What does it mean?

[Martin G]

So my pale ale with just MO and torrie OG 1.053 took over 2 weeks to ferment with TVII slant. My recent dark ale (not silly but a few percent each of roasted barley, choc malt and oats) with an OG 1.048. took about 5 days with SO4 due to forgetting starter. Most of my other amber brews take something like 10-12 days with TVII. On the one hand I'm happy with my brews, but on the other it would be convenient if they'd hurry up a bit.
All my brews start at 19C, I increase by a couple of degrees over the course of fermentation.

Is my water chemistry wrong and I'm being saved by the dark malts? (Going to send a bottle to Murphy's, been meaning to do this for a while anyway.)
Do dark ales just always go quicker? (someone suggested my dark brew would go quick, why?)
Is TVII a slower yeast or more sensitive to poor wort oxygenation or poor starter handling or under pitching? (I have a stir plate for starters but I don't have oxygen yet, but have been meaning to)
Is S04 just fast? (not that 5 days is record breaking)

[mysterio]

Hi,

Never used the strain but I can offer the following thoughts

- SO4 is indeed a fast yeast, i've had it fully ferment in two days before. However, you should be looking at a week maximum for English ale fermentation and a little longer for maturation.

- If you're using a stir plate then i'm guessing you're building up to the correct size of starter using one of the calculators. Oxygen is unnecessary for ales but helpful for lagers, you can shake the correct amount of oxygen into the FV with a few minutes of shaking.

- Is the flavour of the beer OK? If so then it seems like yeast health is OK - I would look at increasing the fermentation temperature. Some English ale strains just like it that little bit warmer. A degree or two can make a big difference sometimes.

- Some strains leave a thick Krausen on top of the beer for a while after fermentation, are you sure fermentation isn't complete? I think SO4 drops almost instantly.

- Some theories for the dark ale fermentation: roasted malts may create a more favourable Ph for yeast, and there is more particulate matter from roasted to create nucleation sites for C02 - creating a more vigorous ferment. I made both of those up.

[darkonnis]

Sounds like you're underpitching to me but I'm no expert. Have you tried reusing a previous batch of yeast, ie literally tipping the next lot of wort on top of the old cake?

[Belter]

Sounds like you're underpitching to me but I'm no expert. Have you tried reusing a previous batch of yeast, ie literally tipping the next lot of wort on top of the old cake?

From Under pitch to dramatic Overpitch?!?!

[Martin G]

Thanks chaps, am not expert at cell counting. Will do a it a bit more methodically next time I build up a starter. I do a forced ferment to get final gravity (optimum). Like the roasted malt theory! Did wonder about pH etc, sample to Murphy's is in the post.

[darkonnis]

From Under pitch to dramatic Overpitch?!?!

Have you tried it? Seen quite a few people do this and i've done it myself, works a treat. A standard ale should not take nearly 2 weeks to ferment, high gravity perhaps, but 2 weeks is way way too long I want it out of the FV and into the keg ready to condition by 2 weeks and I don't rush it. I expect my fermentations to be done with in a week, its worth trying if fermentation is that slow. Certainly won't do any harm.

[Martin G]

Just got my report back, my water treatment has been miles out. Alkalinity double what I have been treating for, and I was nowhere near bold enough at the differences between bitter and stout. Really glad I did this and for £20 odd quid makes me feel I really am now in the right place. I only have pH papers and they had been measuring on the high side, but my solution was all about gypsum and calcium chloride, will be interesting to see the difference on my next brew. I don't plan to brew for a few weeks as I have some other jobs to get done. This may not be the complete cause of my problems but I have at least eliminated/reduced one aspect. The alkalinity does explain to some extent why the darker brew went quicker.

[Martin G]

Just got my report back, my water treatment has been miles out. Alkalinity double what I have been treating for, and I was nowhere near bold enough at the differences between bitter and stout. Really glad I did this and for £20 odd quid makes me feel I really am now in the right place. I only have pH papers and they had been measuring on the high side, but my solution was all about gypsum and calcium chloride, will be interesting to see the difference on my next brew. I don't plan to brew for a few weeks as I have some other jobs to get done. This may not be the complete cause of my problems but I have at least eliminated/reduced one aspect. The alkalinity does explain to some extent why the darker brew went quicker.