVjun]

Hwall95, that isn't uncommon behaviour for Ringwood at all, it can be quite cantankerous when approaching anticipated final gravity.

With Mild, the high saccharification rest temperature should of course lead to higher final gravity (and is desired) but in my experience it is difficult to predict precisely, even more so with lazy strains such as Ringwood as the yeast. You've covered off on just about everything correctly IMO, I guess one thing to check is your thermometer, apart from that, pitching another yeast could make absolutely certain to prevent bottle bombs (if you are bottling that is). Also perhaps consider yeast nutrient if you haven't used it here. Nevertheless, Ringwood is notorious for slow and relentless ferment after packaging, that's one reason why I only use it occasionally (competition bottle gushers are rather embarrassing and so disappointing ), otherwise it's a marvellous strain.
A forced ferment test should give a clearer picture https://www.wyeastlab.com/he-brew-qc.cfm

Excellent aeration technique BTW

 

[Weizguy]

No stalled ferment for me, but I expected that and give the ferment vessel a swirl/rouse a few times a day from day 1, as a pre-emptive fix.

My ferments with W1187 never actually finished below about 75%+ apparent attenuation, using the daily rousing.

 

[hwall95]

Cheers guys, yeah I think ill definitely use some yeast nutrient next time. I'm kegging most or it and bottling remainder 5ish litres.

Currently it's tasting nice but would just prefer it bit less to make it more enjoyable. It made be the 72 rest as I had a similar high FG on an oatmeal stout but the same time it did start at 1.065 so it still had 65ish % app. attentuation.

I'll keep swirling it but I think S04 might be my best option so far, and it doesn't drop then ohwell, good experience. I'll have to try the recipe again but with good swirling practise and lower the main mash to 67 or 68.

Yeah my aeration technique seems to be doing wonder so far, only started it in my last 4 batches and the extra shaking has made the yeast ferment out twice as fast which is a good sign and also lag time of less then 6 hours at the most