Always adding extra yeast

[jireland]

Hi, I have read some of the posts from people suffering the same problem as me. I have just started home brewing beer kits, I am currently on my 3rd kit.

My first was a complete failure with my aquarium heater failing and exposing it to really cold temperatures. It never picked up so I got rid and tried again.

My Second was a Geordie Yorkshire Bitter kit. The gravity of which dropped to just 1.018, I left it for 2 weeks, which was double the recommended. It was kept in my house which was around 19C all of the time, with an aquarium heater to keep it up to 21C. I still bottled it and leaving it for a good while before using it. I did test one (rude not to) and although it did taste good with a good head, it was a bit sickly (maybe to sweet).

I'm now doing a Muntons Connoisseurs Nut Brown Ale. When I purchased it, the guy in the shop recommended a third party yeast saying that the kit ones tend to not be very good. I used the technique suggested of adding it to warm water (I used thermometer to check) to 'kickstart' the yeast before adding it. Once again, my brew has stalled, this time at 1.016 (should be 1.008). It had been doing well with lots of foam on top. Oh, I also did this one in an upstairs cupboard which is at a pretty constant 21C.

I have pitched half of the spare yeast that came with the kit onto the top to restart fermentation and gave it a stir up... Its now started bubbling again so will hopefully hit target..... Finally the question (sorry to run on)

Have I just been unlucky to have had 2 stalled kits in a row or am I doing something wrong? I'm tempted to wait 2-3 days after fermentation starts, then pitch an extra half sachet of yeast as a matter of course from now on. Would you recommend it? I'm also using granulated sugar only, could this be the problem, I did ask the guy in my local brew shop who said it doesn't make that much difference. Any help would be good as it getting to be quite an expensive hobby at this rate.

[mickhew]

No need to always add extra yeast, when you do a Coopers kit. Do one of those, they are reliable.
I've done Muntons - always stick for me, and never clear. I end up drinking cloudy beer, and have hassle getting the gravity to 1014, let alone lower.
I've done a Geordie, brewed o.k, but tasted minging.
This is only me experience though, others swear by the Muntons ones, and the Geordies are popular. I've done a Muntons, and used Safale S04, still finished at 1016, still cloudy, even using finings.

[GrowlingDogBeer]

The Coopers kits do get quite good reports on here, although personally I have no experience of them.

As an aside have you checked your hydrometer is calibrated correctly, it is possible it may not be accurate.

Test what the gravity is of tap water, it should be 1.000, if it isn't your hydrometer is at fault, not the brews.

[Shadowknight]

If I was buying something, and the seller told me I needed something else as part of the item I was buying wasn't very good, I would certainly question wether I am either buying the wrong product, or I am at the wrong store.

[Beer O'Clock]

Another issue that has come up is the lack of aeration. Do you give the brews a good thrashing before adding the yeast ? I have done several kits that have a bad reputation for 'sticking' and have yet to experience it. Being pedantic helps, I guess.

[jireland]

I did check the hydrometer. The reading was slightly high - 1.001 but as I understand it, this is expected in non-distilled water. I've also been careful about the temperature when testing (I'm a beginner so I treat with extra care). It's encouraging that I'm not alone with the stalled beer, I'm still hopeful that this one will drop with the extra yeast.

Aeration? Now that may be the answer then. I pour the cold water in from a jug which stirs it up a bit, then stir with my spoon but not really churning it up. So if I fill the bucket.... sorry fermenter up to 1/2 to 2/3 full, then give it a hiding with a fork, spoon or even a whisk, then top up, that would help? I have read that yeast relies on oxygen but had no idea how to introduce it.

[Beer O'Clock]

Once you've filled the FV with yoour required amount of water and can contentents, give the whole lot a real good thrashing with a long handled brewers paddle or similar until you get a good head of foam. That should add enough air to the mix.

[jireland]

Just saw a video on youtube, some bloke using a paint stirrer on the end of a drill . I had no idea that was needed, thanks very much for your help, next time I'll do a Coopers kit and give it a good stir up. Would you recommend doing that halfway through fermentation as well?

[Beer O'Clock]

No. Leave it alone and let it do it's thing.

[Paddy Bubbles]

Just saw a video on youtube, some bloke using a paint stirrer on the end of a drill . I had no idea that was needed, thanks very much for your help, next time I'll do a Coopers kit and give it a good stir up. Would you recommend doing that halfway through fermentation as well?

It's not needed. Just pour the water from a height into your FV giving it a good thrashing. You should end up pitching your yeast into 6" of thick foam. Never "thrash" the wort once you've pitched the yeast, stir your yeast in and snap the lid on, then leave it alone.Some people recommend rousing the yeast in the event of a stuck fermentation, taking care not to oxygenate the wort.

Never had a problem with the Cooper's yeast to be honest.

[guypettigrew]

Good aeration is the answer.

Having rinsed out the cans from the kit with (almost) boiling water, I then give the small amount of liquid in the fermenting bin a good stir to ensure the concentrate is all dissolved.

The cold water is then added through a hose from the tap, which means it goes in at mains pressure and really stirs things up!

Having checked the temperature, the yeast is then sprinkled on the liquid and stirred in quite vigorously. The one time I tried just sprinkling the yeast on the top and leaving it was a disaster!

This technique gives me a primary fermentation time of 2-3 days maximum.

Guy

[mickhew]

Good aeration isn't the anwer in my experience, I've done all that, Muntons still stick for me. Coopers don't. Munton's stay cloudy for me, Coopers don't, using the exact same process.

[guypettigrew]

Good aeration isn't the anwer in my experience, I've done all that, Muntons still stick for me. Coopers don't. Munton's stay cloudy for me, Coopers don't, using the exact same process.

Fair enough. I've only ever had one fermentation stick though, and that was definitely because I didn't stir and aerate the beer well enough.

Guy

[jireland]

Definitely Coopers for my next kit with all of the recommendations. Thank you all for your help, there's some really useful information here. I measure the gravity of my Munton's last night and it's down to 1.006 really looking forward to my first decent beer!

[bungle666]

Muntons stick, PERIOD! tried everything with them... yeast VIT, warming, rousing, thrashing ETC ETC and still they stick!

to unstick, a rouse and tronozymol usually does the trick though

coopers on the other hand do not stick, ferment out in 4 days, always get down to 1010 (ish) clear after a week in the bottle and are usually superb after a fortnight in the bottle!