WLP002 fast fermenter?

[Joeneugs]

So I used this yeast for a smoked brown porter on Sunday, pitched it at about 9:30pm and it seems to be almost finished and settled to the bottom already. No more krausen. Is this normal for this yeast? My SG was 1.051 and I made a small pint sized starter.

Another side question. I'm using a carboy hood (the orange kind) with a thermowell for temp. controlling. It doesn't seem to make nearly as tight a seal as a rubber stopper and I never got any activity in the airlock. Should I be concerned about oxygen leaking in.

Thanks for your help!

 

[BryceL]

It usually ferments pretty quick for me, but just because the krausen has dropped it doesn't mean its done fermenting. It's likely still working away a bit more. As for the carboy hood, I wouldn't be to concerned with it for primary fermentation. If I was doing a secondary or aging, I would probably want a tighter seal.

 

[Joeneugs]

Yeah, you may be right. It does look like its already starting to clear though. Shocking since it hasn't even been 48 hours yet!

 

[lockwom]

What temperature are you fermenting at? I have WY1968 -- roughly the same strain -- fermenting at about 65 deg F since Sunday night, but it's still quite vigorous now (visible motion, thick krausen). It was also a 1.080 OG beer, and I had a 1.5 L starter.

This is by far the most flocculant yeast strain in my bank, so I pitch big and ferment low-to-mid 60s, and try to let it finish around 68 deg F to clean up diacetyl. I've read about people stirring it up yeast off the cake if they underpitched, but you could take a gravity reading to decide if it's done.

 

[Joeneugs]

I fermented at 66 F. I'm going to assume it's still going, just without much visual activity. If everything stays the same, I'll probably pull a sample to test the gravity on Thursday night. If it is already done, this is an AMAZINGLY vigorous strain!