Question about Joe's Ancient Orange recipe

[jwickham]

So...last night I started my first ever brewing experiment following the Joe's Ancient Orange recipe to the letter. The only thing that has me worried is that it said to leave several inches of space for foam and whatnot, while at the highest that I saw there was maybe a quarter of an inch.

I can see small bubbles rising if I stick a flashlight under my sink so I can see, so I assume that it is fermenting. I used 1 Teaspoon of Flieshmann's Quick-Rise baking yeast as it was the only yeast I saw with the Flieshmann's brand name on it.

Does this sound like it is progressing as it should?

Thanks in advance for the input!

[David Baldwin]

Well, I've used the quick rising Fleishman's and haven't been happy with it.

Not to say that it won't, but don't be surprised if it quits fermenting around 1.04 specific gravity.

I've had the AO recipe foam like mad, and I've had it hardly foam at all... don't really know why the difference.


David

[Lugh]

Quick Rise yeast usually has sorbitan monostearate and ascorbic acid added to it. Sorbitan monostearate helps yeast rehydrate faster and ascorbic acid makes the dough stronger.

Regular or "Active Dry" yeast is just yeast, no added chemicals.

Here's Fleischmann's product's page: http://www.breadworld.com/sciencehistory/yeast.asp

[jwickham]

Hmmmm...well should I:

A) Let the batch run through as is and pray it turns out.
B) Grab some Active Yeast from the store and add it to the current concoction.
C) Write the 10 dollars off as a lesson learned and start a new batch with active yeast instead of the Quick Rise stuff.

Since I am less then 48 hours in, would like to make sure things are going smooth now rather than getting an icky final product.

[JamesP]

NOT C. It won't be wrecked.

If it stops fermenting, I'd check the SG, and if there is still heaps of honey (SG > 1.020 ??) then do B), else do A)

[WRATHWILDE]

C) Write the 10 dollars off as a lesson learned and start a new batch with active yeast instead of the Quick Rise stuff.

Well since it's time to start thinking about taxes (I lie... I've already finished mine) if you can find a way to write your ingredients off let us know. It would be quite a tax break for some of us, Oskaar could probably afford to pick up another redhead.

Wrathwilde

[CheshireCat]

My batch of AO finnished at 1.022. I used Flieshmann's Rapid Rise (or whatever it's called) yeast as well, I'm not sure how batches with regular bread yeast finish out.

Is your batch actually foaming or is it just sitting there? Mine foamed like mad, even getting into the airlock with a good three inches of headspace.

I never saw signs of active fermentation in any of my batches save for airlock activity.

I would just toss it into a closet and forget about it for a month or so and start another batch.

[jwickham]

Well...it has a few bubbles on top...but not really enough that I would call it "foam." Of course I am sitting at sea level...wonder if that has anything to do with its behavior?