Wyeast 1968 London Esb Ale

[a_quintal]

Hi Guys,

I made an English IPA:

88% Marris Otter
8.9% Pale Crystal Malt
2.5% Wheat Malt

Single Infusion 65c. SG 1072. I used a 1L starter too.

I'm aware perhaps I may have chosen the wrong yeast. The beer is sitting in the primary at 20c at 1020 gravity. It stopped at 1030 about a week ago and I have been rousing it everyday to get it down. It usually flocculates out quite quickly and unless i stir it up every 12-18hrs it stops fermenting. The yeast apparently is meant to attenuate 67-71%. It seems my apparent attenuation now is 70%. Beersmith has calculated an FG of 1016.

1) Should I keep rousing and see what happens? Is it possible to push it too far and maybe stress the yeast too much?
2) I know this style is meant to be a little dry, so should I be worried about it being too sweet for style?

Again, not sure if I have an issue but this yeast is new to me. This is my first English and I've never had an issue like this before with other beers.

Thanks in advance.

 

[seemax]

How many IBU's?

If it was me I'd chill it a while and keg it...

 

[felten]

2) I know this style is meant to be a little dry, so should I be worried about it being too sweet for style?

How does it taste?

 

[a_quintal]

It's 54 IBU's, I bottle btw :drinks: .

There is some sweetness present- but not over the top. I guess I'm being paranoid y pallet will trick me and once it was carbed up it might not be balanced.

 

[Wolfy]

Wy1968 is the yeast I use when I don't want it to attenuate too much, and am looking for a sweeter finish.
My guess is that starting at 1.072 getting it down to 1.020 is about as far as it will go - especially if you've been rousing it daily for a week.
Taste it and see what you think, then if you really want to dry it out some more, you could pitch a new yeast (even US05) which might help drop the gravity some more.

 

[Acasta]

The yeast apparently is meant to attenuate 67-71%.
It seems my apparent attenuation now is 70%.

Beersmith has calculated an FG of 1016.

If its in the apparent attenuation range it may not go much further.

Did you enter the correct yeast to BS? What is BS value for 1968?

Another thing is how much crystal (%) did you use? How accurate was your mash temp?

As for the resulting beer, don't get too worried. Learn from it and enjoy it for what it is.

 

[a_quintal]

If its in the apparent attenuation range it may not go much further.

Did you enter the correct yeast to BS? What is BS value for 1968?

Yep, it's the right yeast and the attenuation range is the same on BS.

Another thing is how much crystal (%) did you use? How accurate was your mash temp?

8.9% Pale Crystal Malt

My mash temp was accurate, I monitored this pretty closely as it's my first English.

Yeah, I guess im getting from the replies that maybe I should just bottle it and see.

 

[warra48]

I've brewed quite a number of batches with this yeast, and it has a habit of dropping out quite easily, and quitting on the job.

I know Wyeast quote relatively low apparent attenuation figures for this yeast, and that's probably true for the initial phase of fermentation.

However, my experience is that it nevertheless continues to very slowly ferment over a sustained period. I've bottled after an apparent attenuation of over 75% with this yeast, and carbonated at no more than about 1 volumes, and it still produces a head and carbonation in the glass like twice the calculated carbonation volume.

It's a great yeast for leaving you with a malty beer, but I got so sick of the continuing fermentation, even post bottling after 3 weeks in primary, that I've given up on it.

Your experience may be better than mine, I'm just relating my experience. The message is simply "be careful", particularly as you bottle and don't keg.

 

[RdeVjun]

Much of my experience is with 1768PC however these two are supposedly quite similar. I'd be very hesitant to bottle at this stage, invariably it will ferment some more, very very slowly and you'll end up with a heap of gushers or worse. If you're impatient, throw a more compliant strain in to finish the job, Notto, 1469 etc. It won't influence the taste much and you can rest easy. Well that's what I would do!

 

[a_quintal]

Hmm i'm pretty patient and I have some hefe's that are carbing up now so I've got some home brew to carry me over for the mean time. I guess i'll rouse it a couple more days and then pitch some yeast to finish it out.

 

[RdeVjun]

Glass or PET? If the latter you'll have less risk of dramas, but with either you can bottle a few testers to see how it is going. Once it hits the right degree of carbonation, fridge the lot. Pita, but do-able. :angry: But you'll be restocked quicker... B)
Get some of the big 19L stainless bottles and you'll be right!

 

[manticle]

My experience of this yeast is similar - it's not a super attenuator.

There are more problems than just bottle bombs (even though that's worthy of note) when thinking about packaging beer that is possibly unfinished - however with this yeast, it's probably all you will get.

Personally, I would try making a starter with a different, better attenuating yeast that can cope with the current level of alcohol. Maybe do a fast ferment test to see where you can get it to, then decant that and turn the slurry into an active starter (same beer but with more gentle treatment so you can pitch the lot while active) rather than deal with an overly sweet IPA - unless you like the flavour currently.

 

[a_quintal]

Lol RdeVjun yeah I have 4 kegs actually, just trying to get cash together for the other gear. I use glass bottles.

Yeah Manticle i'm going to do the new yeast option.

Thanks Guys

 

[Thefatdoghead]

I have used 1968 a few times with English beers iv'e made before with other yeasts and found it is just so much better than any of the other yeasts iv'e used. As other people say it's a tricky one to work with but the results are bloody fantastic! The more I brew the more it seems like tricky to use yeasts are the most surprisingly flavourful yeasts to use.
I think the last beer I used with 1968 was the "better red than dead" in the data base and it took way longer than 1084 irish ale but it **** all over irish ale in my honest opinion. I think from memory it floc'ed quickly but it ended up finishing at 1.016 which was perfect for me. Hope yours finishes ok mate good luck.

Gav

 

[bulp]

I've used this yeast a bit and have had similar results, what seems to work well with 1968 is keep an eye on the krausen everyday (twice a day is best ) and as soon as you see it start to fall back into the beer start ramping the temperature up .5 degree a day to a max of 2-3 degrees above start temps, and it will finish out. i really like the profile of this yeast but it's a lazy bugger.

 

[Pat Casey]

The 1968 is a nice yeast, but I only keg (chronic pre-bottling stress disorder). Have a beer on in the shop with it. Suggestion: before you add a 2nd yeast pull a few bottles and prime them very lightly or not at all. See how they shape up.

Pat