I did a yeast experiment using two different wine yeasts (71B and BA11) and two different ale yeasts (WLP090 and WLP530). The wine yeasts fermented to completion in a couple weeks, yet at day 30 the ale yeasts seem to have crapped out and are stuck at around 1.022. They both taste great (although very different from each other of course) but I figured they would still ferment to completion (started with an OG of 1.095 for all four batches).
Here is the recipe and process used for both batches with ale yeast:
-13 lbs orange blossom honey
-Spring water filled to 5 gallons
-5g of K2CO3
-¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix (1 part Fermaid-K, 2 parts DAP)
Mixed together with mix-stir, then oxygenated with pure O2 for 90 seconds
OG=1.095
Yeast Starter:
6 oz honey, water to 1800ml, 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient mix, and one vial of liquid ale yeast. (one had WLP090, other had WLP530). Placed on stir-plates for 24 hours, then cooled in refrigerator for 8 hours, then decanted liquid and pitched the remaining yeast into the primary.
Added -¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix at day 1, 2, 3 and 1/3 sugar break. Degassed every day until 1/3 sugar break as well.
Spent first couple weeks at 66 degrees F.
Fermentation seemed to be moving along fine, brought up to 70 degrees F after 3 weeks once I suspected they were slowing down.
The pH is 3.6 for both batches.
It's been 30 days and now they're both sitting at a gravity of 1.022, and have been for a few days in a row. They taste great, semi-sweet, but I was hoping they'd ferment all the way to around 1.0.
Any suggestions? Rather than pitch a wine yeast, is it OK to pitch another high-gravity ale yeast? Is there an issue with pitching another yeast this far along (will it leave any off-flavors at this point if there's too much yeast)? It looks like plenty of people have had success with similar yeasts and fermenting to completion, so not sure where mine went wrong?
Cheers,
Billy
Here is the recipe and process used for both batches with ale yeast:
-13 lbs orange blossom honey
-Spring water filled to 5 gallons
-5g of K2CO3
-¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix (1 part Fermaid-K, 2 parts DAP)
Mixed together with mix-stir, then oxygenated with pure O2 for 90 seconds
OG=1.095
Yeast Starter:
6 oz honey, water to 1800ml, 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient mix, and one vial of liquid ale yeast. (one had WLP090, other had WLP530). Placed on stir-plates for 24 hours, then cooled in refrigerator for 8 hours, then decanted liquid and pitched the remaining yeast into the primary.
Added -¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix at day 1, 2, 3 and 1/3 sugar break. Degassed every day until 1/3 sugar break as well.
Spent first couple weeks at 66 degrees F.
Fermentation seemed to be moving along fine, brought up to 70 degrees F after 3 weeks once I suspected they were slowing down.
The pH is 3.6 for both batches.
It's been 30 days and now they're both sitting at a gravity of 1.022, and have been for a few days in a row. They taste great, semi-sweet, but I was hoping they'd ferment all the way to around 1.0.
Any suggestions? Rather than pitch a wine yeast, is it OK to pitch another high-gravity ale yeast? Is there an issue with pitching another yeast this far along (will it leave any off-flavors at this point if there's too much yeast)? It looks like plenty of people have had success with similar yeasts and fermenting to completion, so not sure where mine went wrong?
Cheers,
Billy
