Notty adventures

[mtsoxfan]

We all have our go to yeasts, mine for the past 8 or so brews has been Nottingham. I'm harvesting, and just used on a American Rye Ale.
Two days ago, I put 2 ozs. of a compacted slurry into a starter. Afetr 12 hours, kraausen came and dropped, I changed my plan, and put in fridge. Changed my plans again, and 8 hours later was pitching into my ARA. I've been doing somewhat similiar procedures as Gymrat for airating, I pour from 3' above and that does some. I whisk in into a frothy frenzy, whirlpooling the foam into the wort. Then pour my starter from 3' and whisk one last time. Before I went to bed last night, less than 3 hours of pitching, I heard the steady streaming sounds of the sweet music from my blowoff jug. This morning, star san foam overflowing the jug...
Did I over pitch, most likely...I just haven't been into doing the math, as I haven't had an issue yet from overpitching...

[Beer-lord]

It's hard to tell if you over pitched but I'd rather over pitch than under pitch.
Me, I've not had the same luck with Notty as you have on 2 occasions but it could be my procedures. I'm glad it works for you. Just make sure you use the right yeast for the beer style, aerate and keep clean and you're golden.

[mtsoxfan]

I'm really not sure what the cause is, I've always airated, tried to pitch as close as possible to fermentation temp. This temp was pitched a bit high, about 76*. Right now, as I type, it sounds like a constant drum roll...

[Gymrat]

I love Notty. To me it is more of an American yeast than a British one in character. I like it for IPAs because it attenuates so well. It really dries them out and brings out the hop flavor.

[John Sand]

Interesting. I split a batch of APA, putting Notty in half and US-05 in half. The 05 went lower, and tasted hoppier. That said, I use Notty frequently, Centennial Blonde is fermenting with it right now.

[mtsoxfan]

I made a 1/2 batch of a Cream Ale for my wife Tuesday, and they were out of the Cream le yeast, so I went with 05. Should be interesting to see the difference...

I know I'm using more yeast each time, but the Notty seems to be getting quicker each time. While this is not a goal for me, to break speed records, it's just some interesting info for me... I've made some fine brews that took several days to take off.

[mtsoxfan]

Just at the 20 hour mark, the fermenation has ben crazy all day, had to peek at it. (two senses are better than one...)
Blowoff tube full of crusties, jug is full of crusties... and I had about 4 3/4 gals in a 6.5 gal fermenter with the airlock pulled almost all the way out... Still sounds like boiling water... with the occasional big blast

[John Sand]

Cool! Mine is slower I think, though the bucket doesn't seal tight. I'm keeping an ice pack on it to stay at 68.

[mashani]

Interesting. I split a batch of APA, putting Notty in half and US-05 in half. The 05 went lower, and tasted hoppier. That said, I use Notty frequently, Centennial Blonde is fermenting with it right now.

Normally for me Nottingham attenuates more and produces a drier beer then S-05, and it flocs out harder, so it makes clearer beer too.

That said S-05 does taste hoppier if you do what you did - for the very reason that it doesn't floc out as hard on its own. Since it is more of a medium floc yeast it doesn't pull the hop oils out of suspension as easily. Horth west pale ale yeasts tend to be mediumish floc, and this is why.

EDIT: my notty adventure of recent note is that I bottled the wai iti wheat that I made with it tonight. It got up to 72 at one point, and I was worried it would be "off" in some way, but it tasted fine, perhaps a bit of tartness that would not normally be there, but that's ok in this beer. It seems like some folks have issues when it goes > 70 and others don't. I didn't... I did pitch a whole pack in a 2.5 gallon batch of 1.05is beer, so that might be why.

[John Sand]

I've had it slightly above 70 a couple of times, and not for long. Seems to have no ill effects, but I try to keep it 68 or cooler.
When the split APA finished lower with 05, it was 1.010, notty 1.013. The notty was on 13 days, US-05 20 days. So it was not an identical test. In general though, I view 05, notty, and 04 in that order of decreasing attenuation, and use mostly those three yeasts.

[mashani]

Maybe I should try S-05 at warmer temps and see if it attenuates more for me then Notty then. Usually when I'm using either Notty or S-05 I'm fermenting at 62 or <. I use Notty in the winter at 56-57 sometimes.

[mtsoxfan]

I am using a pail with a thermometer strip I don't trust.... turns ouit it's close. It's read 72 the whole time, but an infrared reads 69. I normally ferment Notty at 62-66. We'll see how it turns out. Hopefully, with the amount I'm guessing I pitched, it didn't stress out and all will be fine. Yup, that's what I'm shooting for...

[Beer-lord]

I've read on a few DIY sites that the infrared thermometer isn't always accurate for liquid and I've stopped using mine for that.

[Gymrat]

The last few times I used 05 it way under attenuated. That was why I switched to BRY-97.

[mtsoxfan]

It's not highly accurate with liquids, but I'm reading the white pail. I've played around with it many times, comparing to my digital, and other than liquids, it's pretty spot on. Unless I'm reading at a distance, then there is math involved to adjust the reading, which I'm too lazy to deal with...