Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager

[SJW]

I just checked my Oktoberfest after pitching a starter on Saturday at 12 deg C. 4 days later the gravity has dropped from 1.054 to 1.026. This appears to be a very fast fermentation? It has been sitting on 9.5 deg C from just after it was pitched. I have stired in the krusen twice over the past 4 days. Even today its still at 10 deg C and the airlock is bubbling every 4 seconds. I plan to let this ferment right out and then rest at 14 deg C for 24 hours then crash and keg. I plan to do it all in the primary fermenter as I want to save all the yeast cake.
So is this yeast the same as 34/70? if so I though that was a slow as an old mole.
I am loving this stuff so far anyway. I guess I should expect this to finish between 1.012 and 1.014.

Steve

 

[hockadays]

Sounds like it's performing pretty well, What size starter did you make and was it made up from a smack pack or slurry? I don't have any answers just more questions..

 

[tim_mortensen]

I love this yeast. If it is the same as 34/70 then it just shows how detrimental drying yeast can be for some strains.

It is very fast fermenting, even below 10C (I generally ferment at 8-9C with this yeast). Will be finished in about 9 days, often less. It is also very clean, with none of the saf "twang" that I find 34/70 gives.

It is also a high attenuator. My last Pilsener went from 1.055 to 1.005, yet it does not thin out the body like you might expect. Another one went to 1.001 (though had a bit of sugar in that one).

If storing for re-pitching, keep it cold, as once it warms up a bit then it will (literally) crawl out of the jar!

Cheers,
Tim

 

[SJW]

thanks guys. Yes the starter was made from the smack pack. The funny thing is that I just used the slurry from the original 1.5 litre 1.055 starter and added it to another 1.5 litres of the oktoberfest, and pitched it a few hours later. But the funny thing was when I tipped off the so called CLEAR LIQUID from the top of the original starter I added that to another 1.5 litre starter and it went nuts too. So I will keep that one as a first generation and split the yeast cake up from this one into 5 or 6 stubbies. Should be heaps of yeast.

Steve

 

[SJW]

10 days after I pitched this and fermented at 10 deg C and rested for 48 hours at 15 its down from 1.054 to 1.014 thats about 73% attenuation, could I expect or should I expect this yeast to go any further?

 

[chris.taylor.98]

Sounds like it is in the ballpark.

If you are worried about it, give the fermenter a bit of a swirl around to get the yeast up in suspension, then wait another couple of days.