Woodfordes Nelson's Revenge & Kviek Yeast

[Gioginnelli]

Hi All,

Been a while since my last post, and it's a good forum where people at least reply, so hoping for a bit of input/advice again.

It's my 7th time doing homebrew, and 2nd time with Nelson's Revenge, which is actually my preferred of the Woodfordes, Wherry is OK, but I prefer the higher alcohol % from Nelsons. Being a Norfolk boy I am lucky this stuff is in abundance in pubs locally.

I started the brew last Friday 19th Nov. With the following measurements:

Date: 19.11.21
Time: 19:00
SG: 1.042
21 degrees C.

I have had zero air lock activity, and I know this may not necessarily mean a dud brew or not fermenting, but it gets you concerned. I have to add, the homebrew shop suggested I try Kviek yeast to give it a quick ferment time. So not sure if this is causing no airlock action. I decided to take another reading:

Date: 22.11.21
Time: 14:00
SG: 1.004
22 Degrees C.

There is very little Krausen and crust on the side of the FV, quite flat and not 100% what i'm used to. Temp has probably been at a range between 18 and 23 degrees C.

I decided this evening to have a quick check as i understand Kviek yeast can speed up the process massively so does this mean the whole bubbling process has been skipped!?

This time it's giving:

Date: 24.11.21
Time: 19:00
SG: 1.008
25 Degrees C.

Now as i write this, I've had the first airlock bubbling. And at least another 7 since. Which is odd as it's nearly been one whole week since starting it. I don't know why it is now showing signs of getting going, maybe it's a little slow. The temps have been good, but the higher one this evening could be due to me accidently leaving the brew belt switched on which has raised the temp quite a bit. Could this higher temp be giving the whole thing a bit of life?!?!

Still bubbling away now, so that makes sense and gives a bit of relief to the situation, so hopefully a decent brew is on its way....

 

[Jimbo77]

I know very little about kveik yeast and i’m not the most experienced brewer but air lock activity
Isn’t always best method of judging a fermentation.
I would give it another week then keg or bottle, If the gravity reads the same two days running.
Increasing the temp can restart a fermentation, recently had a beer stuck at 1016
I increased temp to to 23C and got it down to 1010 fg.

 

[Gioginnelli]

Ah thanks @Jimbo77 that's actually what I have now with another brew I'm doing, which is a St. Peters Ruby Red. This was bubbling away massively within hours of putting in the FV and went like that for 3 days straight. It's stopped completely now and have taken a reading. It's at 1.016 which from the starting point is only giving 2.36%! But then again it's only been 5 days. Temps have been ok, but the temps have dropped by a couple of degrees recently.

 

[Jimbo77]

Ah thanks @Jimbo77 that's actually what I have now with another brew I'm doing, which is a St. Peters Ruby Red. This was bubbling away massively within hours of putting in the FV and went like that for 3 days straight. It's stopped completely now and have taken a reading. It's at 1.016 which from the starting point is only giving 2.36%! But then again it's only been 5 days. Temps have been ok, but the temps have dropped by a couple of degrees recently.

Thats a kit i haven't done, but i’ve read some good reviews.
If you like wherry but after something stronger Admirals is good, alternatively
You could brew wherry short 20L instead of 23L.
I’ve done all the woodforde kits, apart from Tinsel toes which i have in the garage to do.
Most have been very good. Favorites are Bure gold. Wherry, Nog, Admirals reserve.
St peters kits i’ve done the Golden ale, which wasn’t bad. London was good but not as good a porter
as Nog, and the IPA which i found too malty and not hoppy enough.
I usally leave all my beer to ferment without lifting the lid until day 10/11 take a reading if its almost
at Fg i add the dry hops, then cold crash after 3 days. Then bottle / corny keg.