Five gallon commercial kit (porter), with Dry Wyeast. Fermentation stalled after about four days of "gentle fermentation" nothing aggressive as I am accustomed to (generally use liquid yeast from White Labs). Let it set stalled for another week, then did a gravity check. Gravity of 1.024 seemed high for a finish, but since I didn't have time to bottle anyway, I let it set. Next day, here come the bubbles and we are fermenting again. I haven't use dry yeast often, although I have a grasp of what happened, I'd like to know why, or at least have a better idea. Brew on brother!
Stalled fermentation
Dec 03, 2004
3 Replies
That isn't typical with yeast that has a good start. Fermentation should begin in a few hours and ramp up to a peak then have a long decay.
My guess would be the yeast was pitched dry or the wort not aerated or mixed well. Stalling for a week is extreme unless the temperature took a nose dive, in addition to a weak yeast.
If you had a good yeast going before it was pitched - the temperature of the starter may have been wrong (too warm likely). Good yeast smells "yeasty" not sour and should have a good froth on top before pitching.
Wyeast doesn't make dry yeast...what did you use?
--------->Denny
Ya got me Denny, I didn't save the package. I was thinking Wyeast, but I guess not after you posed the question, I haven't a clue. Any way it was a dry pack, and label said like disolve in warmer than room temp water for fifteen minutes and pitch. So I did.
Sounds to like simply didn't give the yeast a decent start, and by the way we did a cold snap and the room temp probably dropped 8-10 degrees F.
Avery
Brew on brother!
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